Clos Fourtet 2021 (750ML)

95 VM / 95 JS / 95 WI / 93 JD / 93 JA / 93 DE / 92 WA

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. - Antonio Gallino, Vinous Media

Lots of vibrant blue berries, black cherries, and violets followed by eucalyptus and vanilla beans with subtle black ink and stony mineral notes. Full-bodied, solid tannins with soft acidity. Wonderful frame and structure with density. Sophisticated. Try after 2026. - James Suckling

A blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc, Clos Fourtet 2021 is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes prancing out with gregarious notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and blueberry pie, opening out to wafts of violets, star anise, chocolate mint, and tilled soil. The medium-bodied palate delivers an impressive intensity of red and black fruit layers, complemented by a plush texture and refreshing acidity, finishing long and fragrant. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

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. - Jeb Dunnuck

In years like 2021, you look to estates at the level of Clos Fourtet as ports in a storm, and this delivers, if not entirely escaping the influence of the vintage - a real sign of the issues, as this is such a brilliant wine, able to circumnavigate so many obstacles. You are going to find finesse and mouth watering salinity, marks of limestone and skill in the cellar, along with cool blue fruits and pumice-scrape salinity. It will fill out further during ageing, and will go the distance, but there is austerity here, and not the smile-inducing brilliance of a usual Clos Fourtet vintage. Tasted three times. A reasonable yield of 40hl/h (normal for the property) as its location again protected from frost. Clay-limestone soils. 50% new oak, 2% amphoras, saignée (for added concentration) on 20% of the vats. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

A little high toned initially, the fruit is bright with good acidity but lacks a little density with slightly astringent tannins. It's polished though, there is a nice clarity to the strawberry and red cherry fruit but is missing some weight on the mid-palate. Liquorice and crushed stone come in on the end showing the terroir in the glass. The tannins are fine and well integrated and support the black fruits, this is gentle and delicate. Perhaps less showy and forward than some but has a delicate and almost shy nature at the moment. A little bit harder to understand right now but this does feel well worked with refinement on show. It will be interesting to taste after ageing. Tasted three times. 3.6pH. A yield of 40hL/ha. 14-18 months ageing 50% new barrels, 48% second-fill barrels, 2% amphora. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

The 2021 Clos Fourtet opens in the glass with notes of dark berries, plums, spices and subtle hints of smoked meats and toasty oak. Medium-bodied, fleshy and ample, with powdery tannins that assert themselves on the gently structured finish, this remains a strong effort, but it doesn't quite deliver the depth and plenitude it seemed to en primeur. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate