2016 EP Chateau Fonreaud, Listrac
Medium ruby; tight rim. Soft red and black fruit; suppressed nose. Restrained; some elegance (from gravel over limestone subsoil) and complexity (52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, used oak). On palate, good black fruit, soft tannins, cedar and vanillin. A classic Bordeaux with structure. ABV 13.5%.
Having tasted vintages in the 1990s and 2000’s, we are confident that 2016 would seem rough in the first years and will give some nice drinking 3 years down the road. Medium term storage. RP93; WE93.
Neal Martin writes well on this wine:
Wine Advocate-Parker 91-93 The 2016 Fonreaud is certainly a Listrac that is worth checking out. The bouquet is very well defined with supremely well-integrated oak that allows the terroir to show through. There is a subtle Margaux-like floral scent coming through. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannins and a very good backbone. This Fonreaud is one of the most precise that I have tasted and there is tangible tension all the way through to the refined finish. This Listrac has produced some very fine wines recently and this 2016 could be the best yet.
Wine Enthusiast 91–93. Barrel Sample. This wine comes from one of the best-known and most reliable estates in Listrac. This is juicy, with strong wood notes that are in balance with the fine fruit. Hold until 2025.
