| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Denis Durantou of L'Eglise Clinet makes this modestly priced cuvée from a 9 hectare parcel of 35 year old Merlot vines in Saint Etienne de Lisse. 100% Merlot aged in 30% new oak.
Beautiful aromas of blackberries and blueberries with licorice. Medium-bodied, juicy and delicious with lots of succulent fruit and a hazelnut and berry aftertaste. Delicious already. Drink or hold.
Checking in as all Merlot and made by Denis Durantou (of l’Eglise Clinet), the stunning 2016 Saintayme knocks it out of the park. Deep purple-colored with a rock star nose of plums, black raspberries, crushed violets, and some obvious minerality, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, an elegant texture, good mid-palate concentration, and a great finish. It’s complex, elegant, and powerful. Bravo! Readers should snatch up this beauty and enjoy bottles over the coming decade. Drink 2019-2029.
The 2016 Saintayme is quite deep in color. The bouquet unfurls gradually to reveal blackberry, briar and light cedar aromas, all gentle and refined. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannins on the entry, a slightly chalky texture and a fine bead of acidity. This is a more masculine Saintayme compared to other vintages, displaying more grip and salinity toward the finish. I suspect that, given its amazing value, this will be consumed early, but personally, I would stash it away for three or four years, because it has more to give. Drink 2022-2032
Saintayme 2016 is 100% Merlot and has a deep garnet color. It comes bounding out with exuberant notes of crushed black cherries and wild blueberries, leading to notes of violets and charcoal, with a waft of stewed tea. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers layers of black fruit and black tea flavors with chewy tannins and a savory finish.
The impressive thing with Denis Durantou is the accomplishment shown across his entire range and the precision of his work with tannins. These are not insubstantial wines, and here there is a richness and shape to the structure as it moves through your mouth. Black cherry fruit is accompanied by a lovely freshness and chewy but extremely well placed tannins that hold, hold, hold, before backing off for a lift on the finish. 100% Merlot from 9ha, picked between 9th and 15th October and yielding 50hl/ha. Aged in 30% new oak.
Drinking Window 2025-2040
Lots of gloss. Pure polish and precision. Lots of structure. Falls away a little on the end but it's pretty smart. Masses of energy but just a tad scrawny on the end.
Drink 2023-2032
Denis Durantou of L'Eglise Clinet makes this modestly priced cuvée from a 9 hectare parcel of 35 year old Merlot vines in Saint Etienne de Lisse. 100% Merlot aged in 30% new oak. 5000 cases made in 2016. Fresh and crunchy in red cherry fruits, with a hint of sweet spice and vanilla. The palate is crunchy and plump, with a greandine sweetness but fresh acidity. Approachable and smooth, this will provide excellent early drinking at a great price point.
The nose is bright fragrant with red fruits the start of the palate light. Richer in the middle fine integrated tannins fleshy richness but there is balance with fresh fruit at the back sweetness on the finish. 2025-36
The 2016 Saintayme has a medium garnet-purple color and opens with cedary scents over a core of black and red plums, kirsch and unsmoked cigars plus a touch of smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied and packed with savory layers, it has a solid frame of grainy tannins and a nice, long finish. 2020 - 2031
The 2016 Saintayme was picked from 9-15 October, cropped at 50 hectoliters per hectare and matured in 30% new oak. It has a pretty blueberry-scented bouquet with just a faint touch of iris, the oak nicely enmeshed with the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of white pepper on the entry, lacking a little depth on the mid-palate but nicely detailed on the finish. This is a lovely, early-drinking Saint Emilion from Denis Durantou. Drink Date 2019 - 2029
This is very dense and beautiful yet it’s agile and exciting. Blueberries, chocolate and walnuts. Full to medium body and beautiful length. Juicy center palate of fruit.
