The 2019 Château Fontenil is, I suspect, mostly Merlot, and it's another fine Fronsac in this vintage. Ripe black cherries, forest floor, Asian spices, and chocolate notes all emerge on the nose, and it's full-bodied, ripe, and sexy on the palate, with sweet tannins, no hard edges, and wonderful overall balance. It dishes out tons of pleasure and is a much more approachable, forward wine compared to the Le Défi de Fontenil while still possessing the class to evolve for 10-15 years.
93 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Apr 2022)
The 2019 Fontenil has closed down quite a bit post bottling. That's probably a good thing for its long-term prospects, though. Dark raspberry, blood orange, spice, new leather and menthol open with a bit of time in the glass. Perfumed floral accents brighten up the finish. There is a lot to look forward to, but a bit of patience is a must.
93 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Feb 2022)
Plenty of sweet-tobacco, graphite, and dark-berry aromas follow through to a medium to full body with attractive ripe fruit and chewy yet round tannins. It’s a little one-dimensional on the palate now, but will develop complexity and drinkability in a short time. Try after 2023.
92 points, James Suckling (Feb 2022)
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