2005 Fonplegade
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Tasting notes
The 2005 Château Fonplégade is beautiful, and I’d certainly be happy with bottles in the cellar. Still lively ruby/plum hued, it offers a great nose of black fruits, chocolate, iron, truffly earth, and a hint of tobacco. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, nicely textured Saint-Emilion that has ripe tannins and terrific overall balance. It’s firmly in its prime drinking window and drinking great. It should evolve gracefully for another decade.
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Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
One of the higher alcohol wines in the lineup, and heavy bottle also - very different from today's environment-conscious Fonplegade.This majors on smoky oak on the nose, strong bitter chocolate, liqourice and fennel, with attractive rosemary and sage notes as it opens. Broad shouldered, plenty of fruit, it has swagger and generosity, but is quite different in personality compared to the briliance of recent vintages. 100% new oak. Denise and Stephen Adams owners, Michel Rolland consultant.
There is no question that the Adams family (Americans) have done an incredible job resurrecting the quality of this famous estate on the hillsides of St.-Emilion. The 2005 exhibits a saturated opaque purple color, a beautiful nose of black cherry and cassis fruit, some serious power, extract and richness, high tannin, and a hint of earthy minerality. Full-bodied, rich, and still strikingly youthful, this wine has another 20-25 years ahead of it.