Clos Fourtet 2023

Characteristics and tasting tips for Château Clos Fourtet 2023

Tasting

Colour
With a beautiful garnet hue, the colour reveals subtle violet reflections.

Nose
The nose is delicate, fruity and precise.

Palate
A lively and elegant attack precedes a palate where the silky tannins stretch to a persistent and saline finish.

A delicate and beautifully precise Premier Grand Cru Classé from Saint-Émilion

The estate

The major peculiarity of the Clos Fourtet, this Premier Grand Cru Classé from Saint-Émilion, is to be qualified as a clos. In a constant search for excellence, Clos Fourtet and the Cuvelier family practice sustainable agriculture mindful of respecting natural balances.

The vineyard

A reference among the great wines of Saint-Émilion, Clos Fourtet 2023 comes from a 22-hectare vineyard. The vines, averaging 35 years old, are planted on clay-limestone soils typical of Saint-Émilion.

The vintage

A cool winter with sufficient rainfall to recharge the soil's water reserves gives way to a spring whose mildness favours a beautiful flowering. The alternation of high temperatures with rainy episodes leads to high sanitary pressure. If the dry and moderate conditions at the beginning of August help to preserve the freshness of the grapes, the high temperatures in mid-August and early September ensure optimal maturity of the berries. The 2023 vintage is the third earliest of the last 20 years.

Vinification and ageing

Fermentation of whole berries. Reception of the harvest in 25 small volume thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks. Gentle extraction by manual punching down. Maceration from 21 to 28 days. Malolactic fermentation in tanks, jars and barrels. The ageing lasts 14 to 18 months in the property's underground cellar, in French oak barrels (40% new, 58% of one wine) and in jars (2%).

Blend

Merlot (87%)
Cabernet Franc (7%)
Cabernet Sauvignon (6%).