1986 Clos de Sarpe
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Tasting notes
Tasting the 1986 Ch. Clos de Sarpe at 36 years old the wine is still full of life and a fascinating insight into traditional Bordeaux of that era – with no oak barriques and little destemming. The tiny 3.68-hectare plot’s unique soils consistently produce a wine with very low pH levels, something that brings amazing acidity and freshness to the wine as well as a great ageing ability. A deep garnet colour, the 1wine took 30 minutes to open up, slowly revealing subtle aromas of cassis, blackcurrant and tobacco. The palate offers great textural depth and concentration with notes of liquorice, spice and dark cherries. Softly textured and full-bodied with a wonderfully long finish, this Clos de Sarpe is drinking perfectly now and should continue to do so for the next 10 years or more.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
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The 1986 Château Clos de Sarpe is beautiful, and you can see the change in the winemaker at this point (Jean-Guy took over the reins in 1985), with the wines showing more sweet dark fruits and slightly less of the evolved, Burgundian style found in the older vintages. Starting with the 1985, the wines are partially destemmed and the élevage is on the order of 18 months in concrete as opposed to years in tank. Lots of ripe blackcurrants, chocolatey herbs, and cedar notes dominate the bouquet, and this beauty is concentrated, packed with fruit, balanced, and long. It's a beautiful wine and a great introduction to the change in style at the estate.
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.