2015 Château Fonplegade

Tasted blind. Dark blueish crimson. Fresh and fairly wet-stony but a definite lack of sweet charm. Good length though. (JR)

Even better from bottle than it was from barrel, the 2015 Fonplégade is absolutely gorgeous. Rich and sumptuous, but superbly refined, the 2015 exudes class. The dark cherry, plum, espresso, rose petal and blood orange notes open up effortlessly. Time in the glass brings out the wine's underlying brightness, tension and energy. Everything about the 2015 speaks to balance. This is a superb showing from proprietors Stephen and Denise Adams and their team, which includes both Stéphane Derenoncourt and Michel Rolland.

Made almost exclusively from Merlot with just a 5% splash of Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Fonplegade is deep garnet-purple in color with a very pretty nose of red and black currants, wild thyme, charcuterie, earth and floral notes plus a fair amount of cedary notions in the background. Medium to full-bodied, it's wonderfully elegant, fine and fresh in the mouth with arresting purity and depth, finishing just a little woody. Give it 3-5 years for the oak to marry and the fruit to come to the forefront, and drink it over the next 10 to 15+ years.