| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Situated in the valley just 400 metres from Ausone, this 4 hectare property (of which only 2.5 hectares are in production) was bought by the Vauthier family in 2014. The vines average 55 years and are 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. The 2018 here is the best yet and there will be 1000 cases produced.
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château la Clotte
The 2018 La Clotte has a vibrant, expressive bouquet, a mixture of black and red fruit, violets, incense and background marine scents that are all beautifully delineated and gain intensity with aeration (this bottle was monitored over 2–3 hours). The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins and a fine bead of acidity, paradoxically exerting weight but feeling nimble and pliant. There is some new oak to be assimilated toward the finish, so give this La Clotte 4–5 years to fully meld together, because it will be worth the wait. 2024 - 2045
A tight and firm red with dark berries and wet earth. Medium-bodied, racy and bright. Shows tension and structure for the vintage.
The 2018 La Clotte is a blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it slips seductively out of the glass with spicy scents of powdered cinnamon, cloves and Sichuan pepper over a core of stewed plums, boysenberries and kirsch, plus a waft of menthol. The medium-bodied palate possesses impressive energy, featuring bags of ripe black and red berries flavors with a lively backbone and fine-grained texture, finishing on a lingering mineral note.
Black core, purple rim. A touch of alcohol on the nose but the samples are a bit warm, which is highlighting the alcohol. Sweet, ripe and dark-fruited. Quite oaky even though there's so much depth of ripe fruit. Chewy, dense and powerful. Could do with a little more freshness.
Drink 2023-2030
Deep colour, with rich leather and liquorice accompanying the dark fruit on the nose. The palate is chock full of dark, ripe fruits and is framed by plentiful but ripe tannins. This is hedonistic and seductive, with sweet vanilla, brambly fruit and a silky texture. Long, pure and smoky on the finish, this will be delicious from youth but have a long drinking window.
From an estate purchased by Ausone in 2014, the 2018 Château La Clotte looks to be a sensational wine in the making, and I think it’s probably going to surpass both the 2015 and 2016. A blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, this deeply colored Saint-Émilion offers a smoky, blackcurrant, black cherry, and graphite-driven bouquet. This carries to a medium to full-bodied red that has a stacked mid-palate, tons of ripe, sexy fruit, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s a brilliant Saint-Émilion that’s going to need short-term cellaring but will cruise in cool cellars for two decades or more.
(85 Merlot, 10 Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 Cabernet Franc) | 100% new oak for 18 months | The Merlot was picked on the 27th September and 2nd October and the Cabernets were picked on the 9th October Always a delicious and rewarding wine, in 2018 this is a fleshy and expressive La Clotte and the fruit is juicy and ripe. The oak is incredible fine, too, given that it is all new. With a raspberry and cherry perfume and a sleek texture, this is a superb wine in this vintage and it will age slowly for twenty years.
The 2018 La Clotte is made up of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with gregarious scents of crushed blueberries, Morello cherries and black raspberries with touches of oolong tea, violets, mocha and cigar box plus a waft of cedar. Full-bodied with a solid frame of fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness, it is packed with vibrant black and blue fruits layers, finishing long with great purity.
