Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Lashings of blackberry and liquorice, dark chocolate with a core of freshness. This was the point at which Fonplégade started to hit it out of the park. You would think it was a 2015 or a 2016 given its generosity and finesse. Brilliantly judged oak too, which is not always
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James Suckling
Dark-berry and oyster-shell aromas follow through to a medium body, integrated tannins and a tangy finish. An almost burnt lemon undertone. Linear and polished. Very solid. Drink in 2019.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Fonplegade has an almost opaque bouquet that demanded continuous swirling of the glass before it reluctantly offered blackberry, raspberry and cedar wood aromas, just a touch of fireside hearth in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, the acidity finely tuned with a voluminous and vigorous finish of redcurrant jam, raspberry and black pepper. There is a lot going on in this Fonplegade and the persistence suggests that it will age over a decade or more.
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Wine Spectator
This has a succulent core of steeped plum and blackberry notes inlaid with ganache and licorice snap accents, all of which knit well through the finish, where a light chalk hint echoes, adding effective contrast. Offers a lingering mouthwatering feeling. This could be sneakily long in the cellar. Drink now through 2020.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a juicy wine that has attractive fruitiness as well as a dry structure. The palate oscillates between fruit and tannin without one dominating the other. Barrel Sample: 88-90 pts
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.