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.

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.

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Clos Fourtet is a little closed to begin, opening out to reveal notes of baked black cherries, blueberry preserves and dried mulberries plus hints of cast-iron pan, fertile loam and cigar box with a waft of sandalwood. Full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and compelling freshness supporting the muscular fruit, finishing long and mineral laced. Very impressive! LPB

The wine has an opaque blue/black color and abundant notes of forest floor, spring flowers, black raspberry and blueberry liqueur in the aromatics along with hints of espresso and white chocolate. The wine is dense, full, rich, unctuously textured and very full-bodied, with its 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 not finishing until the beginning of the third week of October. Drink: 2018 - 2058
-Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #205 Feb 2013

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Clos Fourtet is a little closed to begin, opening out to reveal notes of baked black cherries, blueberry preserves and dried mulberries plus hints of cast-iron pan, fertile loam and cigar box with a waft of sandalwood. Full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and compelling freshness supporting the muscular fruit, finishing long and mineral laced. Very impressive!

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. 3.5pH.

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. JM

Full medium ruby. Initially a bit stunted on the nose, hinting at blackberry, blueberry, leather and mocha, this opened spectacularly with air to reveal scents of strawberry, flowers and forest floor. Sweet, highly concentrated and deep, with very dark blackberry and bitter chocolate flavors complicated by cabernet franc hints of fresh herbs and licorice. Impressively dense, broad and full, but still a bit youthfully chunky. Finishes with serious but ripe tannins and outstanding length. This extremely impressive wine will need patience.

Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. The Clos Fourtet has an intense, voluminous bouquet with dark plum, dried figs and sweet red berry fruit that beautifully encases the new oak. The palate is ripe, controlled and in my opinion, shows more control and precision than recent vintages...including the more opulent 2009. Yes, there is a sense of reserve to this 2010, but the terroir really shows through on the black truffle tinged finish. Superb. Tasted November 2012.

(90-92+ pts)
Deep purple in colour, the Clos Fourtet has a very opulent bouquet with lifted black fruits laced with liquorice and mint. The palate is full-bodied with a ripe, oaky entry, missing a little freshness at the moment though there is a pleasing linearity on the persistent finish. This will show much better in bottle. Tasted April 2011.

A beautiful wine, with everything in the bottle. Blackberries, minerals and blueberries. Full and silky. Long, long finish.

1er Grand Cru Classé St Emilion (40hl/ha, 14.5%) [97M/3CF] Dense, sweet, very faintly raisiny intensity of fruit to smell; full, concentrated, but not excessive, very finely tannic, and with a fresh acidity too; beautifully balanced, classic St Emilion plateau style: middle weight elegance, finesse, delicacy, all without any weakness whatsoever. Sweet and fresh to taste, long and gentle and refined, with a clear limestone aroma behind the ripe fruit, no suggestion of excess, but a touch of alcoholic warmth on the long, fragrant finish. 2022-35+ [M.Schuster, Bordeaux Mar/Apr 2011]

Deep inky-purple. Ripe black fruit and fresh herb aromas are complicated by tobacco and Oriental spices. Bright and lively on the palate, with supple, pure black cherry and blackberry flavors lifted by aromatic spices and peppery nuances. Finishes moderately long, with mounting tannins and a trace of heat.

Tasted blind. Deep bricky garnet. Aromatic with still some dark fruit as well as the tertiary notes of undergrowth. Smooth and chocolate-like on the palate. Tannins are dense but plush. More pleasure than many at this stage but not much finesse. (JH)