Amazing value 'wine trade inside tip' wine from Ausone's Vauthier family. Funky, mineral, exotic nose. Fine, firm tannins, sweetly edged and impressive. Touch of licorice and spice to the ripe red fruit. Charming and nicely made. - April 2017

A balanced and fruity wine with an almost Burgundian mouthfeel and balance. Medium body and a juicy finish. - March 2017

The 2016 de Fonbel is soft, supple and quite pretty. Sweet, floral aromatics and gently lilting small red fruits give the 2016 its delicate, gracious personality. A model of understatement and class, the 2016 should drink well pretty much right out of the gate. Today, the 2016 is a touch compact. It will be interesting to see if it fleshes out a bit more during its aging. - vinous.com, April 2017

The 2016 Fonbel is a blend of 70% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 7% Carmenere picked from 29 September until 18 October at 50 hectoliters per hectare. It has a pretty cranberry and blackcurrant-scented bouquet, quite transparent and terroir-driven with nicely integrated oak (30% aged in new oak). The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, a lively and breezy Saint Emilion, not the most complex you will find but full of personality. The freshness suggests that this will drink early, and that Carmenere just gives it something different (although Pauline Vauthier mentioned that she will regraft some of those vines). - Wine Advocate #230, April 2017