The 2019 Fonplégade is elegant, refined and full of character. Sweet dark cherry, chocolate, leather, spice, menthol and licorice build effortlessly in the glass. Fonplégade is a Saint-Émilion that emphasizes elegance over sheer power.

From a great terroir on the south-facing hillside just outside of the village, the 2019 Château Fonplégade has pretty notes of ripe black cherries, cassis, spring flowers, sandalwood, and classy oak. I love the nose, and while it's still young and relatively unevolved, it already has hints of complexity and nuance, and the purity is spot on. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a great mid-palate and sweet, velvety tannins, it already offers pleasure yet will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age, and I'd be shocked if it didn't evolve nicely for at least 15-20 years.

A fine texture with rich tannins and powerful structure give this wine its richness. The wine, under the ownership of Californians Denise and Stephen Adams, is concentrated and juicy, superripe, a sign of the high proportion of Merlot in the blend, and full-bodied. Organic and biodynamic.