2022, Château Fonroque, SAINT-ÉMILION, Grand Cru Classé

Bordeaux Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Juicy and bright, tangy, a lovely cleanness to this, with bite and tang, on the fresher, more linear, straight, vibrant side, crisp with bite and purity. Tannins are well integrated though give a mineral, slate, graphite, liquorice and flint grip which is quite nice but just overtakes some of the fruit. Nice frame, weight and detail, maybe lacking a touch more density and push, but well worked with nice potential. So juicy and alive, You can feel the energy here, so bright, so defined, so full of life! Biodynamic. 95 Georgina Hindle, Decanter.

Earthy raspberry notes, a little less concentrated than some in the appellation this year, although this is still very much a muscular wine for the property, with edges of smoked rosemary herbs. Careful extraction, marked a little bit by heat, but there is juice and freshness here, and it is enjoyable and supple. Guillard family new owners for the last few years, with Alain Moueix still heading things up at this lovely biodynamic property. 92 Jane Anson.

The 2022 Fonroque wafts from the glass with sweet aromas of blackberries, cherries, liquorice and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy palate with vibrant acids, supple tannins and an intensely mineral finish. Farmed biodynamically for two decades under the direction of Alain Mouiex, this 17-hectare estate on the western extreme of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau has gone from strength to strength in recent vintages. 92-94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate.

The 2022 Fonroque is laced with super-ripe red fruit, kirsch, blood orange and spice. Today, it comes across as quite exotic, with ripeness pushed to the edge, but the choice to use low sulfur in élevage could be adding to what comes across as a slightly oxidative character. 90-92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.

Drinking Window: 2025 - 2037