CLOS FOURTET

Black with almost no rim. Very ripe, sun-baked but not raisined black fruit. A touch spirity on the nose. Creamy, deep but some freshness here, though the whole is not yet meshed. Chewy on the finish. Big but should even out in the bottle. Drinking range: 2024 - 2030 Rating: 16 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2019)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Clos Fourtet is a little youthfully mute to begin. With coaxing, it opens out to notes of crushed blackberries, warm black plums and wild blueberries plus suggestions of forest floor, lavender, baking spices and potpourri. Full-bodied, the palate has an amazing texture of soft, plush tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the layer upon layer of berries and spices, finishing long and fragrant. Total time in barrel should run 16 months in 60% new and 40% one-year old barriques. The blend is 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Franc. Rating: 95-97 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2019)

This is one of the best wines I have had from here. Full-bodied yet focused and super dynamic. Tight and linear with fantastic length and energy at the end. Exciting. Rating: 96-97 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2019)

Easily as good as the 2015 at this estate, the 2018 may even prove to be better after some ageing. There is depth and concentration to the berry fruits, but also a fine quality to the tannins and a softness overall that suggests nothing was pushed, that all of this power is simply what was naturally given by the vintage. It's very good quality, true to the confidence of the estate, pulsating with rich raspberry and damson notes and playing between a seductive gourmet edge and maintaining its limestone freshness. I have enjoyed a number of older vintages of this wine recently, and I feel pretty sure that this will grow into one of those wines that you are so happy to open after a few decades of ageing. 33hl/ha yield. 60% new oak. Drinking range: 2027 - 2043 Rating: 97 Jane Anson, Decanter (Apr 2019)

In this vintage this is a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. The yield is 33 hl/ha, the alcohol 14%. It starts with a dark and primary nose filled with the scents of crushed red plum and smoked blackberry fruits, with an elegant touch of elderflower blossom. It suggests purity and confidence, which comes through on the palate, where it shows a fine textural restraint. There is a core of perfumed black cherry, blackcurrant and damson fruits, sitting within a nicely judged, refined and quite gentle texture. It is all wrapped up in a sinewy substance, very textured, with a long and tightly grained finish. This has lovely potential. The élevage will be in 60% new oak and 40% second-fill oak. Rating: 95-97 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2019)

This is a beautifully structured wine with smooth tannins and supple acidity. Its hidden power is masked by the vivid Merlot fruit. With the fresh acidity and the fine tannins, this is a wine that will age well. Rating: 96 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast www.winemag.com (Apr 2019)