Clotte (la) - Saint-Emilion 2021

Jeb DUNNUCK

92

par Jeb Dunnuck le 03/04/2024

The 2021 Château La Clotte checks in as 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, which is a normal blend for this château, and the aging was 18 months in new French oak. It has a saturated ruby hue to go with gorgeous notes of crème de cassis, black cherries, ripe tobacco, violets, and smoke, with just a hint of iron in the background. It's rich, medium-bodied, has a ripe, concentrated mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish.

Vinous

91

par Neal Martin le 02/04/2024

The 2021 La Clotte has a delightful bouquet with black cherry and blueberry fruit, touches of violet and iris flower, the oak here very well integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tension and quite high acidity, fresh and almost citric with a s

Jamessuckling.com

93

par James Suckling le 02/04/2024

This is very floral and fresh, with hints of lavender, violets, redcurrants and plums following through to a medium body with fine, round tannins that are soft and well integrated. Juicy finish. Drink or hold.

Vinous

92

par Antonio Galloni le 28/02/2024

The 2021 La Clotte is a very pretty, intensely savory wine. Bright red plum, red cherry, mint, orange peel, spice and cedar all grace this super-expressive, pliant Saint-Émilion. I admire its textural depth, nuance and overall class. What a beautiful wine this is. Like so many 2021s, La Clotte is gorgeously perfumed and aromatic.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

93

par Jane Anson le 17/11/2023

This is understated with hidden depths, walking the line of ripeness in a lighter frame that will be ready to drink in a few years. Gentle gunsmoke on the nose, dominant limestone character, with chalky minerality, juicy lemongrass, slate, redcurrant and raspberry fruits, with higher acidity greengage plum. Harvest October 2 to 6. Old vines, average age 57 years, Thierry Lezin cellar master. 100% new oak. Second year of organic converison. Harvest October 2 to 6, 29hl/h yield.

matthewjukes.com

17

par Matthew Jukes le 02/08/2022

This is a focused and linear style with a decent amount of juiciness the length of its flavour. Pliable cherry and plum fruit make this a pleasurable wine to taste at this early stage of its life. The oak and tannin elements are honed, smooth and nicely organised, leaving a fresh feel on the back of the palate as opposed to any astringency. This will be a forward La Clotte, but it has enough tension to allow it to evolve for some time, and I imagine that the flavour will grow a touch, too. 17

Jamessuckling.com

93-94

par James Suckling le 08/06/2022

Medium to full body with a creamy, supple tannin structure. Just-ripe plum fruit and dark berries with a touch of chocolate. Plush, yet so fresh. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc.

Bettane & Desseauve

91-92

par Bettane & Desseauve le 24/05/2022

Accents de lilas et d’iris au nez comme en bouche, tannin énergique et délié.

The Vintage Journal

92-93

par Andrew Caillard MW le 17/05/2022

Medium-deep crimson. Intense raspberry, blackberry red plum aromas with herb notes. Well concentrated redcurrant blackberry, red plum fruits and fine slinky tannins. Finishes cedary/ bitter firm with savoury undertones. Very good mineral length. Should build volume with age. 85% merlot, 15% cabernet franc. Fermentation in stainless steel vats followed by 18 months' maturation in French oak.

Alexandre Ma

92-94

par Alexandre Ma le 16/05/2022

The 2021 La Clotte was picked in early October, October 2 for Merlot and October 6 for Cabernet Franc. The risk of catching gray rot was eventually paid off with La Clotte's miracle. While retaining a juicy taste, this wine pampers the palate with ripe prunes, mulberry, and a wafting aroma of violets. The classic chalky structure brought by the limestone soil fills up the entire body. All lead to a flirtatious but not kitschy boutique wine from Saint Emilion. 2021 ???La Clotte????10???????(10?2???,10?6????),???????????????La Clotte??????????????,?????????????????????????????,????????????????????????,????????????????????

The Wine Cellar Insider

91-93

par Jeff Leve le 16/05/2022

Flowers, black raspberries, cocoa and plum notes open the perfume. Silky, soft and fresh, with an earthy, dark cherry and chocolate core of energetic fruits on the mid-palate and in the vibrant finish. The wine was produced from 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. 12.5% ABV. Drink from 2025-2039. 91-93

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

93

par Jane Anson le 13/05/2022

Vinous

90-92

par Neal Martin le 12/05/2022

The 2021 La Clotte was picked October 2 and 6 for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc, respectively, and matured entirely in new oak. It has a well-defined nose of black cherries and light blueberry fruit, floral as usual, though not as decadent as previous vintages (as expected). The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and good density, though maybe just missing a little amplitude and complexity on the finish at the moment. Fresh, yet you feel it is holding something back. Very correct.

Vinous

90-92

par Antonio Galloni le 11/05/2022

The 2021 La Clotte is an attractive, soft wine. Bright red/purplish fruit, gentle spice, a touch of new oak and mocha come together nicely. The 2021 is a pretty, mid-weight La Clotte that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Franc aromatics, such a signature of this wine, aren't quite apparent. La Clotte does its malo in oak, and there is a bit of cooperage that needs to integrate.

vvwine

92-94

par Adrian Van Velsen le 10/05/2022

Kräftiges Rubinrot. Die Nase zeigt eine reife Frucht, Pflaume, Kirschen, dezente Röstnoten, mit Luft kommen getrocknete Rosenblüten dazu, komplex. Im Gaumen ist der Wein kräftig, zeigt ordentlich Konzentration, Schmelz und feinkörniges Tannin, sehr gute Struktur, die Frucht wirkt auf den Punkt gereift und hallt im Abgang lange nach. Würzige, rotfruchtige Rückaromatik. Frisch und mit Reserven. 2026-2040+ (Verkostet im April 2022. Château Ausone)

Anthocyanes

94-96

par Yohan Castaing le 06/05/2022

Assemblages réalisés. Boisé élégant, de belles notes de rose et de pétale de rose avec une pointe graphite. Très beau nez avec de la race. Léger boisé en bouche qui possède de la rondeur et de l'allonge, sans aucun défaut végétal, et toujours une belle acidité. Pas le plus dense des La Clotte mais une belle expression du millésime.

Wine Advocate

91-93

par William Kelley le 29/04/2022

Aromas of sweet berries, cherries and rose petals, framed by nicely integrated new oak, preface the 2021 La Clotte, a medium to full-bodied, supple and charming wine that's beautifully refined and intensely flavored, concluding with a long, saline finish. It's a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc from the Vauthier family of Château Ausone.