Château Clarisse "Vieilles Vignes" 2017

Medium garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Vieilles Vignes rocks up with ready-for-business Black Forest cake, Morello cherries and mulberries scents plus a touch of spice box. Medium-bodied, the palate is pure and juicy with just enough chewy texture and a savory finish.

A rich red with blueberry, blackberry and black-tea aromas and flavors. It’s full and layered with soft tannins and a delicious finish. Drink or hold.

Soft, luscious, chocolaty red fruits, with notes of licorice and coffee bean, are delivered in a soft, round, textured frame. Produced from 100% old-vine Merlot, the wine leaves a side note of chocolate atop ripe, juicy plums.

Inky dark purple colour. Pure and modern nose offering ripe blackberry, cassis, tobacco and gingerbread spice. Medium weight with young, dense fruit, crushed berries and a good dose of freshness, polished with fine balance and a long finish.

The ruby/purple-hued 2017 Chateau Clarisse Vieilles Vignes comes from the slightly cooler Puisseguin region of Saint-Emilion and is a selection of older vines from limestone soils. It has loads to love and is a beautifully textured, medium-bodied, elegant effort that has ripe tannins, terrific balance, and rock-solid dark fruits, spice, and leafy herb aromas and flavors. It's a pleasure-bent effort I'd be happy to drink. It should keep for upwards of a decade as well.

The old vine reveals itself on the tip of the tongue in this cuvée, with its full energy concealed behind a supple, approachable texture, wrapped in generous yet weightless tannins. The oak is present—fine, supple, clean—and contributes to the wine’s balance.

Sappy, fruity wine with good chew and a hint of graphite on the finish.

Dark, intense, and vibrant color. Moderately aromatic nose, but fine and fruity. Juicy, tasty, and fragrant palate, developing on a slender body (40% Cabernet Franc), with a lovely burst of fruit. Medium length with wrapped tannins. Estate frozen at 40%. Production: 6,000 bottles instead of 10,000.