2020 Château Guillot Clauzel
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Tasting notes
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 18 months in French oak (50% new). Dark, saturated colour. Rich, ripe, succulent fruit. Has all the hallmarks of a New World style, except that the finish is so savoury as to be almost bitter. Heavy, domineering style of flavour. Sledgehammer intensity. (RH)
Critic scores
James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Guillot Clauzel has turned out beautifully. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark cherries, plums and licorice, it's medium to full-bodied, elegantly layered and fleshy, with a vibrant core of fruit, polished tannins and a penetrating finish. As readers will remember, this 2.5-hectare estate has been managed by Vieux Château Certan's Guillaume Thienpont since 2018.
The 2020 Guillot-Clauzel has come together beautifully since I tasted it en primeur. Most notably, the oak (50% new) has integrated very nicely, even better than I expected to be honest. Spice, pepper, graphite and scorched earth lend an exotic, deep quality to the aromatic profile that is quite intriguing. As always, Guillot-Clauzel has a certain nerviness in its tannin that makes it a Pomerol more of structure than of seductive charm. Even so, the 2020 is quite impressive. Hints of spice, cedar and tobacco linger on the savory finish.
About the producer
This small estate, just a stone’s throw from Le Pin, is one of the most exciting addresses in Pomerol. Ch. Guillot-Clauzel produces an elegant style of Pomerol and, with Guillaume Thienpont running the property in 2018, it is one you’ll want to keep an eye on.