2020 Fonplegade (St-Emilion)

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. 95 points

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. 91-93 points

Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Fonplegade offers up notes of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and blackberry preserves, followed by hints of smoked meats, cinnamon toast and potpourri. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with juicy black fruits, supported by velvety tannins and well-balanced acidity, finishing long and fragrant. 93-95 points

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. 17 points

Dense yet closed, ripe fruit and subtle minerals; fullish, fresh, and finely tanni c; sweet, vivid, very fine-textured wine, with a lovely purity of fruit; fragrant, subtle, succulent, long to taste, appetizing and persistent. A much more restrained, natural, appetizing wine than it used to be up until 2017. For me, at least, the winemaking, plus a reduction from around 90–95% new wood to 50%, make of this a much more flowing and transparent St-Emilion style, a much truer and much more agreeable expression of its locale. Chapeau! 2026–38+.