CHÂTEAU LA CLOTTE

The 2017 La Clotte, which the Vauthiers acquired in 2014, was cropped at 32hl/ha between 28 September and 2 October. It is matured in 100% new oak. Pauline Vauthiers ventured that this was one of her favorite wines in this vintage and I am inclined to agree. This has a lifted, more perfumed bouquet than the Moulin Saint-Georges at this point, quite perfumed with crushed iris aromas infusing the black fruit. Returning after 20 minutes there is just a touch of orange blossom. The palate is sweet and opulent with caressing tannin, almost Burgundy-like in fruit purity with crushed strawberry, cassis and blueberry towards the silky smooth finish. What a delicious Saint-Émilion in the making. Drinking range: 2021 - 2040 Rating: 92-94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)

Composed of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 La Clotte has quite an earthy nose with scents of black loam, truffles and mossy bark over a core of red and black plums with suggestions of tar and bay leaves. The palate is medium-bodied with bright fruit and a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins plus the freshness kicks-in on the long finish. A wonderfully energetic wine! Rating: 89-91 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2018)

Bought two years ago by the Vauthier family of Ausone. 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. Fermented in tank and aged 18 months in 100% new oak. Inky purple crimson. Quite charry on the nose and the oak shows on the palate, though the fruit is sweet and the finish is surprisingly fresh. Sweet/sour on the finish. But lots of fruit to outlast the oak. Drinking range: 2024 - 2030 Rating: 16 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2018)

This is very pure and beautiful for the vintage with dark-berry and currant aromas. Violets, too. Medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins and a clean finish. From the owners of Ausone. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2018)

This estate has been in the hands of the Vauthier family since 2014, and this is perhaps the most challenging vintage in that time period. The yield was 32 hl/ha this year, the vines clearly having escaped the frost. The harvest was on September 28th for the Merlot, which is 85% of the blend, October 2nd for the Cabernet Franc, 5% of the blend, and the same day for the Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 10% of the blend. Tasted at Ausone alongside the other three wines in this year's reduced portfolio, this shows more conviction than Moulin Saint-Georges, with scents of black plum, a touch of black olive, pumped up by a little confit sweetness to the fruit, with a rose-petal fragrance. The palate shows a gently textured but sweet style, with rose petals and black plums, and a ripe and consistent grip underneath it. A pretty floral flavour profile, the tannins tight and moderately grained, with a very broad, confident grip in the finish. An attractive wine. Rating: 91-93 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2018)