Clos Fourtet 2010

The wine has an opaque blue/black color and abundant notes of forest floor, spring flowers, black raspberry and blueberry liqueur on the nose, along with hints of espresso and white chocolate. The wine is dense, full, rich, unctuously textured and very full-bodied, with extravagant glycerin, fruit and extract covering the wine’s somewhat tannic structure. This is a bigger, more restrained and structured wine than the outrageously flamboyant and prodigious 2009. Give it 5–8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 30–40 years. This property has been on fire, qualitatively speaking, for well over a decade. Another compelling effort from the Cuvelier family, the 2010 Clos Fourtet is a blend of 87% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc that came in at 14.5% alcohol. Yields were modest at 31 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest was late, starting at the very end of September and finishing in the beginning of the third week of October.

Very winey, with a saturated, sappy feel as kirsch, blackberry preserves and blueberry coulis notes tumble around, while the frame of charcoal, smoldering tobacco and licorice root keeps them penned together. The tannin structure is significant, but very refined, and that should carry this through extended cellaring while the aromatics and midpalate develop harmony. Best from 2016 through 2030. 4,167 cases made.

Very similar to the 2005, but at this stage not quite as pristine, the 2010 exudes even more power and tannic structure, making it clearly too young to appreciate today. One can sense the alcohol more compared to the seamless 2005, and there is also a sense of slightly rawer tannin than the 2005, but that will soften. For now, it's still the wild beast in its bottled cage. 3.5 pH.

Black cherry fruit, incense and cedar. Oak nicely judged. Modern and juicy, but definitely savoury and the tannins are abundant but fine-tuned. (RH)

Deep in color, the wine pops with black licorice, truffle, earth, dark berries, silky textures, velvety tannins and a long, polished, sexy finish that builds in intensity.

Dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. On the nose, an attractive, inviting bouquet of blackberry, crystallised violets, subtle notes of menthol, and multi-faceted fruit nuances. The full-bodied palate is elegant and powerful with fresh, ripe tannins, notes of blackberry, cassis, and fine herbal spices, and a saline minerality. Juicy and persistent, with nuances of mint on the long finish. Certain potential for further ageing, a class wine.

Offering up awesome notes of blackcurrants, darker cherries, truffle earth, smoke, and tobacco, the 2010 Château Clos Fourtet is a powerful, full-bodied Saint-Emilion that has flawless overall balance, building yet polished, integrated tannins, remarkable freshness, and a great finish. This concentrated yet seamless 2010 will continue to drink brilliantly over the coming 40+ years. While I still give the nod to the 2009, this is unquestionably a legendary Saint-Emilion, and I wish every reader could taste it. Drink 2025-2065.

Deep purple. Plenty of cherry on the nose, noble fine woods. On the palate, a demanding, precisely pointed acidic entry, red cherries, comes across upfront and strict, ample in extract, with an extracted touch. Did they aim for too much, or is it a sign of potential?

Deep purple, full in the middle, with a garnet sheen at the rim. Lots of cherries on the nose, well supported, with noble fine woods. On the palate, demanding with a pointed acidic attack, red cherries, comes across upfront and strict, rich in extract with a slightly extracted touch. Did they try to do too much, or is this a kind of red herring for potential? Can still improve. Very difficult to assess. (17/20). 12: Very dark garnet with a purple shimmer. Intense, warm bouquet; the fruit seems cooked and thus a bit compote-like, and the alcohol is clearly noticeable. On the palate it makes up for a lot again: creamy, dense, and sufficiently meaty, with impressive opulence. Somehow this thing dances between bluff and brilliance. I round up by one point compared to my first en primeur assessment.

Restrained, austere bouquet, strawberries, dried fruits, cereal bar. Medium-bodied, fruity palate with fine tannins, medium fruit, silky structure, fresh finish. 17/20 2017 - 2030

Lovely deep plum colour, vivid violet reflections, this delivers exactly what you want from a 2010 - with clarity of blackberry and bilberry fruit, waves of fresher pomegranate and juicy greengage, a ton of liquorice, fennel and gunsmoke, taut with tension and precisely-cut tannins. Exceptional quality. 80% new oak. Stephane Derenoncourt and Jean-Claude Berrouet consultants.

A hint of cocoa over a licorice backdrop, a magnificent velvety texture, very long, very harmonious—an outstanding success.

Supple and suave, very elegant, with flesh, very fine tannins, long, exquisitely elegant.

The advantage of a vertical tasting is that it highlights the nature, character, and personality of the wine. Over the vintages, a number of elements become clear. This 2010, for example, perfectly showcases the freshness of the limestone terroir. It also underlines the complexity of its bouquet, which stands out for a truly impressive range of nuances. The wine is strikingly refined, especially on the attack. Like many Clos Fourtet wines, the 2010 makes a discreet entrance. It quickly lays down its markers, however, through its temperament and salinity, which it reveals not only on the finish but from the very first attack. A commanding, highly accomplished Clos Fourtet, in top form and ready to take on the challenge of the years—if not decades—to come.

Logo on the cork: CB Tasted blind, not decanted. Dark, intense color with slight evolution. Very aromatic nose with ripe, creamy fruit. Juicy from the attack and particularly flavorful mid-palate, the wine develops complexity before finishing with a touch of noticeable tannin on the persistence. That said, the length is very good, with a lovely sap-like sensation.

This chunky, fruity wine is full bodied and rich. It shows all the structure and weight of the vintage allied to ripe black fruits and a dense texture edged with minerality. Still very firm and youthful, it will need many years to mature.