2017, Wine Futures, Château Clauzet
The modern rendition of St. Estephe, it is of deep ruby, tight rim. With full extraction with suppressed cassis, black cherry, with dry flowers, some warmth (menthol) and wood tones (charcoal). The palate is soft, savoury with ample tannins. Medium length.
The story goes that this wine vinifies in thermo-regulated cement tanks, then matured in barrels of which 30 to 40% new. 2017 is an excellent food wine, with firm mid palate. It always presents itself as a reasonably interesting St Estephe though it is slightly less than 2016 And 2015. Buy it while score and judgement are yet to make.
Château Clauzet covers 23 hectares, so there is some of scale to drive the production cost. Gravelly soil, hence always some ripeness and structure. There are some complexities and construction (55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, the remainder in Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Baron Maurice Velge owns chateau Clauzet. He first purchased a couple of hectares of vineyards in St. Estephe from Château de Côme, in 1997, followed a little later by Château Clauzet vineyards are not far awasy from Lafite and Cos d’Estournel and have very similar soils, deep gravel and gentle slopes thus providing good drainage. Winemaker José Bueno worked for 23 years at Baron Philippe de Rothschild with Chateau Clerc Milon and Chateau d’Armailhac. The viticulture is organic.
