Chateau Fournas Bernadotte 2000 (review)

84 points

Haut Medoc, Bordeaux, France. 13%

Nice back label. Says the vineyard is in an area that was once classified as Pauillac. And it is owned and made by the team at Ch Pichon Lalande (Longueville Comtesse de Lalande). Really it is sort of a 4th wine. Pichone Lalande has a 2nd wine, they also own Ch Bernadotte, and this really is the 2nd wine of Bernadotte. What does all this mean ? Nothing really, could be good might not be - got to taste it.

The 2000 vintage was possibly the greatest ever in Bordeaux. This wine is well priced and is pretty good, dark, dense, quite tannic. A bit rustic and classically austere, with minerally, shellfish, and water on lead characters.

I think time will benefit this wine. It will soften, fatten, but remain very savoury, dry and austere. Lacks the quality fruit to ever be truly fine or exciting though.