Winemaker Notes
The Barrel Sample for this wine is above 14% ABV.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The top wine of this estate, the 2019 Château Clos De Bouard is a Merlot-dominated wine that includes small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Franc. It's made by Coralie de Bouard of Château Angelus, and as you'd expect from this talented team, the wine is brilliant, offering a dense purple color as well as rocking levels of blackcurrants, black cherries, graphite, leather, and crushed rock. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, and nicely concentrated, it has plenty of structure, if not a touch more obvious tannins than the 2018. Nevertheless, it should be approachable in its youth and have 15 years of longevity.
Barrel Sample: 91-93+ -
Vinous
The 2019 Clos de Boüard has a seriously intense bouquet with layers of blackberry, briary and subtle floral scents, thankfully maintaining impressive focus and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and fine acidity. Velvety smooth in texture, it develops hints of bitter dark chocolate towards the finish that demonstrates good persistency, though I am seeking just a little more complexity and nuance here. Otherwise this is a fine Montagne Saint-Émilion from Coralie de Boüard. -- Neal Martin
Barrel Sample:91-93 -
James Suckling
Attractive, balanced red with a medium body and juicy fruit. Round tannins and a lightly chewy finish. Should soften out nicely with barrel aging.
Barrel Sample: 90-91
In most of France, wines are named by their place of origin and not by the type of grape (with the exception of Alsace). Just like a red Burgundy is by law, always made of Pinot noir, a red Bordeaux is a blended wine composed mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Depending on the laws of the village from which the grapes come, the conditions of the vintage and decisions of the winemaker, the blend can be further supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and in rare cases, Carmenere. So popular and repeated has this mix of grape varieties become worldwide, that the term, Bordeaux Blend, refers to a wine blended in this style, regardless of origin.