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Clos Fourtet 2010

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

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Label

Tasting Notes

The wine has an opaque blue/black color and abundant notes of forest floor, spring flowers, black raspberry and blueberry liqueur in the aromatics along with hints of espresso and white chocolate. The wine is dense, full, rich, unctuously textured and very full-bodied, with its extravagant glycerin, fruit and extract covering the wine's somewhat tannic structure. This is a bigger, more restrained and structured wine than the outrageously flamboyant and prodigious 2009. Give it 5-8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 30-40 years.

This property has been on fire, qualitatively speaking, for well over a decade. Another compelling effort from the Cuvelier family, the 2010 Clos Fourtet is a blend of 87% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc that came in at 14.5% alcohol. Yields were modest at 31 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest was late, starting at the very end of September and not finishing until the beginning of the third week of October.

98
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (205), March 2013

A beautiful wine, with everything in the bottle. Blackberries, minerals and blueberries. Full and silky. Long, long finish

93/94
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2011

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Clos Fourtet is a little closed to begin, opening out to reveal notes of baked black cherries, blueberry preserves and dried mulberries plus hints of cast-iron pan, fertile loam and cigar box with a waft of sandalwood. Full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and compelling freshness supporting the muscular fruit, finishing long and mineral laced. Very impressive! 2020 - 2048.

98
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2020), March 2020

Very dark, lustrous crimson. Very interesting and intriguing nose with, already, many layers. Toast, orange peel, lustrous sheen, something akin to coconut milk (but not the cheap sheen of too-obvious American oak). Very winning and engaging. Breadth and length. Dry but not drying finish. Very vital on the finish - and long too.

17.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2011
94
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2011

Outstanding effort. One of the best from this estate. Could be a great buy. Dense, round, perfumed fruit. Lovely texture and weight. Balancing freshness and long, persistent finish. Drink 2018-2040.

18.5
James Lawther MW, Decanter.com, April 2011
Read more tasting notes...

Although this superb 2010 is built differently, it is as impressive as the extravagant 2009 and the prodigious 2005. A blend of 85% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc made from yields of 31 hectoliters per hectare, with 14.5% natural alcohol, Stephane Derenoncourt is the consulting winemaker. One can not say enough about what proprietor Philippe Cuvelier has accomplished at Clos Fourtet over the last decade turning a perennial underachiever into one of the great wines of Bordeaux. Production from this 50-acre vineyard is nearly 4,000 cases. The inky/purple-hued 2010 displays a beautiful bouquet of incense, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, licorice and camphor. Full-bodied and opulent with more tannin and glycerin than the massive 2009, the 2010, while less sumptuous than the 2009, is a huge effort that is undoubtedly capable of lasting 30+ years.

95/97
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194), May 2011

Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Clos Fourtet seems to be getting better and better in bottle. Here, it has a more restrained bouquet compared to its peers, blackcurrant, boysenberry and raspberry and plenty of minerals. It is very focused and poised with marine influences developing in the glass. The palate is well defined with fine tannins and acidity. Neatly composed, precise and almost showing immense freshness and clarity, this Clos Fourtet with one of Mathieu Cuvelier's finest vintages in recent years. Tasted January 2014.

96
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, February 2014

Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. The Clos Fourtet has an intense, voluminous bouquet with dark plum, dried figs and sweet red berry fruit that beautifully encases the new oak. The palate is ripe, controlled and in my opinion, shows more control and precision than recent vintages...including the more opulent 2009. Yes, there is a sense of reserve to this 2010, but the terroir really shows through on the black truffle tinged finish. Superb. Tasted November 2012.

94
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, February 2013

Deep purple in colour, the Clos Fourtet has a very opulent bouquet with lifted black fruits laced with liquorice and mint. The palate is full-bodied with a ripe, oaky entry, missing a little freshness at the moment though there is a pleasing linearity on the persistent finish. This will show much better in bottle. Tasted April 2011.

90/92+
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, April 2011
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.