The 2022 Clos Fourtet Bordeaux Blend from Saint-Émilion, France, is a striking and complex red wine produced by Clos Fourtet. This vintage has garnered high praise from several esteemed wine reviewers, making it a notable release for enthusiasts and collectors alike.
Among the reviews, William Kelley from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate highlights the wine's aromatic profile, describing it as "lovely, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, rose petals, orange zest, and exotic spices." He further elaborates on its structure, noting it is "medium to full-bodied, velvety, and seamless, with a layered core of vibrant fruit and a long, saline finish." Kelley scores it an impressive 96 points, underscoring its quality.
James Suckling is equally enthusiastic, awarding it a near-perfect score of 98 points. He describes the wine as "broad and opulent with a full body and fine-grained, velvety tannins," emphasizing its deep dark fruit, crushed violets, and spices. Suckling lauds its structure and length, concluding with "Wow. So long and refined with great clarity."
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com gives the 2022 Clos Fourtet an outstanding 99 points, praising its visual appeal and complexity. He notes, "With a dark, almost purple hue, the wine expresses flowers, licorice, smoke, black cherries, blue fruits, spice, salt, and oyster shell." Leve highlights its concentration, silky tannins, and the mineral influences that contribute to its "opulent, lively, long, and intense finish."
Jeb Dunnuck also scores the wine highly at 98 points, commenting on its "vivid purple hue" and "aromatics of black cherries, blackberries, white flowers, and crushed stone." He describes it as a "quintessential Saint-Emilion" with "an incredible sense of minerality, full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, a vibrant sense of freshness, and a great finish."
Jane Anson, in her review, marks the 20th anniversary of the Cuvelier family at Clos Fourtet with this vintage, noting its "deep plum and violet colour" and "luscious texture." She awards it 98 points, highlighting its "creamy black and blue fruits" and "sublimely well-measured tannic extraction."
Other reviewers, including Antonio Galloni from Vinous, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, and The Wine Independent, have all given the 2022 Clos Fourtet scores ranging from 97 to 98 points, praising its richness, complexity, and potential for aging.
Overall, the 2022 Clos Fourtet is a highly acclaimed wine, recognized for its aromatic complexity, robust structure, and long, refined finish. It is a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested from September 9 to 27. This vintage is poised to become a standout in any collection, with an anticipated drinking window extending from 2027 to 2055.