2019 de Fonbel
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Tasting notes
From the Ausone stable. Pale crimson. Quite a complex nose with a savoury edge to the relatively tart palate. Perhaps this is just too young? (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Château de Fonbel lacks a little delineation on the nose, a mixture of earthy red and black fruit, dry tobacco and graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. One of the more pliant Saint-Émilion wines this vintage with a smooth, seductive finish that doesn't quite deliver the complexity expected at the moment. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
Tasted blind. Transparent and lifted on the nose and then bone-dry on the palate – very distinctive! Some vegetal flavours but not underripe. Just restrained. Interesting and not austere despite first impressions. A different path followed here. Long. I’m giving this the benefit of the doubt but I’m sure it’s too lean for some palates. Some saw it as Chinon. (JR)
From a 16-hectare vineyard on sandy soils on the plain, the 2019 Fonbel is a Merlot-dominant blend complemented by some Cabernet Sauvignon and, since 2004, Carmenère. Offering up aromas of blueberries, raspberries and loamy soil, it's a medium to full-bodied, ample and succulent wine with delicate tannins and a supple, giving profile. Fully 70% is matured in tank to keep the fruit in the foreground.
About the producer
Owned by the same family as Ch. Ausone, Ch. de Fonbel is one of the best-value Saint-Emilion estates. It has a long history stretching back to the Roman era, however its story really begins when Alain Vauthier purchased the property in 1971.