The 2019 Château Clos Fourtet is another gem from the Right Bank that delivers the goods. From the upper, limestone plateau and always a bigger, richer wine than its neighbors (Canon, Beau-Séjour Bécot), it still shows incredible minerality and limestone character in its deep black cherry, currant, and mulberry fruits as well as scorched earth, chalky minerality, roasted herb, licorice, and white flower-like aromas and flavors. Rich, full-bodied, concentrated, and structured on the palate, it's flawlessly balanced, has ripe, broad, building tannins, an expansive mouthfeel, and a great, great finish. It needs a decade of bottle age, but it's truly brilliant stuff.

There's ample dark cherry, plum and boysenberry compote flavors in this red, along with a rare hint of brightness for the vintage. Licorice root and applewood accents fill in through the finish, while an underlying chalky minerality gives this additional form as well. Very solid. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. 3,500 cases made, 500 cases imported.

A very fine wine, rich and generous in all the senses. It has weight, density set against elegant black fruits and spice from wood aging. The wine will need many years. Drink from 2027.

The 2019 Clos Fourtet has a stubborn and backward bouquet with sultry black fruit, quite tertiary in style, antique bureau and woodbines. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent blackberry and blueberry fruit, maybe just a little cloying compared to its peers despite the velvety and caressing finish. One for those who like modern Saint-Émilion but it needs serious cellaring time. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.