2024 de Fieuzal

The character of the vintage is very much more obvious on the palate than aromatically – with the nose rather more sunny and solaire, a pleasing contrast to many. Hyper-expressive and with that lovely very pure, precise, freshly crushed ripe red berry fruit – raspberry and loganberry. Sandalwood, a de Fieuzal signature. Blood orange, above all with aeration. Fennel seed. A little hint of redcurrant and a little blueberry too. Very lithe and ethereal. Aerial on the palate. Glassy. Crystalline. There’s a touch of graphite and even cedar – rare in the vintage – with aeration. This is very refined and quite Burgundian in a way. Elegant and pure. It maybe lacks a little of the complexity of the 2 previous vintages, but it fills out as the wine inhales and this was tasted first only a week after the assemblage. Very mineral and quite saline on the finish.

Medium intensity cherry red, slate and crayon texture, well handled, austere, but structured, you can see the slow build of muscles through the palate, and the deepening black fruit character. Softly spoken compared to many vintages of this excellent wine, but there are layers here, good complexity, and skilful construction.

More austere and less luminous than recent vintages—a clear reflection of the vintage—the 2024 de Fieuzal is showing remarkably well within its context. Evoking dark berries, cassis, flowers and lead pencil, it's medium to full-bodied, sappy and layered with a delicate, precise mid-palate framed by velvety tannins and concluding with a delicate, saline finish. This blend of 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot has clearly benefited from Stephen Carrier’s patient “wait-for-maturity” approach.