Castle of Fonbel - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015

Vinifera

3 / 5

the5/31/2016

Belle densité de fruit au nez. Bouche souple, équilibrée, d’une vivifiante fraîcheur. L’assise tannique est fine et la finale offre une persistance moyenne.

The Wine Cellar Insider

88-90 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/30/2016

Blending 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carmenere and 5% Petit Verdot, this medium bodied, forward wine shows soft, black cherry and spicy notes with the freshness coming in at the end.

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/29/2016

The 2015 Fonbel, which you might regard as the entry-level wine of the Vauthier family, is a blend of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carmenère and 5% Petit Verdot matured in stainless steel and French barrels (30% of the crop.) It has a straightforward, lavender-tinged bouquet with a chalky scent that becomes more apparent with aeration. It is a little tight compared to the 2015 Simard at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannin and a fine thread of acidity. Smooth with dark cherries, red plum and cassis notes, it exerts a pleasant grip on the finish. The class comes through in the mouth at the moment, but the aromatics will catch up during their élevage.

Decanter.com

88 / 100

byJames Lawther MWthe4/29/2016

Mainly Merlot but 5% each of Carmenère and Petit Verdot as well. Lively, fresh and aromatic – plenty of energy. Supple and lively on the palate with fine tannins giving grip on the finish. Will offer good value.
2019-2027

Bettane & Desseauve

15-15,5 / 20

the4/28/2016

Fruit des bois, léger acidulé, personnalité aromatique spécifique avec le poivre noir du carménère, sveltesse vive avec de la gourmandise, de la fraîcheur et du velouté. Net et harmonieux, pas très dense, mais finissant sur un tannin raffiné.

Vinous

89-92 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/27/2016

The 2015 de Fonbel is another intense wine from the Vauthier family. Plum, crème de cassis, menthol, violet and lavender notes are fused together in this super-expressive, unctuous Saint-Émilion. The 2015 is rich, exotic and super-concentrated, yet it has also retained striking freshness. This is yet another 2015 Bordeaux that is pure pleasure. The blend is 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carménère and 5% Petit Verdot, done mostly in stainless steel, with about 30% oak.

Jancis Robinson

16 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/26/2016

Bordeaux 2015 - St-Émilion and satellites | Articles | JancisRobinson.com

Mid crimson. Fresh, relatively simple but very pleasing. Lively and lightish.

Drink 2020-2028

timatkin.com

91 / 100

byTim Atkin MWthe4/20/2016

Wine Enthusiast

89 / 100

the4/15/2016

88–90. Barrel Sample. Unusually there is a small amount of Carmenère in the blend, although here the yields are low. For the rest, Merlot dominates to give a lively, juicy wine with enough tannins as well as vibrant acidity.