This magnificent wine, which is just beginning to come into full maturity, boasts an inky/purple color as well as copious notes of blackberries, licorice, violets, and a striking chalky minerality. Full-bodied, voluptuously textured and stunningly pure, this great Bordeaux is one of the vintage’s superstars. The finish lasts 40-45 seconds in this majestic, multidimensional St. Emilion. It should continue to drink well for 10-15 years, but why wait?

Surprisingly bright for the infamously torrid vintage, with fresh wet leaf and sexy truffle. Clos Fourtet defies the vintage, proving just as exciting as a northern Médoc star like Château Montrose: What life, what exuberance, what length! And the wine does not dry out. 'It is fascinating,' remarked consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt at the vertical. 'When it was made, it was far more solar, but now the limestone shines through'. While this vintage - the highest pH of all the wines, but rather moderate alcohol - will not likely last as long as the 2005, I give it another 15 years and plan to buy more. 3.92pH.

This estate has come back strongly under new ownership, and the quality of the wines now exhibits the tremendous potential of this extraordinary terroir on the limestone plateau just outside the walls of St.-Emilion. Sampled three times from bottle, the 2003 Clos Fourtet is the finest wine I have ever tasted from this estate. Made in a full-bodied, extravagantly rich style, it is just beginning to close down, but it is easy to see the layers of concentrated black cherry, plum, and licorice-infused fruit. There is also a subtle hint of charcoal as well as loads of mineral, flower, blackberry, and creme de cassis characteristics. This full-flavored, opulent, glycerin-filled 2003 offers impressive richness, silky tannin, and a long, 45+ second finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, and drink well for two decades or more.

The arrival of the heat wave in 2003 was more abrupt and prolonged than in 2022 (although less dry), and you feel the exoticism to the baked spices, incense, truffle, tar, softening at this point with grilled cedar smoke, cured leather and smoked meat. Everything is underpinned by the salinity of the limestone, showcasing the benefit of the location, and the barely-there tannins are melted into the structure. Slap-bang in its drinking window, no need to wait any longer to enjoy. 100% new oak. Stephane Derenoncourt and Jean-Claude Berrouet consultants.

Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s “10-Year On” tasting in London. The Clos Fourtet 2003 has a lifted, perfumed, more floral nose than the Figeac. It seems smudged at first but musters more clarity with aeration – black cherries, dried violet and a slight balsamic note. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation. This is certainly one of the better Saint Emilion wines of the vintage with a gentle grip, firm tannins and fine focus. There is a little dryness towards the finish and it fades a little in the glass, but this Clos Fourtet is drinking well now. Tasted March 2013.

Medium ruby-red. Roasted plum and currant along with leather, meat and a minty nuance on the nose. Sweet, broad and pliant, with chewy dark fruit flavors of noteworthy depth. Very rich but not overly extracted, with good inner-mouth energy. Finishes with firm, slightly edgy tannins and very good length. A strong effort.