Château La Clotte 2022

$84.95
Futures   Wine is usually aged for 12-18 months in the barrels before bottling. Delivery dates depend on the bottling schedule.
SKU
1235-2022
Wine Futures Bordeaux Wine Futures - See Footnote
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Other Vintages We Offer:

• Domaine: Château La Clotte
• Appellation: Saint-Emilion
• Classification: Grand Cru Classé 1955
• Origin: Right Bank, Bordeaux, France

Château La Clotte is a Saint-Émilion property that dates its history back to 1886, when the Marquis Gaston de Grailly created the estate from vines that his family has owned since 1747.  The Grailly family is related to the Becot family, the owner of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot.  In 1913, the property was sold to the Chailleau-Moulierac family.  The estate was known as La Clotte de Grailly until 1949, when the name of the original owner was dropped.  In mid-1960s, the Chailleau-Moulierac family granted exclusive distribution rights to Ets JP Moueix (the negociant behind famed Petrus), about the same time when Petrus saw its price skyrochet under a similar exclusivity arrangement.  In 1989, unconvinced their wine was getting the best result, the Chailleau family decided to take matters into their own hands and ended the exclusivity contract.  For many years, Nelly Moulierac led the improvement of quality and presence of La Clotte in fine wine market.  In 2014, the Vauthier family (owner of Château Ausone) became the latest owner of this storied estate.

 

Château La Clotte is located on the prime land of Saint-Émilion - the limestone plateau.  The word clotte means grotto in the Gascon language.  It refers to the impressive underground limestone cellars located underneath the estate.  This was an endowment to select chateaux that are situated on the previous limestone quarries Saint-Émilion was famous for.  If one is impressed by the beautiful sight of chateau built out of the limstones extracted from underground, it would be an equally impressive sight if one is fortunate to step into the caves that are still underneath Satin-Emilion today.  Located at the entrance to the town, with a historical watchtower in the middle of the vines.  This is one of the most beautiful sites around Saint-Émilion. 

 

Château La Clotte is a small property, with 3 heactares under vine out of 4 heactares of land. On average, it produces 1,500 cases each year.  Today, La Clotte is run by Alain Vauthier and his daughter, Pauline.  She is also the winemaker at Château Ausone.  2015 was the inaugural vintage under the Vauthier ownership.

 

Tasting Notes

"From a holding on the limestone plateau just outside the village, the 2022 La Clotte is one of the high points of the Vauthier portfolio this year, offering up attractive aromas of cherries, minty blackberries and raw cocoa, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and charming palate with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and refined tannins." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (4/28/2023), Ratings: (92-94)

"Coming from vines southwest of the village and 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château La Clotte is one of my favorites in the lineup from the Vauthier family in 2022. Ripe black cherries, red plums, espresso, baking spices, and a beautiful sense of minerality all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with nicely integrated oak, ripe tannins, and a great finish." - Jeb Dunnuck (5/10/2023), Ratings: 94-97

"This is a wine that is worth watching every year right now, growing in confidence, precision, flesh, and terroir character. Brilliantly fleshy plum and raspberry fruits, chocolate, salinity, with a charred coffee bean edge. Harvest September 8 to 27. Conversion to organic farming began in 2020. 100% new oak, and new equipment in the winery, with smaller-sized vats. Great stuff from the Vauthier family." - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux (4/24/2022) Rating 95, Drink: 2038-2044

 

More Information
Stock Status Futures
Appellation Saint-Emilion
Vintage 2022
Brand Château La Clotte
Shipping Weight 3.000000

Saint-Émilion is one of the most prestigious wine appellations in the Bordeaux region of France, renowned for its exceptional red wines and rich viticultural history. Located on the Right Bank of the Dordogne River, Saint-Émilion is a place of great beauty and a UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks to its remarkable blend of natural and cultural attributes. The Saint-Émilion appellation is characterized by a diverse terroir featuring a mix of limestone, clay, and sandy soils that provide the foundation for its distinctive wines. The unique microclimates and elevations within the appellation contribute to the variety of flavors and styles found in Saint-Émilion wines.

The primary grape varieties used in Saint-Émilion wines are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot often dominating the blends. These grapes thrive in the region's favorable climate, moderated by the proximity of the Dordogne River and the buffering effects of the limestone plateau.

Saint-Émilion is famous for its unique wine classification system, which divides the vineyards into four tiers: Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, Grand Cru Classé, and Grand Cru. This classification reflects the quality and prestige of the individual vineyards and châteaux within the appellation, with only a select few achieving the highest ranking of Premier Grand Cru Classé A. Until the re-classification in 2022, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Ausone, Château Angelus, and Château Pavie were the only four members of the Premier Grand Cru Classé A tier. Out of disagreement with the standard-setting governing body, Cheval Blanc and Ausone voluntarily dropped out. Angelus followed suit shortly after. With Pavie remaining the only member, Premier Grand Cru Classé A saw the addition of Château Figeac following a long-expected and well-deserved promotion.

Saint-Émilion wines are known for their finesse, complex aromas, and beautiful balance of fruit, tannins, and acidity. While they share some similarities with wines from the neighboring Pomerol appellation, they often have a slightly more structured and tannic character due to the higher proportion of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blends. With age, these wines develop a velvety texture and reveal an array of flavors, including dark fruits, floral notes, and hints of earthiness.

Footnotes on Futures, Pre-Arrivals, and potential US Tariffs: 

1. As of June 15, 2021, the US and the EU agreed to suspend tariffs resulting from the Boeing-Airbus aircraft trade disputes. Accordingly, such import taxes are now suspended for the next five years.

2. Futures are expected to be available for delivery two years after the sales (e.g., the 2022 vintage, sold in 2023, will be delivered in 2025 mostly, or 2026 if the producer ages the wine longer).

3. Pre-Arrivals are items currently stored in our Bordeaux cellar or in transit from France to the US. It usually takes 1-6 months for Pre-Arrivals to become available for delivery, depending on the stage of the import process.

4. Regarding futures and pre-arrivals, we cannot guarantee specific delivery dates, which factors beyond our control may impact. However, we will notify you once your wine arrives in our cellar.

5. While a buyer of Bordeaux wine futures locks in an allocation of the specified items, the final delivery of the purchased items from France to the US may be impacted by intervening and unforeseeable events. Despite our due diligence, additional costs or delays may be caused by such intervening and unforeseen events and "an irresistible, superhuman cause, or by the act of public enemies of the state of California or the United States."  In such circumstances, if a buyer does not accept unforeseeable costs or delays, the sole and exclusive remedy is a cancellation of the futures order concerned and a refund of the original purchase price. We are NOT liable for any lost profits on a canceled order.

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