2023 Château Fontenil

A solid and structured red with medium body and firm tannins. Attractive dark and blue fruit with hints of coffee and wet stones. Shows good tension and length. (04/2024)

Ripe black cherries, hints of cassis, classy oak, and violets all emerge from the 2023 Château Fontenil, a gorgeously textured, layered Fronsac revealing ripe tannins, just about flawless balance, and a great finish. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2019. If you see it, you should buy it. While a Defi de Fontenil will be released, it wasn’t available to taste due to late malolactic fermentation. (05/2024)

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Fontenil comes bounding out with bold notes of juicy blueberries and ripe black plums leading to an undercurrent of cedar, star anise, and violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock full of bright, crunchy black fruits with lovely tension and plush tannins, finishing with a skip in its step. (05/2024)