(0)5 57 24 70 90 – F. +33 (0)5 57 74 46 52

Clos Fourtet – 33330 Saint-Emilion – France
T. +33 (0)5 57 24 70 90 – F. +33 (0)5 57 74 46 52
[email protected] – www.closfourtet.com
Blend :
Yield :
Barrel ageing :
Mid flowering point :
Mid colourcolour-change point :
Picking dates :
85 % Merlot 15 % Cabernet Sauvignon.
43 hectolitres/hectare
90 % new barrels - 18 months’ ageing
02 June
05 August
28 September to 04 October
Weather conditions :
After a mild and not so early start to the growing season, April was extremely wet (150mm/5.9
inches against an average of 50mm/1.96 inches). May was dry and hot which brought about a
nice, even flowering. July and August were fine and sunny with low rainfall in August (13mm/0.5
inch). September on the other hand had numerous rainy spells, but rainfall (80mm/3.14 inches)
remained within the month’s averages.
Growing season :
Bud-break began on March 27 for the Merlot, March 31 for the Cabernet Franc and April 3 for the
Cabernet Sauvignon. The flowering began on May 25 for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the ¾
flowering for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc on May 29 and the ¾ flowering for the Cabernet
Sauvignon on June 7. The fruit had time to ripen fully until September 28, the date of the
beginning of the harvest, which was completed very quickly, ending on October 4. We had
wonderfully ripe grapes.
Vinification :
The vinification was done in stainless steel vats with a cap-breaking system made up of planks of
wood fixed under the cap of skins, to break up the cap while the must is being run off during a
délestage and thereby gain a better extraction. This breaking-up was performed 4 times during
the alcoholic fermentation. The vatting period lasted 28 days on average before the wine was run
off into barrels for the malo-lactic fermentation. The wine was aged for 18 months, and the barrels
were racked every 3 months.
Tasting notes :
A very attractive dark colour. Hardly developed with age.
A very complex nose with lovely freshness and great finesse.
Brambles, cherries, violets, black truffles and spices. A very stylish touch of oak.
Power and elegance mingle on the palate with a lovely tannic structure. Mineral chalky characters
come through to give the finish a salty touch which adds to the palate’s enticing appeal.
Clos Fourtet – 33330 Saint-Emilion – France
T. +33 (0)5 57 24 70 90 – F. +33 (0)5 57 74 46 52
[email protected] – www.closfourtet.com
Wine Spectator : Janvier 2001 note : 86
Ripe and fruity in aroma, with black cherry, currant and rose petal notes. The fruit is developing a
smooth, soft texture, then the tannins clamp down, making it austere and tight. Best to hold until
1995.
The Wine Advocate : Apr. 2001 note : 90
A strong effort from Clos Fourtet, the dark ruby/purple-colored 1998 offers pure blackberry and
cherry aromas with subtle wood and licorice in the background. Medium-bodied, exceptionally
pure, with low acidity as well as silky tannin, this sexy offering is ideal for drinking now and over
the next 14-15 years.
Apr. 2000 note : 8888-90
This is an elegant, suave, concentrated, dark plum/purple-colored wine with complex notes of
cassis, vanilla, and assorted black fruits in its bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, with the tannin
nicely obscured by the glycerin and fruit concentration, this is a pure, excellent, possibly
outstanding effort displaying the vintage's power and tannic structure. However, the tannin is
sweet, not astringent or vegetal. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2016
Apr. 1999 note : 8888-90
An obvious, richly fruity style of St.-Emilion, Clos Fourtet is impeccably well-made. The rubycolored 1998 is fruit-driven, medium-bodied, corpulent, and exuberant. Glorious fruit, sweet oak,
and stony mineral scents make for an attractive wine that can be drunk immediately after bottling,
as well as over the next 10-15 years.
La Revue du Vin de France : Septembre 2001
Quasiment noir, très profond et violacé, il possède un nez nuancé, magnifique. Attaque précise,
sur un fruit frais ; milieu de bouche, ample, charnu, soutenu par de grands tannins et une belle
acidité. Un vin profond, complet et très long. Grande réussite.
Gilbert et gaillard :
Robe sombre, étonnamment jeune encore. Nez évolutif, d’une grande subtilité, évoquant à la fois
les fruits noirs mûrs, le graphite, les épices. En bouche, beaucoup d’ampleur, de plénitude, de
fondu, avec toutefois une certaine puissance. Un millésime de garde, chaleureux, qui s’affinera
encore avec le temps.
Le Guide Hachette des Vins : Edition 2002
1998 est à la fois le 50ème millésime et un des derniers millésimes de la famille Lurton à Clos
Fourtet. En effet, elle avait acheté ce domaine en 1948 et vient de la revendre début 2001 à
Philippe Cuvelier, qui prend le relais pour le troisième millénaire. Clos Fourtet est l’archétype du
grand Saint Emilionnais, situé à deux pas de l’église : 85% de merlot implantés sur sols argilocalcaire, trois niveaux de magnifiques caves aménagées dans d’anciennes carrières. C’est
également vrai pour le vin. Paré d’une somptueuse robe pourpre à reflets pivoine, ce 98 offre un
bouquet concentré et complexe, où se mêlent senteurs florales, fruitées (cassis, myrtilles), bois
toasté. La bouche, explosive, charnue, généreuse, relève un bel équilibre entre le merlot et le
merrain. Les tannins frais et fins assureront un bon potentiel de garde.
Clos Fourtet – 33330 Saint-Emilion – France
T. +33 (0)5 57 24 70 90 – F. +33 (0)5 57 74 46 52
[email protected] – www.closfourtet.com