2020 Fonplegade

The 2020 Fonplégade has a marine-scented bouquet with tightly knit black fruit, brine and light oyster shell aromas. The oak is well integrated. The palate is silky smooth on the entry with fine acidity. This is a very polished Right Bank wine…maybe too polished? It slips down the throat easily on the finish, but here, I would have liked more grip and tension. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Another successful vintage for this estate, the 2020 Fonplégade delivers aromas of cherries, plums, licorice and pencil shavings, follow by a medium to full-bodied, deep and refined palate that concludes with a saline, attractively floral finish. It's one 2020 that is more elegant than its 2019 counterpart.

The showy nose wants your attention due to its essence of flowers, minerals, licorice, mint leaf, and red fruits. On the palate, the wine is silky, fresh, and vibrant. Concentrated, rich, yet elegant, and light on its feet, this is a refined wine with finesse, length, and purity which is not afraid to offer its oceanic influences along with all of its layers of perfectly ripe, red, and black fruits. This will age effortlessly for two decades or more, but you can also enjoy it in its youth, if you are like me, and can\'t wait to see what it\'s all about. Drink from 2025-2045.