Château La Clotte 2018

VertdeVin

The nose is fruity, fresh and offers a certain intensity, elegant, a fine grain as well as a small deepness. It reveals notes of juicy wild blackberry, fresh blueberry and small notes of fleshy blue plum associated with a touch of crushed strawberry as well as fine hints of toasted, vanilla and a very discreet hint of Sichuan pepper. The palate is fruity, fresh, well-balanced and offers a beautiful minerality/freshness, a good definition, a small fat, suavity, a fine controlled richness as well as an acidulous frame. On the palate this wine expresses notes of juicy/fleshy cassis, fleshy raspberry and small notes of juicy/acidulous blueberry associated with a touch of crushed strawberry as well as fine hints of chocolate, caramelization and a discreet toasted hint. Good length. Tannins are well-built, precise and finely chewy. A persistence on notes of roasted almond, tonka bean and a hint of green cardamom.

Wine Enthusiast

This estate is continuing its rise under the tutelage of the Vauthier family of Château Ausone. With firm tannins, dark black fruits, smoky flavors and touches of spice, the wine will need time. Drink from 2026.

James Suckling

Aromas of dried flowers, blackberries and cherries with hints of spices. Currants, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Fine tannins at the end. Drink after 2023.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2018 La Clotte is a blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it slips seductively out of the glass with spicy scents of powdered cinnamon, cloves and Sichuan pepper over a core of stewed plums, boysenberries and kirsch, plus a waft of menthol. The medium-bodied palate possesses impressive energy, featuring bags of ripe black and red berries flavors with a lively backbone and fine-grained texture, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

Falstaff

Jeb Dunnuck

From an estate purchased by Ausone in 2014, the 2018 Château La Clotte looks to be a sensational wine in the making, and I think it’s probably going to surpass both the 2015 and 2016. A blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, this deeply colored Saint-Émilion offers a smoky, blackcurrant, black cherry, and graphite-driven bouquet. This carries to a medium to full-bodied red that has a stacked mid-palate, tons of ripe, sexy fruit, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s a brilliant Saint-Émilion that’s going to need short-term cellaring but will cruise in cool cellars for two decades or more.