Chateau Fonplegade St Emilion AC – 2012

This blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc comes from the excellent but underrated 2012 vintage on the Right Bank and is just entering its peak drinking window. It is fresh, pure and profound, with deliciously rich forest fruit flavours and velvet-smooth tannins. Additional notes of cedar, spice and fallen autumn leaves from its lengthy bottle age give impressive complexity.  

42,000 bottles were produced. Drink now-2035

“The Adams family, Americans, have done a magnificent job with this famous property on the south side of St.-Emilion. Now farmed organically, this wine exhibits an inky purple color, a gorgeous nose of blackberry and cassis fruit, sweet cherries, licorice and spice. It is full-bodied, ripe, opulent, pure and a great success in this vintage. The wine should drink well for 15 or more years.” Rated 93+/100 pts by Robert Parker. 

This wonderful old chateau has been producing wine since the late 1500s! It was purchased by an American couple, Stephen and Denise Adams, in 2004, who have gradually elevated it into one of the rising stars of Bordeaux’s Right Bank. The Adams are total believers in sustainable vine growing; they achieved organic certification for their 18.5 hectares of vineyards in 2013 and biodynamic status in 2020, making this now one of the very few certified biodynamic producers in Bordeaux. Their wines offer some of the most vivid and vibrant expressions of the limestone and clay soils of the famous St Emilion plateau (situated just down the hill from Chateau Ausone!)