2021 Fontenil
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Tasting notes
Ripe black cherries, sappy spring flowers, and graphite all emerge from the 2021 Château Fontenil, a medium-bodied, supple, nicely textured, balanced Fronsac that has velvety tannins and outstanding length. It's a clear success in this more challenging, complex vintage that will evolve for a decade.
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Neal Martin
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Fontenil is rather perplexing on the nose, heavily reduced at the moment and missing the vigor of other Fronsac wines. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite fleshy and more promising that the aromatics. This is a difficult wine to judge—the bouquet just needs to get its act in order. I'll be prudent for now.
The 2021 Fontenil has real presence and character. Crushed flowers, spice, blue fruits, lavender and mint open first. Medium in body, with fine balance, the Fontenil is quite pretty in 2021. Naturally, it's a restrained wine with less textural richness than the best years, yet all the elements are impeccably balanced.
This is concentrated, with bitter chocolate and rosemary spice, plenty of intense blackcurrant fruits and some austere tannic hold. Low 13hl/h yield. Atypical as it was En Primeur, good quality. 20% new oak, harvest October 11 to 15. Michel Rolland home estate.