Clos Fourtet

History of Clos Fourtet

Clos Fourtet, with its evocative name, traces its origins to an ancient fort, the "Camp Fourtet", which protected the town of Saint-Émilion in the Middle Ages. From the 18th century onwards, the site became a wine estate under the impetus of the Rulleau family. The vineyard was then enclosed by walls, hence its current name, "Clos", meaning a defined and cultivated plot of land. During this period, Clos Fourtet quickly gained a reputation for excellence, driven by the quality of its clay-limestone terroir and its commanding position on the Saint-Émilion plateau.

In 1919, the renowned Ginestet family, owners of several prestigious estates, acquired Clos Fourtet, further enhancing its prestige. Later, in 2001, Philippe Cuvelier acquired the property and, together with his son Matthieu, ushered in a new era of modernisation while respecting the estate’s traditions. Through strategic investments and a commitment to organic and biodynamic viticulture, the Cuvelier family enabled Clos Fourtet to once again become one of the region’s essential benchmarks.

Clos Fourtet terroirs and vines

Clos Fourtet’s terroir is one of Saint-Émilion’s most prestigious, rooted in the famous asteriated limestone plateau, a rock formation that gives the wines unparalleled freshness and minerality. This shallow clay-limestone soil benefits from excellent natural drainage, ideal for vine growing. The 20-hectare vineyard is planted predominantly with Merlot (85%), a grape variety that brings roundness and suppleness to the wines. The 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc complete the blend, adding aromatic complexity and ageing potential.

The vineyard is characterised by a high planting density of 6,000 to 9,000 vines per hectare, in order to maximise fruit quality. The average age of the vines is 35 years, with constant renewal of parcels to preserve the vineyard’s youth and vigour. This particular attention to vineyard management makes it possible to achieve controlled yields of less than 40 hectolitres per hectare, ensuring optimal concentration of aromas in every grape.

Winemaking at Clos Fourtet

Winemaking at Clos Fourtet combines tradition and innovation to produce wines of exceptional quality. The process begins with meticulous hand-harvesting, ensuring that only the finest fruit is selected. The grapes are then vinified in small temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats, allowing precise control of fermentation temperatures and therefore better extraction of aromas and tannins.

Malolactic fermentation, essential for softening the wines’ acidity, takes place in French oak barrels, 60 to 80% of which are new. This choice allows the wine to benefit from an elegant tannic structure and aromatic subtlety while respecting the fruit. Ageing lasts from 14 to 18 months, an optimal period for refining the wines and giving them a velvety texture and great ageing potential.

The estate is in the midst of transitioning to biodynamics, an environmentally respectful approach reflected in the quality of its wines. This method of cultivation promotes the natural balance of soils and vines, while enhancing the purity of aromas and the finesse of tannins. Work in the vineyards and cellars is supervised by a team of renowned oenologists, notably Stéphane Derenoncourt, celebrated for his expertise in expressing terroirs, and Jean-Claude Berrouet, known for his work at Château Pétrus.

The Clos Fourtet cuvées

Clos Fourtet

The fine wine of Clos Fourtet is the quintessence of this unique terroir. Predominantly composed of Merlot, it stands out for its deep colour, complex nose combining ripe black fruit, sweet spices and a hint of minerality characteristic of limestone. On the palate, it is a powerful yet silky wine, with integrated tannins and balanced acidity, giving it great freshness. This wine evolves beautifully over time, developing more subtle notes of undergrowth, cocoa and truffle.

Closerie de Fourtet  

The estate’s second wine, Closerie de Fourtet, comes from the estate’s young vines and less prestigious parcels. It offers a more accessible expression of Clos Fourtet’s terroir, with generous red-fruit aromas, a more supple structure and a round, elegant palate. This lighter wine is ideal for earlier drinking while retaining the estate’s distinctive style.

Château Les Grandes Murailles  

In 2013, the Cuvelier family acquired Château Les Grandes Murailles, a vineyard of just 2 hectares located in the immediate vicinity of Clos Fourtet. This micro-terroir, also planted mainly with Merlot, produces wines of great aromatic intensity, with firm tannins and lively acidity, giving them excellent ageing potential. Since the 2022 vintage, this wine has been incorporated into the Clos Fourtet cuvées, adding a further dimension to the estate’s wines as a whole.

Château Côte de Baleau  

Acquired in 2013, Château Côte de Baleau complements the range of cuvées produced by the Cuvelier family. This 18-hectare estate, also located on the Saint-Émilion plateau, is renowned for its fine, elegant wines, with a pronounced tannic structure and aromas of black fruit and spice. As at Clos Fourtet, particular attention is paid to biodynamics and parcel-by-parcel winemaking.

Saint-Émilion, a jewel of the Bordeaux wine region, has produced vintages of exceptional quality over the years, delighting lovers of fine wines. Among the legendary vintages are 1947, 1959, and 1961, true icons that have marked the history of Bordeaux wines. The celebrated 1982 also remains an undisputed benchmark. The following decades were no exception, with remarkable vintages such as 1990, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2005, all acclaimed for their richness and ageing potential. More recently, the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020 vintages have shone for their balance and depth, reaffirming Saint-Émilion’s reputation as one of Bordeaux’s most sought-after appellations, where each new year continues to captivate lovers of Grand Cru wines with its consistent quality and elegance.

The classification of Premier Grand Cru Classé B estates of Saint-Émilion, reviewed every 10 years, highlights exceptional châteaux from the Right Bank vineyard. Among those that continue to feature in this prestigious category are iconic names such as Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, Château Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau Lagarrosse, Château Bélair-Monange, Château Canon, Château Pavie-Macquin, Château Troplong-Mondot, Château Trottevieille, and Clos Fourtet. Others, promoted in 2012, such as Château Canon-La-Gaffelière, Château Larcis-Ducasse, Château La Mondotte, and Château Valandraud, also illustrate the region’s ever-rising quality of classified growths. Conversely, certain châteaux are no longer classified, such as La Gaffelière (since 2022) and Magdelaine (since 2006). This constant renewal ensures the excellence and evolution of the Saint-Émilion vineyard, where tradition and innovation blend harmoniously.

Clos Fourtet embodies the perfect harmony between tradition and modernity, respect for terroir and innovation. With elegant, complex wines produced through environmentally respectful viticulture, the estate ranks among Saint-Émilion’s finest. The Cuvelier family’s ongoing efforts to raise the wines’ quality to the highest level result in cuvées that combine power, finesse and exceptional ageing potential.