Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Wonderful aromas of crushed blackberries and raspberries with orange peel and some chalk. Medium-bodied with fantastic tannins that are polished and chewy. Savory and salty with a powdery texture. One of the best I have had. 80% merlot, 10% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon. Drink in three or four years.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A terrific Castillon, the 2020 Clos Lunelles has an incredible limestone-like character as well as perfumed notes of cassis, acacia flowers, violets, and chalky earth. Full-bodied and concentrated, with ripe tannins and a salty, salivating character that keeps you coming back to the glass, it's a no-brainer purchase that will evolve for 10-15 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Clos Lunelles is composed of 80% Merlot, coming in with an alcohol of 14.79% and a pH of 3.65. It is being aged in French oak barriques, 50% new. Deep purple-black colored, it springs from the glass with vibrant notes of crushed black cherries and black raspberries, giving way to hints of wild blueberries, chocolate box and cardamom with a touch of violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of crunchy, energetic black and red fruits, supported by fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and lifted. Barrel Sample: 92-94
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Wine Spectator
A solid, grippy, toasty style, with a streak of tar providing the spine for a mix of crushed blackberry and black currant fruit notes. A graphite edge takes over on the back half. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2035.
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Decanter
Located on limestone plateau of St-Colombe, this is a classically big Clos Lunelles. Unquestionably has concentration, big black berry fruits and a ton of spice. This is not over-extracted, and there is more integrated oak than you find in the past, but this is still a wine that is hard to ignore. It layers on the dense fruits and the punch at the beginning. Once you sit with it, and allow the limestone to make it through, things lift on the finish.
Barrel Sample: 91
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Though the region is larger than many of its Right Bank neighbors, it is one that consistently produces high quality, well-valued red wines. In fact, Cotes de Castillon can almost be considered a geographical eastern extension of St. Emilion, producing similarly-fashioned reds based on Merlot.
Vineyards in the region’s clay, limestone and sandstone soils produce sturdy red wines. On alluvial terraces, in vineyards closer to the Dordogne River, wines tend to be more supple and fruity. In either case, a great Cotes de Castillon red will be bursting with raspberry, plum and blueberry, have an enticing bouquet of dried flowers and a finish that is plush and opulent.