Chateau Fonbel 2025

James Suckling: An attractive red with aromas of sliced strawberries and cherries with a hint of herbs, perhaps from the carmenere. Medium-bodied with firm and silky tannins. Hints of minerals and crushed stones and a crisp finish. Nice bitter lemon undertone in the finish."

Vinum: Strahlend, fruchtig, Trockenkräuter, florale Noten, Veilchen, Minze, angenehm komplex; cremiger Auftakt, weich, die Frucht perfekt gereicht, feines, nicht überbordendes Tannin, wirkt bereits zugänglich, hallt lange nach. Ein verführerischer und frischer und saftiger Fonbel, der in jeder Phase seines Lebens Spass bereiten wird."

Decanter: This is very delicious - a buy! Cool blue fruit with soft liquorice and flint aromas on the nose. Clean and juicy, this is fresh and focused with a red fruit and slightly savoury peppery spiced aspect from the 5% Carmenere in the blend. Floral, fresh but soft and almost creamy too - a nice combination of fruit and acidity giving a round but comforting mouthfeel. Charming, easy to approach with harmony, still lively with a kick on the finish but settled and balanced. A touch of enjoyable chalkiness lingers. Ageing no new oak, 30% one-year-old barrels. 3.7pH."

Jane Anson: A little more serious than the Simard, dusky rose petals, slate and chalk, attractive dark fruits, a real kick on the finish, savoury and leafy. Harvest September 9 to 23. In organic conversion. 45hl/h yield, 3.7ph."

Jeb Dunnuck: Checking in as a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Carménère that's resting in one-third barrels with the rest in tank, the 2025 Château De Fonbel is showing beautifully with ripe red and black fruits as well as peppery herbs, tobacco, and graphite on the nose. It's ripe, round, and supple, with fine-grained tannins, medium body, and a good finish."

Falstaff: Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Rotes Waldbeerkonfit, frische Kirschen, ein Hauch von Orangenzesten, einladendes Bukett. Schlank, lebendig, zarter Nougat, runde Tannine, bleibt gut haften, bereits entwickelt, vielseitig einsetzbar und zugänglich."

Lisa Perrotti-Brown: Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2025 de Fonbel pops from the glass with ready-to-go notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and fresh blueberries, plus hints of mint tea and pencil shavings. The elegantly styled, light- to medium-bodied palate has velvety tannins and great tension framing the vibrant red and black fruit layers, finishing fragrant. The blend is 60% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Carménère, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. “The Carménère adds spice to the blend, just a touch, but it is really important,” said Constance Vauthier. “It really works well in a hot vintage.”"

The Wine Cellar Insider: Black cherries, licorice, black raspberries, currants, and cherries create the perfume. On the palate, the wine balances its creamy side, with its vibrant, energy, finishing with juicy, sweet, crisp, peppery cherries, currants, and licorice notes. The wine blends 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Carmenere. Drink from 2028-2045."