Chateau la Clotte Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2014 750ml

The 2014 La Clotte is a striking wine that hints at the potential the Vauthier family will likely be able to coax from this site. Punchy red stone fruit, pomegranate, blood orange, spice and menthol are front and center. Supple and pliant, with terrific underlying structure, the wine is absolutely gorgeous. Bright mineral notes and Cabernet Franc aromatics infuse the finish in a super-expressive Saint-Émilion endowed with real class. The 2014 is a transition vintage for La Clotte. The Vauthier family (owners of Ausone and several other châteaux) purchased La Clotte in September 2014, just before harvest. The wine was made by consulting winemaker Jean-Philippe Fort, but Pauline Vauthier has since taken over. I would not be surprised if in a few years’ time, La Clotte sits only behind Ausone in the Vauthier range. This is a very special site. In 2014 the blend is 80 % Merlot, 10 % Cabernet Franc and 10 % Cabernet Sauvignon.

• Country: France
• Region: Bordeaux
• Appellation: Saint Emilion
• Size: 750ml
• Color: Red
• Alcohol by Vol: 13.0%

Varietal

Red Bordeaux

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world’s finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six ‘official’ Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act ”“ the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.