Clos Fourtet Premier Grand Cru Classe B, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2017

The 2017 Clos Fourtet is vivid, rich and super-expressive. Beams of salinity give the 2017 its energy and shape. In the glass, the 2017 is wonderfully vivid and nuanced. Lavender, mint, blue fruits and blood orange all build into the beautifully layered, exquisite finish. In 2017, Clos Fourtet is all class. This is a terrific showing from the Cuvelier family. Tasted three times.

Checking in as a blend of 86% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Clos Fourtet comes all from the upper limestone plateau and spent 18 months in 60% new French oak. This deep ruby/purple-hued effort offers a rocking perfume of ripe black raspberries, cassis, crushed stone, chocolate, and flowery incense. Powerful, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it's beautifully done, has ripe, present tannins, and a great finish. It ranks with the gems in this solid vintage and will benefit from just short-term cellaring and cruise for 20-25 years or more in cold cellars.

Good quality with depth of complexity and layers. An excellent Clos Fourtet that really lives up to the success of recent vintages, if not quite at the level of its 2015 and 2016. Damson, dark chocolate and saline notes are bolstered by extremely dark fruits that have the juice to carry them through the mid-palate, the oak supporting rather than overwhelming. There's a slight austerity and savoury edge to the fruit that speaks of 2017, but this is easily hitting the heights of St-Émilion in this vintage.

A very sexy young wine with a solid center palate and refined, integrated tannins. Medium body. Everything is in the right place.

The 2017 Clos Fourtet was picked between September 20 and October 4 at 22 hl/ha. Youthful in hue, this is very pure and focused on the nose, epitomising a more elegant style of Clos Fourtet—black cherries, hints of cassis and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, white pepper and a touch of clove. There's not so much of the cassis fruit that I remarked upon after bottling, but more cedar and tobacco on the finish. Very fine. Tasted at the Clos Fourtet vertical in April 2023.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Clos Fourtet is scented of crème de cassis, blueberry compote and plum preserves with touches of hoisin, truffles and dark chocolate plus a waft of anise. Medium to full-bodied, the generous fruit is plushly textured with great freshness, finishing long and spicy.