Chateau La Clotte Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2019

The 2019 La Clotte was picked from September 27 to October 7. It has a complex bouquet of detailed red berry fruit, wild hedgerow, crushed stone and wilted rose petal aromas, engaging and (for the vintage) understated. The palate is medium-bodied, ripe and beautifully poised, with pliant tannins and a judicious touch of spice. This builds wonderfully in the mouth and feels elegant and refined, almost Burgundian on the finish. Wonderful.

The 2019 La Clotte opens with strong Cabernet notes of mocha, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and crushed leaves. Savory and potent, with terrific depth, La Clotte is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. It doesn’t quite offer the immediacy of some recent vintages, but this is the sort of wine that blossoms only with a number of years in the cellar.

Bright, bold, perfumed and softly sweet blackcurrant notes on the nose. The palate has a pleasing initial juiciness to it but chalky tannins are still at the fore with the fruit aspects having spiced edges presently. Liquorice, cloves, mint and a nice wet stone, mineral aspect all combine to add interest, spice and freshness. Overall this has the individual elements but needs more time to integrate.