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Crystal Palace 2025 FA Cup Winners

Fonbel 2024

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Sauvignon

This 16 hectare property in the South of Saint Emilion has been owned by the Vauthier family of Ausone since 1971. The vineyard has an average age of 29 years. The pricing policy is always very reasonable.

In 2024 it is 65% Merlot, 31% Cabernet and 4% Carmenere. Maturation 30% in barrels, 70% in stainless steel tanks.

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château de Fonbel

Label

Tasting Notes

The 2024 Fonbel offers up notes of plums, dark berries and bay leaf, followed by a medium-bodied, taut and rather structured palate. The estate's Carménère vines frosted, so they only represent 4% of the blend this year.

87/89
William Kelley, Wine Advocate, April 2025

Bright ruby in colour. This has an easy fragrance, with notes of cherry blossom and white pepper. On the palate it is juicy, with crunchy, lightly sandy tannins and a modest core of red fruits. A pithy, unforced wine that should drink well relatively young.

88/90
Thomas Parker MW, Farr Vintners, April 2025

Deep garnet-purple colored. Needs a little swirling to coax out notes of raspberries and juicy strawberries, plus suggestions of dried herbs, damp soil, and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate is lightly chewy and refreshing with an earthy finish.

65% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc, 4% Carmenere.

87/89
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, May 2025

Soft, fragrant, charming. Crisp, bright, vivid plum fruit that has the most grip of the three Vauthier estates on the southern slopes of St Emilion. Harvest 20 September to 5 October. 1/3 in oak, Philippe Baillarguet cellar master. Harvest 20 September to 5 October. 1/3 in oak.

90
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, April 2025

Red plummy fruit and nice spices. Medium-bodied with fresh, smooth, fine-grained tannins. Juicy and lively, with balanced fruit. Soft, with a medium-long finish. 65% merlot, 31% cabernet sauvignon and 4% carmenere.

92/93
Zekun Shuai, JamesSuckling.com, April 2025
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.

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