Fonroque 2022 (6.0L)

95 DE / 94-95 JS / 92-94 WA / 92-94 WI / 91-93 JD / 92 JA / 90-92 VM

Juicy and bright, tangy, a lovely cleanness to this, with bite and tang, on the fresher, more linear, straight, vibrant side, crisp with bite and purity. Tannins are well integrated though give a mineral, slate, graphite, liquorice and flint grip which is quite nice but just overtakes some of the fruit. Nice frame, weight and detail, maybe lacking a touch more density and push, but well worked with nice potential. So juicy and alive, You can feel the energy here, so bright, so defined, so full of life! Biodynamic. Sweet touches. Delicious!! - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

A tensioned red with blackberry, orange peel and dark chocolate character with fine and firm tannins. Precise and focused. Full-bodied yet polished and bright. Much better than in the past. From organically grown grapes. - James Suckling

The 2022 Fonroque wafts from the glass with sweet aromas of blackberries, cherries, licorice and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy palate with vibrant acids, supple tannins and an intensely mineral finish. Farmed biodynamically for two decades under the direction of Alain Mouiex, this 17-hectare estate on the western extreme of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau has gone from strength to strength in recent vintages. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

The 2022 Fonroque is deep garnet-purple in color. It flies out with energetic notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and juicy plums, followed by hints of red roses and fragrant soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is vibrant and refreshing, with plush tannins and a perfumed finish. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

The second vintage made in the new cellar, the 2022 Château Fonroque checks in as 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. It's a richer, medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated Saint-Emilion offering plenty of plum and darker cherry fruit, a deep, layered mid-palate, ripe tannins, and complex notes of chocolate, violets, acacia flowers, and spice. Tasted twice with consistent notes. - Jeb Dunnuck

Earthy raspberry notes, a little less concentrated than some in the appellation this year, although this is still very much a muscualr wine for the property, with edges of smoked rosemary herbs. Careful extraction, marked a little bit by heat so the fruit feels a touch baked, but there is juice and freshness here, and it is enjoyable and supple. Guillard family new owners for the last few years, with Alain Moueix still heading things up at this lovely biodynamic property. 34% new barrels. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The 2022 Fonroque is laced with super-ripe red fruit, kirsch, blood orange and spice. Today, it comes across as quite exotic, with ripeness pushed to the edge, but the choice to use low sulfur in élevage could be adding to what comes across as a slightly oxidative character. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media