Chateau Fonplegade 2017

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Floral in nature, you\'ll also find licorice, spice box, sandalwood and plummy aromatics on the nose. On the palate, the wine is fresh with an intense mineral character. Once past the rocks and stones, the red fruits are sweet, bright, quite fresh and finesse driven. The finish is long with ripe, salty, red berries and plenty of verve. Made from a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.45."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Blended of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Fonplegade rolls out of the glass with pronounced notes of plum preserves, baked black cherries and mulberries plus hints of damp soil, cedar chest, new leather and fried herbs. Medium-bodied, the palate is soft-spoken and elegantly played with soft, well-managed tannins and lovely freshness, finishing earthy."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Some smoky, graphite and gunflint notes here with tobacco and light beef bouillon, as well as red plums and dark cherries. The palate has a very smooth and plush bed of ripe tannin, carrying rich red-plum flavors, amid a chalky, layered tannin bed. Drink or hold."

DECANTER: "2017 is not the biggest vintage at this estate, but it is polished and enjoyable and has a lot to celebrate. It has juice and precision, and is an excellent glass of St Emilion. Conversion to full biodynamic farming began in this vintage, with Corinne Comme joining the consultancy team. 60% new oak, 30% one year and 10% cement eggs."

JEB DUNNUCK: "From a wonderful, hillside, limestone terroir and just about all Merlot (there’s 5% Cabernet Franc), the 2017 Chateau Fonplegade sports a deep ruby/purple hue as well as a plump, fruit-forward, opulent style on the palate. Classic notes of blackcurrants, unsmoked tobacco, chocolate, and leafy herbs all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, has a soft, upfront texture, good mid-palate depth, and enough tannins to warrant 3-4 years of bottle age."

FALSTAFF: "Tintig, zart floral unterlegtes intensives schwarzes Beerenkonfit, frische Orangenzesten, mineralischer Touch. Saftig, rote Kirschen, straffe Tannine, elegant und gut anhaftend, lebendig strukturiert, verfügt über Reifepotenzial."