2017 Magrez Fombrauge

94 POINTS

Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

Inky in color with licorice, black cherry, black raspberry and smoky notes on the nose, this wine is full-bodied, fleshy, round, soft and polished. There is freshness and volume on the palette along with a healthy dose of oak. This is not for drinking in its formative years, because when it all comes together, this will be a markedly better wine as the oak integrates.

94 POINTS

Jeb Dunnuck

One of the original garage wines, the 2017 Magrez Fombrauge is a blockbuster made from 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc that will see 18 months in new barrels. It offers a huge nose of chocolaty dark fruits, crushed rocks, and sweet oak as well as full-bodied richness, impressive mid-palate depth, and sweet tannin. Deep, rich, gorgeously textured, and lengthy, it could be a true superstar and up with the crème de la crème in the vintage.

94 POINTS

James Suckling

Lots of blueberry and orange-peel aromas here with some blackberries as well. Full-bodied, very tight and intense with refinement and polish at the end. Lovely length and balance with just some smoked oak to finish. Needs a few years to come together. Try after 2023.

92 POINTS

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Wine Advocate

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Magrez Fombrauge delivers an expressive nose of crème de cassis, warm black plums and wild blueberries with touches of spice box, bay leaves and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied with a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, it packs in the muscular fruit, culminating in a lingering savory note.

92 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2017 Magrez-Fombrauge is plush, dark and inviting, with terrific balance and tons of near- and medium-term appeal. Succulent black cherry, plum, chocolate, spice and new oak give the wine its extroverted, racy personality. There is not a whole lot of subtlety here, but the 2017 is a delicious, unfussy Saint-Émilion that will drink well right out of the gate.

91 POINTS

Neal Martin - Vinous

The 2017 Magrez-Fombrauge was picked from 28 September until 5 October, hand-sorted by 20 people, and vinified and matured for 18 months in new oak barrel and three terracotta jars, 200, 300 and 450-litres in size. The alcohol is 14.5°. It has a typically ostentatious and voluptuous bouquet with black cherries, boysenberry jam, crème de cassis and violet aromas, perhaps not quite as garish as some of the more extracted vintages that I have encountered over the years. The palate is medium-bodied with velvety tannin, sweet cassis and blackberry fruit interlaced with fig and Medjool dates, the acidity managing to maintain balance with quite a sustained finish. It is not my style of Saint-Émilion however, I can appreciate the detail and those that like opulent and richer style of Bordeaux would appreciate it more than say, the Château Fombrauge.

91 POINTS

James Molesworth - Wine Spectator

Ripe, offering a succulent core of raspberry, plum and berry fruit flavors. Shows good underlying energy and tension, with a nicely rendered anise- and toast-infused finish.—J.M.

91 POINTS

Jacques Perrin - Vinifera

Le nez est sur les baies noires. Bonne plénitude de fruit, attaque suave, évolution sur un corps charnu d’une belle consistance. Finale sur le fruit et les épices.