The 2021 Clos Fourtet is a Bordeaux blend from the Saint Emilion sub-region of Bordeaux, France. Produced by Clos Fourtet, this red wine has a 13.0% alcohol content and is sealed with a cork.
The 2021 vintage has garnered high praise from various wine reviewers, showcasing its balanced character and potential for aging. Jane Anson, in her review on December 7, 2023, gives it a score of 94, noting "the skill and class of this estate" which have become more pronounced with aging. She highlights its "beautiful finesse" and "kick of oyster shell salinity" alongside floral aromatics that add depth.
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com also rates it 94, describing it as medium-bodied, elegant, and vibrant with a "creamy finish loaded with plums, cherries, and a refreshing sprig of mint." He mentions that the blend consists of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, recommending it for drinking between 2025-2049.
James Suckling provides the highest score of 95, emphasizing the "lots of vibrant blueberries, black cherries, and violets followed by eucalyptus and vanilla beans." He praises its "sophisticated" frame and structure, suggesting it be tried after 2026.
Vinous' Antonio Galloni scores it 94+, commending its ability to "paint a very accurate portrait of a place and a growing season." He describes it as a dark, imposing wine with blackberry, gravel, scorched earth, leather, incense, and clove notes, needing time to soften.
Jeb Dunnuck, who rates it 93, recommends giving the wine air to reveal its best qualities. He appreciates its "solid yet inward bouquet of ripe black cherries, smoked earth, graphite, and chalky minerality," calling it a "focused, linear, yet concentrated style of the top wines in the vintage."
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate also awards it a 92, with William Kelley noting its "dark berries, plums, spices, and subtle hints of smoked meats and toasty oak." He describes it as medium-bodied, fleshy, and ample with powdery tannins.
Wine Spectator's JM gives it a 92, highlighting its "sleek, refined core of black cherry and cassis flavors" with "filigreed chalky threads" and a "whiff of black tea," suggesting it be enjoyed now through 2036.
Decanter gives it a 93, describing it as "polished" with "nice clarity to the strawberry and red cherry fruit," albeit missing some mid-palate weight. They note its "gentle and delicate" nature, suggesting it will be interesting to taste after aging.
The Wine Independent's Lisa Perrotti-Brown also awards it a 95, praising its "garrulous notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and blueberry pie" with a medium-bodied palate that delivers "impressive intensity of red and black fruit layers."
Overall, the 2021 Clos Fourtet is a well-regarded Bordeaux blend with a promising future, noted for its finesse, elegance, and complex aromatics.