2021 Clos Fourtet
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Still a little blue in the crimson. Some strange dankness on the nose. Sweet start and then very austere and underripe. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
A wine that needs air to show at its best, the 2021 Clos Fourtet is a Merlot-dominated blend that includes 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, all of which spent 14-18 months in 50% new oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by a solid yet inward bouquet of ripe black cherries, smoked earth, graphite, and chalky minerality. This carries to a medium-bodied Saint-Emilion offering plenty of tannins, good mid-palate density, and the straight, focused, linear, yet concentrated style of the top wines in the vintage.
The 2021 Clos Fourtet is a dark, imposing wine. Blackberry, gravel, scorched earth, leather, incense and clove infuse the 2021 with tons of character. This is definitely a wine from a cold year—a year lacking in sunshine. In that sense, Clos Fourtet is wonderfully expressive, as it paints a very accurate portrait of a place and a growing season. All it needs is time to soften.
The 2021 Clos Fourtet has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry, incense and touches of marmalade in the background. It seems to gain a little intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid entry, fine depth and acidity. It’s quite dense and just a little blocky toward the finish, where I would like to see more complexity develop with time. It's a more backward Saint-Émilion, but it will reward those with the sense to cellar it several years.
About the producer
The Cuvelier family took over Clos Fourtet in 2001 and modernised the estate – renovating the winery and undertaking significant replanting. Its 18.5 hectares sit on the limestone plateau.