($60-$75) Dark red. Explosive aromas of currant and plum jam, game and leather. Downright velvety in the mouth, with compelling sweetness of fruit and pliancy of texture. The ripe plummy flavor is joined by chocolate and leather on the fairly tannic finish. Approachable already, this should gain in complexity with another few years of bottle aging.

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This estate has come back strongly under new ownership, and the quality of the wines now exhibits the tremendous potential of this extraordinary terroir on the limestone plateau just outside the walls of St.-Emilion. Sampled three times from bottle, the 2003 Clos Fourtet is the finest wine I have ever tasted from this estate. Made in a full-bodied, extravagantly rich style, it is just beginning to close down, but it is easy to see the layers of concentrated black cherry, plum, and licorice-infused fruit. There is also a subtle hint of charcoal as well as loads of mineral, flower, blackberry, and creme de cassis characteristics. This full-flavored, opulent, glycerin-filled 2003 offers impressive richness, silky tannin, and a long, 45+ second finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, and drink well for two decades or more.

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Superclean with blackberry, violets, dark chocolate and hints of oak. Full-bodied, with layers of ripe tannins and a long, long finish. Gorgeous. Tight and structured. 3,500 cases made.

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What a giant wine. Needs a couple of hours to breath (after being decanted) Hard to believe this is mostly Merlot. Fantastic nose, lost of big dark fruits with soft tannins. Multiple layers of soft but robust dark fruit. Well continue to get better for a least 5 years