CHÂTEAU FONPLÉGADE
2020 Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion
Attractive aromas of ripe black and blue fruit with crushed violets, walnut and dark chocolate. Some dried leaves, too. Medium- to full-bodied with a plush and supple palate that offers an array of ripe, racy tannins and a crunchy, deep berry character. Structured and focused with a juicy finish. Drink after 2025. Rating: 94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2020 Fonplégade is elegant, gracious and lifted, just as it was from barrel. Bright acids lend notable energy in this silky, nuanced Saint-Émilion. Crushed red berry fruit, cinnamon, mint and blood orange are all woven together in this very pretty, alluring Saint-Émilion. This is beautifully done. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
Gorgeous, totally fulfilling its En Primeur promise. This has a mix of fresh, vibrant floral aromatics, with peony and raspberry leaf, set against concentrated plush damson plum and raspberry fruits with a kick of wet stone minerality. First year certified biodynamic with Biodyvin (certified organic since 2013). A yield of 35hl/ha. Drinking range: 2027 - 2044 Rating: 95 Jane Anson, Decanter (Feb 2023)
Out of barrel, I compared the 2020 Fonplégade to Burgundy and now that the wine is in barrel? Well, it still conveys a purity that I associate with the Côte d'Or, quite showy with plush red fruit, cherries and cranberry. Allowing the wine to open over 15 minutes, the veins of graphite and cedar emerge and pull it back to its place of birth. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. It's rather creamy on the entry, with black fruit laced with licorice and graphite. It just attenuates slightly towards the finish; otherwise, this is a fine Fonplégade. Drinking range: 2026 - 2046 Rating: 91 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
The 2020 Fonplégade is sensual, polished and understated. This mid-weight, silky Saint-Émilion has more finesse than power. All the elements are so nicely balanced. Crushed rose petal, mint, raspberry jam and mocha all grace the 2020. This is a very classy wine from Denise and Stephen Adams. Drinking range: 2026 - 2040 Rating: 92-94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)
The 2020 Fonplégade has an intriguing bouquet that oddly made me think of Burgundy! Plush red berry fruit, vanilla, blueberry jam and touches of sous-bois burst from the glass, hints of blood orange and marmalade lingering in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite effervescent thanks to the keen line of acidity, and a little zesty toward the finish. This brims with nascent vigor and should drink well once in bottle, perhaps one that might offer much in its youth. Drinking range: 2026 - 2046 Rating: 91-93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)
Emerging from a great hillside terroir on the Côte Pavie, the 2020 Château Fonplégade should be up there with the top vintages from this estate. Lots of cassis, blackberries, and earthy, violet notes define the nose, and I love its purity, freshness, and precision. These traits all carry over to the palate as well, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with terrific tannins and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. Rating: 93-95 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)
Beautiful aromatics, vibrant, full of clarity and bright fruit delivery. Plum, blueberry, bursting with juicy life. Keeps delivering on the palate also, sprightly and vibrant, and soaked in limestone, wet stone personality. Has good depth of flavour, with a kick on the finish. Will age well, this is great stuff, a brilliant example of St-Emilion limestone. A buy! First year certified biodynamic with Biodyvin (certified organic since 2013). A yield of 35hl/ha. Drinking range: 2026 - 2044 Rating: 95 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)
Bright but not that dense crimson. Interesting, minerally nose. Round and resolved already – dangerously evolved or just fun to drink? Not one of the most concentrated 2020 St-Émilions but very well integrated and balanced. Luscious fruit and no obvious excess of alcohol, tannin or acidity. Though a lot of tannin is lurking beneath that deceptively welcoming fruit… A hint of Marmite/yeast extract on the impressively long finish. Wholesome is not too much of an exaggeration. Drinking range: 2027 - 2043 Rating: 17 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2021)
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.