2019 Clos St Martin

Tasted blind. Shaded dark crimson. Rather pinched finish after some sweet but not that complex fruit. More drying tannins on the end. (JR)

The 2019 Clos Saint-Martin comes from a tiny vineyard of clay and limestone soils and is mostly Merlot blended with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts a rocking nose of darker currants, ripe black cherries, mulberries, chocolaty oak, iron, and bloody meat. It's deep, rich, and full-bodied on the palate and has a round, voluptuous mouthfeel, flawless balance, layered tannins, and a great, great finish. It's a stunning bottle of wine that already offers pleasure yet is going to gain complexity and nuance with 5-7 years of bottle age and keep for 30 years or more. This estate continues to be a hidden gem in just about every vintage and is well worth snatching up by savvy readers.

From a superbly situated 1.33-hectare vineyard located on the clay-limestone slopes opposite the village cemetery and adjacent to Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse, the 2019 Clos St. Martin has turned out brilliantly, offering up aromas of cherries, wild berries, violets and subtle spices. Full-bodied, deep and layered, it's lively and vibrant, with a fleshy core of fruit, powdery tannins and bright acids, concluding with a long, precise finish. It's a Merlot-based blend, complemented by some 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, picked in four separate harvests and barrel fermented—simply because such small volumes are challenging to vinify in tank.