Clos Fourtet

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Château Clos Fourtet is a Bordeaux wine estate located in the commune of Saint Emilion in Gironde. The grand vin Clos Fourtet is a Premier Grand Cru Classé B of Saint-Emilion. Clos Fourtet now has nearly 19 hectares of vines. Its terroir is naturally drained with a clay-limestone soil. The vines are 25 years old on average. The harvest is carried out in the great winemaking traditions with hand-picking, while respecting the environment with the use of organic fertilizers.

The best vintages of Clos Fourtet are 1945, the 1949 wines and the 1953 vintage. Next, we suggest the Clos Fourtet 1982 and 1989 vintages. Finally, the Château Clos Fourtet 2005 and Château Clos Fourtet 2009 are exceptional.

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The history of Château Clos Fourtet

 

In the Middle Ages, the current site of Château du Clos Fourtet housed a fortified camp whose mission was to defend the town of Saint-Émilion. At the time, some vines were already cultivated near this fortified camp. Built during the Ancien Régime, Château Clos Fourtet was long uninhabited, becoming famous thanks to its owners, the lords of Figeac, in the 18th century. Château Clos Fourtet proudly displays on its label the 3 gold medals received in the past at the Universal Exhibitions of Paris (1867 and 1900) as well as the International and Universal Exhibition of Bordeaux (1895).

 

From Jean Rulleau, the oldest known owner in 1702, to Pierre-Ferdinand Leperche in 1896, no less than 10 owners succeeded each other at the head of what was then called the Camfourtet estate. At the end of the 19th century, the estate changed its name and became Clos Fourtet. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Cahuzac and then Ginestet families were in charge of the château. In 1949, François Lurton exchanged a 40% stake in the civil society of Château Margaux for Clos Fourtet without its stock of bottles.

 

In 1955, the estate was included in the first classification of Saint-Émilion growths in the Premier Grand Cru Classé B category.

 

In 2001, Philippe Cuvelier acquired Clos Fourtet from the Lurton family. He decided to entrust the management of the château to his son Matthieu. Since 2018, Stéphane Derenoncourt has become the estate's consulting oenologist, with Jean-Claude Berrouet, director of Petrus at the time, participating as a consultant. In the latest edition of the Saint-Emilion wine classification in 2022, Château Clos Fourtet was retained as a Premier Grand Cru Classé, and in the same year, the vineyard of Château Les Grandes Murailles was incorporated into that of Clos Fourtet.

 

What are the characteristics of Château Clos Fourtet wines?

  

The estate covers 19 hectares located on the highest western slopes of Saint-Émilion, the grape varieties consist of Merlot (83%), Cabernet Sauvignon (9%) and Cabernet Franc (8%). The grapes are harvested manually in small crates, followed by hand and optical sorting. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats for 25 to 30 days before ageing for 14-18 months in 60-80% new oak barrels.

 

On the highest parts of the plateau, a thin layer of limestone is found on the surface. This layer absorbs and reflects the sun's heat, which promotes more intense ripening of the grapes and concentration of minerals. On the other hand, the lower areas of the vineyard are composed of sandy and clay soils, which produce tannin-rich grapes, thus giving the wines a more pronounced structure.

 

Unique natural cellars

 

Beneath the estate, at depths of 6 to 12 metres, lies a gigantic network of quarries covering an area of 13 hectares, almost as much as the wine estate on the surface. Fresh and healthy air circulates permanently, making it a perfect natural cellar where 250 barrels and 100,000 bottles are stored.

  

The best vintages of Château Clos Fourtet

  

The best wines from the Château are: Clos Fourtet 1929, 1945, 1949 and 1953. Also noteworthy are the Clos Fourtet vintages 1982, 1989. Finally, the Château Clos Fourtet 2005 and Château Clos Fourtet 2009 are particularly exceptional.

  

Food and wine pairings

 

The following dishes will wonderfully accompany the wines of Château Clos Fourtet: grilled beef, venison haunch with mushrooms, pan-fried duck foie gras, leg of lamb with vegetables, tournedos Rossini.

 

Château website

 

http://www.closfourtet.com/fr

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