1966 Clos de Sarpe
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Tasting Notes
Some older vintages of Clos de Sarpe spent extended periods of time in tank before bottling – as is the case with this 1966, which stayed in concrete for almost 10 years. It was recorked in 2019 and is an amazing wine that is singing today. The nose still offers surprising fruit purity – soft, cooked plum and deeper bramble fruit, as well as savoury sousbois and – with time in the glass – liquorice and an almost marmite intensity. It’s ripe and vibrant, with amazing freshness on the palate, the tannins are seamlessly integrated with the sweet fruit. Long, supple and balanced, a beautiful wine to drink now. Blend: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Critic Scores
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
From a growing season that started cool and finished hot, the 1966 Château Clos de Sarpe is a more focused wine that has lively acidity as well as perfumed, incredibly complex notes of dried tobacco, licorice, chocolate, and Asian spices. Medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, completely mature, and seamless, with resolved tannins, it's just a beautiful, classy, complex Saint-Emilion that shows the singular style of this domaine. This stunning wine isn't going to any better, yet certainly has a gradual evolution going forward.
About the producer
This small Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé estate is a FINE+RARE favourite. Run by Maylis Marcenat, the fourth generation of her family to do so, the 3.7-hectare vineyard has old vines and limestone soils, producing wines of incredible freshness and great ageability.