Clotte (la) - Saint-Emilion 2020

Alexandre Ma

94

byAlexandre Mathe4/18/2023

Wine Advocate

93

byWilliam Kelleythe4/6/2023

From holdings on the outskirts of the town of Saint-Émilion, the Vauthier family's 2020 La Clotte has turned out beautifully, mingling aromas of raspberries and mulberries with hints of petals, incense and vine smoke. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and vibrant, it's suave and precise, concluding with a penetrating finish. The blend is 85% Merlot with 15% Cabernet Franc.

Jeb DUNNUCK

96

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/30/2023

The 2020 Château La Clotte comes from more limestone, terraced hillsides and is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, vinified in concrete tanks and aged in new French oak. Cassis, ripe black cherries, toasted spice, and classy oak notes all emerge on the nose, and it's full-bodied, with beautiful concentration, building tannins, and a great finish. This beauty gains complexity with time in the glass and shows more tobacco, toasted nut, and damp earth. It’s another spectacular effort from this family.

The Wine Cellar Insider

95

byJeff Levethe3/22/2023

Licorice, flowers, chocolate, black and blue fruits with crushed stones create the aromatic profile. The wine is fresh, lifted and packed with layers of perfectly ripe salty plums. The ocean-influenced theme continues all the way through to the long, expansive, leafy, spice-tinged finish. With its concentration, balance and elegance, this is the best vintage of La Clotte ever made. Prices have not yet caught up to the level of quality produced here. Drink from 2024-2050.

Alexandre Ma

94

byAlexandre Mathe3/15/2023

Vinous

95

byAntonio Gallonithe2/24/2023

The 2020 La Clotte exudes depth and is intensely packed with dark red cherry, plum and blood orange fruit. Today, La Clotte is incredibly primary, with terrific fruit density but less in the way of aromatic complexity. That’s probably a very good thing for its long-term prospects, but readers will have to be patient. It spent 18 months in 100% new French oak, and there is some oak that still needs to integrate.

Vinous

94

byNeal Martinthe2/15/2023

The 2020 La Clotte comes from a small 4-hectare estate, rapidly becoming one of the Vauthier family's most coveted crus. This is another in the canon of outstanding recent vintages. It offers a mixture of red and black fruit, pain d'épices and crushed stone, gaining complexity with aeration while remaining very cohesive. The palate is very harmonious with finely-chiseled tannins, a seam of graphite imparted by the 15% Cabernet Franc, beautifully focused and refined towards the finish. This is a very classy Saint-Émilion, one that will require time.

Vinous

95-97

byNeal Martinthe6/25/2021

The 2020 La Clotte was picked 14-30 September and matured in barriques for 18 months. This has a gorgeous and expressive bouquet with beautifully defined red fruit, crushed stone, wilted rose petal and a touch of sea spray. It is extremely focused with seamlessly integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied and silky smooth. Finely tuned acidity gently builds in the mouth. Very harmonious towards the finish that fans out wonderfully. This is a superb Saint-Émilion, one of the best you will find in 2020.

Decanter.com

93

byJane Ansonthe5/25/2021

Anis, almond and marzipan on the nose. There is a subtle interplay of tannin and acidity, linear and direct, finishing up with a clementine and orange rind bitterness that also gives a sense of forward propulsion through the palate. Has definition and personality, and continues its improvements under the Ausone team. Moulin St Georges has more breadth, depth and texture through the palate - this has more of a limestone squeeze, giving plenty of choice depending on what you are looking for.

Anthocyanes

96-98

byYohan Castaingthe5/11/2021

Quel éclat de fruits pour un nez de fruits frais, d'épices, d'herbe avec un très léger boisé. Plutôt graphite et réglisse à l'aération. Le toucher de bouche est satiné, soyeux, frais et délicat malgré la densité et la puissance. Cristallin également et sur l'allonge. Un La Clotte parfaitement dans son terroir calcaire par sa fraicheur magnifique et son allonge et bien dans le millésime par la puissance contenue. Grand potentiel de garde. Magnifique. Un vin qui pourrait s'exprimer admirablement avec le temps. Un coup de coeur.

Bernard Burtschy

96-97

byBernard Burtschythe5/10/2021

My Bettane + Desseauve

93-94

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021