2019 Clos de Sarpe
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Tasting notes
Wonderful aromas of blackberries and wild mushrooms with bark, conifer and wet earth. There’s so much contrast here with lots of ripe, wild fruit and round tannins, following through to the finish. This is a very exotic, wild wine. Extravagance with bright acidity at the same time. The old-vine cabernet franc made this special. From organically grown grapes. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Very deep purple-black colored, the 2019 Clos de Sarpe charges out of the gate with energetic notes of crushed blackberries, fresh black cherries and wild blueberries, plus hints of garrigue, wild mushrooms, fertile loam, chargrilled meats and woodsmoke. Full-bodied, the decadent black and blue fruits are fantastically offset by refreshing acidity, with a backbone of plush tannins and lingering exotic spice notions coming through on the finish.
The 2019 Clos de Sarpe is unctuous, deep and heady. Exotic raspberry jam, chocolate, espresso, sweet spice and new leather all saturate the palate. As always, Clos de Sarpe is distinguished by its viscous, rich texture, but these days that signature is less overpowering than it once was. The 2019 is exotic and beguiling from start to finish.
If you want to understand minerality in a wine, this is the one to teach you. Inky in color, the wine tastes of crushed rocks and stone. The range of black and blue fruit paired with licorice and smoke works and keeps on working. Big, powerful and stony, you will need patience with this gem. Give it 15 or more years before pulling a cork. You will be happy you waited.
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.