Château de Clotte, Castillon 2016
The Côtes de Castillon is in my favourite haunt for seeking our affordable bargains in Bordeaux. Château de Clotte from the exceptional 2016 vintage is one of those, and at only £12.95 is remarkable value.
The Côtes de Castillon lie on a ridge to the east of the plateau of Saint-Émilion and has a similar terroir - limestone, gravel and clay. It is in my opinion the most under rated appellation along with Fronsac in all of Bordeaux. The wines are terrific and the prices are modest and better value than Saint-Émilion - by a stretch.
Château de Clotte has an illustrious history dating from the 13th century and originally owned by the Dukes of Castillon. Their 2016 vintage is a blend of 50% cabernet franc, 40% merlot and 10% malbec with lovely rich berry fruit flavours and a hint of spice, tobacco and vanilla from its oak aging. It is still youthful but opened an hour beforehand it blossoms in the glass. A lovely wine with a life of at least 5-7 years ahead of it.
The Spectator's Jonathan Ray and wine-pages.com's Tom Cannavan have recently tasted Château de Clotte 2016 - their notes are below.
- Esme Johnstone, Co-founder of FromVineyardsDirect
What do the critics say?
"...I had it marked down for at least twice the price, so classic and sophisticated is it. With intense, ripe, fresh and bitter cherries in the mouth and sweet and savoury spice, its finish goes on and on. It's a cast-iron belter at a derisory price."
Jonathan Ray, The Spectator Magazine
"A ripe and chunky right bank Bordeaux, blending 50% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 10% Malbec. Castillon lies east of Saint-Émilion, with similar soils of limestone, gravel and clay. This has a nicely savoury tapenade character to firm, dark black fruit. In the mouth there's quite an expansive fruit core here, plummy and chocolaty, the tannins are fat and ripe too, and the acidity balances nicely in a very satisfying glass of typically right bank Bordeaux at a knock-down price really. It will also cellar for a few more years for sure."
Tom Cannavan, WINE-PAGES.COM
