Château Clos Fourtet, 1er Grand Cru Classé, St Emilion,

Mathieu Cuvelier marks 20 years of the Cuvelier family at Clos Fourtet with this vintage, and it's a wonderful attestation to the potential of limestone plateau location for coping with a changing climate in Bordeaux. Visually arresting in its deep plum and violet colour, with a luscious texture, and plenty of subtle red roses and peony floral aromatics. Creamy black and blue fruits, and sublimely well measured tannic extraction, with crunchy salinity on the finish, oyster shell and salt-flecked chocolate notes. Super smooth finish. First year with the addition of Les Grandes Murailles vineyard. Stéphane Derenoncourt and Jean-Claude Berrouet consultants (working together since 2009). Not too interventionist, no cold soaks here, natural yeasts, with whole bunch ferments for the young vines. Harvest September 9 to 27. 3.54ph. 40% new oak, 58% second-fill barrels, 2% amphoras.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2022 Clos Fourtet comes barreling out of the glass with profound notes of ripe, juicy black plums, boysenberry preserves, and Morello cherries, followed by suggestions of lilacs, clove oil, crushed rocks, and wood smoke. The full-bodied palate is rich and concentrated, with densely laden black and blue fruit layers offset by a zippy backbone and firm, rounded tannins, finishing with great persistence.

The 2022 Clos Fourtet was picked from 9 to 27 September at 36hL/ha and vinified to a maximum of 24-26° Celsius. It has a gorgeous bouquet you could lose yourself in, with crushed strawberry, orange blossom and bunches of violet. The 40% new oak is extremely well integrated. The palate is refined with filigree tannins, one of the most mineral-driven Clos Fourtets I recall at this stage, with a sophisticated and harmonious finish. The prudent approach to the new oak pays rich dividends here. Mathieu Cuvelier and his team have overseen a sublime Saint-Émilion.