2017 Clos Dubreuil
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Tasting notes
Concentrated blueberry and blackberry fruit, with fresh acidities adding clarity and cheer. A vintage where the salinity of limestone is dominant, and even at four years old an edge of saffron and blue cheese is apparent. This was a cooler vintage that the previous two, and there is a brightness to the expression. 60% new oak, Michel Rolland consultant. Harvest from end of September into early October. No need to wait too long to begin drinking, but this has a lot of pleasure, and a dancing minerality that is super enjoyable. 15hl/h yield after frost.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Clos Dubreuil is a dense, powerful Saint-Émilion. Super-ripe plum, cedar, tobacco, espresso and chocolate give the 2017 its unctuous, flamboyant feel. Clos Dubreuil is not at all subtle, but it offers fine depth and density. I would drink it over the next few years, before the oak totally consumes the fruit. That said, the bottled wine is far more convincing than the en primeur samples.
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Clos Dubreuil gives up notions of plum preserves, dried mulberries and blueberry pie with hints of balsamic, chargrill and tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has pleasant energy with a chewiness to the texture and an herbal lift on the finish.
Chocolate, spice box, and cedar notes all emerge from the 2017 Clos Dubreuil, and it's medium to full-bodied, with beautiful minerality, a ripe, rounded texture, and outstanding length. It plays in the straight, focused style of the vintage nicely yet still packs plenty of sweet fruit as well as charm. Drink bottles any time over the coming 10-12 years.