This is so full of energy. It’s full-bodied with electrified tannins and a long, long finish. So polish and focus here with exquisite balance and length.

The 2023 Clos Fourtet is especially suave and refined this year, wafting from the glass with deep aromas of red berries, licorice, violets and pencil shavings, framed by a nicely integrated patina of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, supple and layered, with a velvety attack that segues into a bright, precise mid-palate, it's pure and lively, concluding with a mineral finish.

Starts right out of the gate with fragrant white flowers, lime zest freshness, scraping pumice stone limestone feel, strong Clos Fourtet character coming through, with cassis and black cherry fruits, a whirl of peony and iris flowers, inching forward step by step through the palate. Aged in 2% amphora, 45% new oak, with berries destemmed but uncrushed befpre fermenting. Stephane Derenoncourt consultant.

Gorgeous fragrance, really ripe and expressive, so floral and perfumed too. Lovely pure aromatic expression. Ripe but juicy raspberry and black cherry fruit - cool and so refreshing. I love the gentle style, it’s smooth with tannins that give body but no weight. More vertical than wide, it’s layered and delicate. Finessed as you expect from Clos Fourtet. Lithe, supple, mouthwatering, a certain density is there and the length is great. Cool but chalky too. There’s power here in the fleshiness but it’s juicy with a touch of oak and enjoyable bitterness on the finish. Ageing 40% new oak, 60% one year used barrels. 3.5pH. 46hl/ha yield.

The 2023 Clos Fourtet is especially suave and refined this year wafting from the glass with deep aromas of red berries licorice violets and pencil shavings framed by a nicely integrated patina of new oak. Medium to full-bodied supple and layered with a velvety attack that segues into a bright precise mid-palate it's pure and lively concluding with a mineral finish.

The 2023 Clos Fourtet is pure class. Elegant and soaring the 2023 offers up an exciting mélange of dark-toned fruit leather incense dried herbs pencil shavings and crushed rocks. Beams of supporting limestone-infused tannin and acid give Clos Fourtet is super-distinctive feel. The long enduring finish is a thing of beauty. Clos Fourtet remains a benchmark example of wines from Saint-Émilion's famed limestone plateau. Tasted two times. 2030-2063

The 2023 Clos Fourtet was picked from September 14 to October 3 and aged in 40% new oak. The nose is very attractive and quite sensual in style with red cherries crushed strawberries and incense. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins fresh focused pure and quite linear on the finish. This is much more classically styled than the 2022 and it conveys tenderness and persistence. Superb.

87% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cask sample. Aromatically complex and enticing. Layered fruit on the palate with a firm but refined tannic frame. Juicy and fresh with a marked chalky character. Some potential. A success for the vintage. (JL)