Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Opaque purple-black in color, the 2020 Fontenil needs a little swirling and coaxing to release opulent scents of plum preserves, blueberry compote and chocolate-covered cherries, plus suggestions of candied violets, ground cloves and fertile loam. The full-bodied palate is rich with generous black and blue preserves layers, supported by beautifully plush tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing long and fragrant.
Barrel Sample: 92-94 -
Jeb Dunnuck
The classic 2020 Chateau Fontenil from this Fronsac chateau is a winner and well worth a case purchase. Giving up lots of spiced red and black fruits, smoked tobacco, and flowery incense notes, it's medium to full-bodied, has a round, supple, elegant texture, beautiful tannins, and nicely integrated oak. This sexy, seamless, straight-up impressive Fronsac will evolve for at least a decade. 93
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James Suckling
This has aromas of plums, orange zest, thyme and nutmeg. Medium-bodied, with tight tannins and fresh acidity. Vibrant and pretty, with so much tension throughout.
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Vinous
The 2020 Fontenil is deep, fleshy and super-expressive. Silky, plush tannins wrap around a core of blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice. All the elements are so impeccably balanced. –Antonio Galloni
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Decanter
The oak toasting is a little intrusive on the opening but this opens to show raspberry, blueberry and richly textured liquorice root and cocoa bean notes. Sour cherry on the finish gives a welcome kick of acidity.
Barrel Sample: 90
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.
Home of the very first remarkable Right Bank wines, dating back to the 1730s, Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac actually retained more fame than Pomerol well into the 19th century. Today these wines represent some of Bordeaux’s best hidden gems.
Fronsac is a very small region at an unusually high elevation compared to other Bordeaux appellations. Its vineyards unroll along the oak-dotted hills bordering the river’s edge, making it perhaps Bordeaux’s prettiest and most majestic countryside.
Merlot covers 60% of the vineyard acreage; the rest of the vines are Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac appellations are limited to the higher land where soils are predominantly limestone and sandstone. Lower vineyards along the Dordogne River mainly qualify for Bordeaux AOC status
The best Fronsac are deeply concentrated in ripe red and black berry; they have a solid mineral backbone and are rich and plush on the finish.