Chateau La Clotte, Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Emilion, 2016

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 95 Points

The 2016 La Clotte is made up of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with a beautiful floral nose of violets and roses over a core of crushed cherries, black plums and blueberry compote plus hints of camphor and coffee beans. Medium to full-bodied, the palate features super ripe, wonderfully fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness seamlessly matching the delicate fruit nuances, leading to a very long, perfumed and classy finish.

Jeb Dunnuck – 95 Points

An estate purchase by the team at Ausone in 2014, the 2016 Château La Clotte is a brilliant wine that delivers everything you could want from this vintage. Made from 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, its deep purple color is followed by a medium to full-bodied, classic Saint-Emilion that has ultra-fine tannins, terrific balance, and a beautiful perfume of flowers, toasted bread, graphite, cassis, and black raspberries. Seemingly all about finesse and elegance, with flawless purity of fruit, it still packs plenty of intensity and length. It surpasses the 2015 and has 20-25 years of prime drinking ahead of it.