Search Wine Tasting Notes

For a better Search Result, use the Advanced Wine Search. Else, enter the wine name and the vintage if desired, or the region for tasting notes. If you don’t get the result you’re seeking, either we do not have tasting notes on the wine or for that exact year. To help your search results, broaden your search to just the wine name and check for spelling errors. You can sort your results by ratings, vintage or alphabetically.

Château Fontenil

18 notes Sort by: Vintage - Name - Rating

2023
93
Dark in color, the wine exudes flowers, black with red fruits, licorice, cocoa, citrus, and crushed rocks. Lush, as well as refined, the wine is vibrant, creamy, and expressive, with loads of minerality that becomes even more apparent as the finish lingers and expands. Considering the small size of the vineyard, taking 20 days to harvest explains the success of the wine this year. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2026-2042. 92-94 Pts.

Dark in color, the wine exudes flowers, black with red fruits, licorice, cocoa, citrus, and crushed rocks. Lush, as well as refined, the wine is vibrant, creamy, and expressive, with loads of minerality that becomes even more apparent as the finish lingers and expands. Considering the small size of the vineyard, taking 20 days to harvest explains the success of the wine this year. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2026-2042. 92-94 Pts.

988 Views   Tasted
2022
95
With an opaque hue, the wine opens with all the black plums, black cherries, chocolate, flowers and licorice you need to start your day. But with the 2022, it is the palate, with its opulent, rich, endless waves of perfectly ripe, mineral-driven fruits that steal the show. The finish, with its layers of velvet-edged, creamy fruits finishes with salty, crushed stone accents, giving you length purity and complexity. Part of the reason the 2022 is so strong is that Le Defi was not produced this year, so all of that fruit was included this year. Drink from 2026-2042. 94-96 Pts

With an opaque hue, the wine opens with all the black plums, black cherries, chocolate, flowers and licorice you need to start your day. But with the 2022, it is the palate, with its opulent, rich, endless waves of perfectly ripe, mineral-driven fruits that steal the show. The finish, with its layers of velvet-edged, creamy fruits finishes with salty, crushed stone accents, giving you length purity and complexity. Part of the reason the 2022 is so strong is that Le Defi was not produced this year, so all of that fruit was included this year. Drink from 2026-2042. 94-96 Pts

2,473 Views   Tasted
2021
92
Fresh and lifted, with a palate loaded with black raspberries, cherries and plums. The wine is energetic, elegant and pure. There is a salty note on the back end that fades just as the refreshing nuance of spearmint comes in. You can enjoy this with pleasure on release for its fruit and freshness. Drink from 2024-2036.

Fresh and lifted, with a palate loaded with black raspberries, cherries and plums. The wine is energetic, elegant and pure. There is a salty note on the back end that fades just as the refreshing nuance of spearmint comes in. You can enjoy this with pleasure on release for its fruit and freshness. Drink from 2024-2036.

398 Views   Tasted
Salty, mineral-edged plums, soft, round tannins and a blast of spicy cherries along with a touch of refreshing mint-leaf on the mid-palate that you also find nuances of in the finish. You can enjoy this on release for its fruit and freshness. Drink from 2023-2032. 91-93

Salty, mineral-edged plums, soft, round tannins and a blast of spicy cherries along with a touch of refreshing mint-leaf on the mid-palate that you also find nuances of in the finish. You can enjoy this on release for its fruit and freshness. Drink from 2023-2032. 91-93

1,249 Views   Tasted
2020
94
Dark in color, the nose pops with truffles, seaweed, roses, licorice, plums, black cherries and a hint of peppery spice. Elegant and sensuous in texture, there is freshness and purity as well as minerality in the fruit on the mid-palate and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2038.

Dark in color, the nose pops with truffles, seaweed, roses, licorice, plums, black cherries and a hint of peppery spice. Elegant and sensuous in texture, there is freshness and purity as well as minerality in the fruit on the mid-palate and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2038.

2,409 Views   Tasted
Dark in color, the wine pops with notes of crushed stone, smoke, flowers, licorice, plums and black cherries. Silky in texture, with layers of fresh, sweet, ripe, polished cherries and dark cocoa. The wine is incredibly seductive. You can enjoy this on release, but it will be even better with a few years of age. 93-95 Pts

Dark in color, the wine pops with notes of crushed stone, smoke, flowers, licorice, plums and black cherries. Silky in texture, with layers of fresh, sweet, ripe, polished cherries and dark cocoa. The wine is incredibly seductive. You can enjoy this on release, but it will be even better with a few years of age. 93-95 Pts

4,574 Views   Tasted
2019
94
Even better in the bottle than it was in barrel, and that is saying something, the wine opens with a massive bouquet of flowers on the nose. You also find crushed rocks, smoke, cherry blossoms, plums and sea-salt. The wine is soft, silky, fresh, vibrant and seductive with its layers of sweet fruits interspersed with various stones. Vibrant, long and fresh, the finish, with all of its sweet, fruits hits all the right notes. Drink from 2023-2037. Produced from 100% Merlot, this is one of the best vintages from Fontenil yet. Drink from 2023-2037.

Even better in the bottle than it was in barrel, and that is saying something, the wine opens with a massive bouquet of flowers on the nose. You also find crushed rocks, smoke, cherry blossoms, plums and sea-salt. The wine is soft, silky, fresh, vibrant and seductive with its layers of sweet fruits interspersed with various stones. Vibrant, long and fresh, the finish, with all of its sweet, fruits hits all the right notes. Drink from 2023-2037. Produced from 100% Merlot, this is one of the best vintages from Fontenil yet. Drink from 2023-2037.

2,269 Views   Tasted
Talk about seductive, this sexy, silky little number hits all the right moves. The wine is soft, but there is body and depth of flavor. The finish carries on with all the lushly-textured, chocolate-covered plums and cherries you need. This is one of the best vintages from Fontenil yet. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot, reaching 14.5% ABV. 92-94 Pts

Talk about seductive, this sexy, silky little number hits all the right moves. The wine is soft, but there is body and depth of flavor. The finish carries on with all the lushly-textured, chocolate-covered plums and cherries you need. This is one of the best vintages from Fontenil yet. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot, reaching 14.5% ABV. 92-94 Pts

3,711 Views   Tasted
2018
94
The flowery nose, with its incense, smoke, licorice and wild cherries gets your initial attention. However, it is the waves of perfect ripe, silky, sexy, sweet red fruits with their freshness and purity on the palate and in the finish that steals the show. The is the best vintage ever produced at Fontenil.

The flowery nose, with its incense, smoke, licorice and wild cherries gets your initial attention. However, it is the waves of perfect ripe, silky, sexy, sweet red fruits with their freshness and purity on the palate and in the finish that steals the show. The is the best vintage ever produced at Fontenil.

2,437 Views   Tasted
The nose pops with flowers, crushed rock, cherries and licorice without being asked. On the palate, the wine is concentrated with layers of ripe, fleshy, sweet black raspberries, licorice and plums. Complex on the nose and palate, there is the perfect amount of lift giving all the layers of fruit life. The is a new level of quality for Fontenil. 92-94 Pts

The nose pops with flowers, crushed rock, cherries and licorice without being asked. On the palate, the wine is concentrated with layers of ripe, fleshy, sweet black raspberries, licorice and plums. Complex on the nose and palate, there is the perfect amount of lift giving all the layers of fruit life. The is a new level of quality for Fontenil. 92-94 Pts

3,821 Views   Tasted
2017
91
With suitable color, the nose kicks in with flowers, black cherry, licorice and smoke. On the palate, you'll find Rubenesque, lusciously textured, sweet black cherries, plums and soft, chubby textures with the perfect amount of bitter chocolate to round things off in the end.

With suitable color, the nose kicks in with flowers, black cherry, licorice and smoke. On the palate, you'll find Rubenesque, lusciously textured, sweet black cherries, plums and soft, chubby textures with the perfect amount of bitter chocolate to round things off in the end.

2,249 Views   Tasted
2016
92
Fresh, silky, ripe, polished and rich, the fruit combines with the sensation of saltiness on the palate, giving the wine length, energy and complexity.

Fresh, silky, ripe, polished and rich, the fruit combines with the sensation of saltiness on the palate, giving the wine length, energy and complexity.

2,570 Views   Tasted
Deep in color, the fruits are fresh, with sweet, juicy, dark, red berries, silky tannins and loads of juicy, blackberries to make the finish a treat.

Deep in color, the fruits are fresh, with sweet, juicy, dark, red berries, silky tannins and loads of juicy, blackberries to make the finish a treat.

3,337 Views   Tasted
2015
92
Silky and supple, with sweet, ripe, soft, ripe, plums, truffle, licorice and smoke. On the palate, the wine is fresh, round and elegant. You find length, minerality and fruit in the finish. This is the best vintage of Fontenil ever produced.

Silky and supple, with sweet, ripe, soft, ripe, plums, truffle, licorice and smoke. On the palate, the wine is fresh, round and elegant. You find length, minerality and fruit in the finish. This is the best vintage of Fontenil ever produced.

4,571 Views   Tasted
Supple textures, soft and silky, with fresh, sweet plums, black cherries, and juicy, chocolate covered fruits in the finish. This should be quite tasty on release.

Supple textures, soft and silky, with fresh, sweet plums, black cherries, and juicy, chocolate covered fruits in the finish. This should be quite tasty on release.

3,377 Views   Tasted
2014
90
Soft, silky and easy to like, with a supple textured, sweet, plum and chocolate charm. 89-91 Pts

Soft, silky and easy to like, with a supple textured, sweet, plum and chocolate charm. 89-91 Pts

2,938 Views   Tasted
2013
88
Black raspberry, flowers, fennel and oak in character, the dark chocolate and cherry dominated wine is easy to like and even easier to drink. 87-89 Pts

Black raspberry, flowers, fennel and oak in character, the dark chocolate and cherry dominated wine is easy to like and even easier to drink. 87-89 Pts

3,032 Views   Tasted
2012
89
Oak, black and red fruits with fleshy textures and sweet, jammy cherries are found in this Michel and Dany Rolland-owned wine. 88-90 Pts

Oak, black and red fruits with fleshy textures and sweet, jammy cherries are found in this Michel and Dany Rolland-owned wine. 88-90 Pts

3,095 Views   Tasted
2011
87
From 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, this simple, but fun, round Merlot will be a pleasure to enjoy young. 86-88 Pts

From 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, this simple, but fun, round Merlot will be a pleasure to enjoy young. 86-88 Pts

2,750 Views   Tasted
2010
90
A great example of Bordeaux value wines at its best. Lots of plush, plum, sweet, ripe, black raspberries, plum, espresso bean, earth and cocoa notes, round tannins and a sweet, chocolately black cherry finish that is already fun to drink.

A great example of Bordeaux value wines at its best. Lots of plush, plum, sweet, ripe, black raspberries, plum, espresso bean, earth and cocoa notes, round tannins and a sweet, chocolately black cherry finish that is already fun to drink.

6,223 Views   Tasted
2009
91
Blending mostly Merlot with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon produced a dark colored wine with blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, cocoa, jam and earthy scents. In the mouth, the wine is supple, forward and ends with round textured, jammy black cherry and plum. 2009 Fontenil can be enjoyed now, or aged for 5 - 8 years.

Blending mostly Merlot with 5% Cabernet Sauvignon produced a dark colored wine with blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, cocoa, jam and earthy scents. In the mouth, the wine is supple, forward and ends with round textured, jammy black cherry and plum. 2009 Fontenil can be enjoyed now, or aged for 5 - 8 years.

4,958 Views   Tasted
2008
88
Licorice, espresso, spice and black cherry scents, medium/full bodied with a soft textured, fennel covered, black cherry and vanilla finish.

Licorice, espresso, spice and black cherry scents, medium/full bodied with a soft textured, fennel covered, black cherry and vanilla finish.

2,308 Views   Tasted
2005
90
Fully mature, this luscious, round, supple round, with its smoke, licorice, plum and earthy profile shows how well the best wines of Fronsac can age.

Fully mature, this luscious, round, supple round, with its smoke, licorice, plum and earthy profile shows how well the best wines of Fronsac can age.

3,913 Views   Tasted
Filled with fresh herbs and juicy plums, this soft textured wine is open and giving a lot of pleasure today with its supple, red berry personality.

Filled with fresh herbs and juicy plums, this soft textured wine is open and giving a lot of pleasure today with its supple, red berry personality.

4,608 Views   Tasted
With aromas of black licorice, black raspberries, dark cherry, coffee, stone and chocolate, this round, soft, sweet Bordeaux wine is already showing well. From a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine ends with supple textures a long, chocolate covered black raspberry finish.

With aromas of black licorice, black raspberries, dark cherry, coffee, stone and chocolate, this round, soft, sweet Bordeaux wine is already showing well. From a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine ends with supple textures a long, chocolate covered black raspberry finish.

5,090 Views   Tasted
2001
90
Fully mature, with a smoky, thyme, black cherry, plum, mocha and floral nose, the wine is round, fleshy, soft and ready for easy going, prime time drinking. This well-priced charmer is ready for drinking. Pop, pour and enjoy.

Fully mature, with a smoky, thyme, black cherry, plum, mocha and floral nose, the wine is round, fleshy, soft and ready for easy going, prime time drinking. This well-priced charmer is ready for drinking. Pop, pour and enjoy.

3,683 Views   Tasted