A soft sweep of grilled vanilla bean oak, clearly with the aim of balancing out the austerity on this limestone-heavy site, I am totally confident that will soften over ageing, but right now it is pretty high in acidity. Still, there are fragrant rose petals, orange peel, black tea, cherry pit and gunsmoke, Harvest 24 September to 5 October. 40% new oak. 20% amphora. Owner Stephen Adams died in March 2024, making this his last vintage, with his wife Denise continuing to run their estates. 93 points

The 2024 Fonplegade is delicate and classy. Crushed flowers, bright red-toned fruit, spice and white pepper lift the bouquet nicely. Fonplegade remains a touch slender on the palate, although the long, sustained finish compensates to a degree. 91-93 points