Chateau Clos Fourtet 2009

JEB DUNNUCK: "The greatest Clos Fourtet I've ever tasted, eclipsing the heavenly 2005 and 2015, the 2009 Château Clos Fourtet offers an insane bouquet of black cherry and black currant fruits as well as a loads of smoked tobacco, chocolate, licorice, and toasted spices. It shows a touch of classic limestone-influenced white truffle with time in the glass and is as majestic as they come on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a seamless texture, beautiful tannins, and a monster of a finish. A blend of 88% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Cabernet Franc brought up in 80% new French oak, this magical Saint-Emilion can be enjoyed any time over the coming 30-40 years."

DECANTER: "Strikingly different in construction from the Pomerol that it was paired with in the blind tasting, this is rich and hedonistic both on the nose and the attack, with a punch of ripe raspberry, blueberry fruits and clear oak finessing. Give it a minute in the glass, and the definition and precision pulls everything into an orderly line, with lift, spiced clove and salinity on the finish that stretches out in your mouth, giving a reflection of the Asteries limestone terroir that is covered with just 40cm of topsoil in much of the vineyard (up to 1m in other sections). Tasting more in line with its En Primer promise than when I had this wine two years ago, a brilliant St Emilion and a classic of its type."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Silky, pure, fresh, ripe, concentrated and loaded with opulently textured, ripe, deep fruits, this is delicious. Full bodied, lush and mouth filling, the wine serves up licorice, smoke, spice box, plums, cherries, earth and herbs with ease. This stunner is just starting to wake up, in a few more years, this is going to be even better!"

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2009 Clos Fourtet is medium to deep garnet colored and opens on a medicinal/Band-Aid note, giving way to appealing baked red and black fruit notes with touches of dried herbs, tree bark, chargrill and a ferrous waft. The palate is full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and plenty of muscular fruit, finishing earthy and just a little hard."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Elegant as well as rich, this is a beautiful wine. It has great depth of flavor, the sweetest fruit, deliciously ripe. At the same time, the tannins are an underlying sustenance to the impressive ageworthiness."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Tons of black fruit, plenty of smoke and some balsamic character make a dramatic statement on the nose. On the palate there's rather sweet fruit at the front, then major tannins come through at the finish that still need time to fully resolve. Better after 2022."

WEINWISSER: WEINWISSER:" Tiefes Purpur. Feines, süssbeeriges Bouquet mit Himbeeren und Kirschen sowie milchigem Schimmer darüber. Im Gaumen mit schönem Stoff und eleganten Tanninen, Milchkaffeetouch, gross, mit Finesse und Klasse, gut balanciert, aber irgendwie unspektakulär."

FALSTAFF: "Feinwürzig, zart rauchig unterlegte Dörrobstanklänge, Orangenzesten. Rotbeerige Nuancen, frisch strukturiert, angenehme, süße Tannine, finessenreich und harmonisch, feiner Schokoladenachhall, sehr delikat, bereits jetzt sehr ausgewogen."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Rather ripe, but nicely framed by singed apple wood, which keeps the core of damson plum, black currant and black cherry flavors at bay for now. Licorice root and black tea notes undercut the finish, which is on the grippy side. This opens steadily in the glass, too. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2014 through 2027. 3,750 cases made."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Dark, youthful crimson. Sweet, gentle, well-balanced nose. Fairly lightweight but with great charm and balance. For classicists. This still has something to give. Impressive persistence. All in its place. Aromatic and dense."