Château La Clotte 2017

La Clotte 2017 is a refined Saint-Émilion red that captures the elegance and freshness of the vintage in a beautifully mid‑weight style. Red cherry, red plum and blood orange notes are wrapped in a supple, sensual texture, making this a Merlot‑based wine that speaks more of finesse than sheer power. Often considered one of the under‑the‑radar gems of the year, it offers serious pedigree and character at a level that still feels quietly insider.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, La Clotte 2017 shows a vibrant, medium ruby color with bright, youthful reflections at the rim. The nose is lifted and aromatic, with pure red cherry and red plum at the core, supported by floral nuances, a hint of mint, and a touch of blood orange zest. Subtle saline and mineral notes add complexity and a sense of tension. On the palate, the wine is medium‑bodied, silky, and finely textured, emphasizing elegance over sheer weight. Juicy red fruits are framed by polished tannins and fresh, well‑integrated acidity, giving the wine both energy and precision. The floral and citrus tones reappear on the finish, alongside a faint savory, saline edge that keeps everything mouthwatering and lively. While already approachable and charming now, particularly with a brief decant, it has the structure to evolve gracefully over the next 8–12 years, gaining further complexity and softness with time in bottle.

Production
La Clotte is drawn from limestone and clay-limestone slopes in Saint‑Émilion, a terroir famed for lending Merlot both aromatic lift and a distinctive mineral backbone. The vineyard parcels are typically farmed with careful, sustainable practices and harvested by hand to ensure optimal fruit selection, especially crucial in a more challenging, finesse‑driven vintage like 2017. In the cellar, the wine is vinified traditionally in temperature‑controlled vats to preserve freshness and aromatic clarity, followed by aging in French oak barrels (a portion new) to polish the tannins and add subtle spice without overwhelming the wine’s bright, red‑fruited profile. The result is a Saint‑Émilion that is both expressive and finely etched, true to its limestone origins.

Food & Serving
La Clotte 2017’s medium weight and vibrant red fruit make it especially versatile at the table. It pairs beautifully with roasted lamb, veal chops, duck breast, or herb‑crusted pork, as well as classic French dishes like coq au vin or a simple roast chicken with thyme. Its freshness and subtle saline note also work well with mushroom‑based dishes, truffle risotto, and aged hard cheeses such as Comté or aged Gouda. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) and, for current drinking, consider decanting for 45–60 minutes to allow the floral and citrus nuances to open fully. As it matures, a shorter 20–30 minute decant will generally be sufficient to gently awaken the wine.

Producer
La Clotte is a small but historic Saint‑Émilion estate, long appreciated by insiders for the quality of its limestone‑driven terroir. In recent years it has come under the stewardship of the Vauthier family—owners of the legendary Château Ausone—further elevating its status and winemaking precision. Nestled on the slopes just outside the medieval village of Saint‑Émilion, La Clotte benefits from prime Right Bank geology and a high proportion of Merlot, complemented by Cabernet Franc and occasionally small amounts of other Bordeaux varieties. Though production is limited, the estate has built a reputation for producing wines of finesse, purity, and age‑worthy elegance, often quietly rivaling more famous neighbors while remaining something of a connoisseur’s secret.

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