2023 Clos Fourtet
Buying options
Tasting notes
Ripe, sweet plum and high-toned red berry fruit dominate the nose, which is rich and decadent. The palate is full, with a lovely harmony between the tannins and acidity, and a red-fruit core which bleeds into the long, fresh finish. Very good. Blend: 87% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Based on 87% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Château Clos Fourtet is one of the riper, sexier wines in the vintage. Ample cherry and currant-style fruit intermixed with smoky tobacco, damp earth, truffles, and spice all emerge from this very complex, balanced, layered Clos Fourtet. It has ample mid-palate depth, ripe, polished tannins, and outstanding length on the palate. It's a beautiful Saint-Emilion to drink over the coming 30 years or more. Drink 2026-2055.
The 2023 Clos Fourtet is every bit as impressive as it was en primeur . Layers of dark-toned fruit, leather, incense, mocha and gravel all build over time, leading to an impressively potent, dramatic finish. Readers will find a rich, heady Clos Fourtet. I would cellar it for at least a few years to allow the tannins to soften and the baby fat to melt away. Today, the 2023 is very young and quite primary. Readers should be in no rush. Tasted twice.
The 2023 Clos Fourtet is very well-defined on the nose, a mixture of red and black fruit, crushed stone, cedar and light, minty aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. Quite citrus-fresh, tensile, a little lower in pH perhaps than its peers, which lends this palpable energy and brightness on the finish. Excellent.
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.