Chateau Fontenil (France) Fronsac 1998
I know this is a little out of the WOTW price range, but Christmas is often a time when people are happy to spend a little bit more on a special bottle, and often a time when their thoughts turn to a traditional Claret. This is a beauty. It has a dense, plummy, blackcurranty nose that is very deep, with nuances of cedar. It is driven along by dense black fruit that adds a chocolaty richness to the palate, with some plum-skin roughness and plenty of depth. There are ripe tannins and this finishes with class and length. Very good indeed in a powerful style. 12.99 Oddbins. Other contenders include the Poupille Cotes de Castillon 1998 at 13.99 in Majestic, and the Chateau La Rose Brisson St-Emilion Grand Cru 1999 at 11.99 in Safeway.
