Clos des Jacobins 2021

Deep, dark fruit, mint, blond tobacco, licorice. Powerful, lively and very racy, this wine shows great elegance. Mineral finish.

Smells forward and nicely scented. Fresh and bright, with a lovely almost sour-cherry and freshly picked strawberry character, nicely balanced by hints of vanilla, liquorice, chocolate, cardamom and cinnamon, while the crushed-stone, chalky tannins give width and depth. It’s not hugely persistent, but it really delivers a clean, elegant, still fresh and fruity glass of wine with a delicious salty, mineral finish.

Tasted blind. Light, weedy nose. Tight and ungenerous. No finish. (JR)

The 2021 Clos des Jacobins has a rather oaky nose that obscures the light red fruit underneath. There is just a touch of nail varnish here. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, but again, the oak comes across too strongly and dries out the finish. Hopefully this will improve with bottle age.

Medium-bodied, fresh, high-toned, red fruits spring from the nose and on the palate. The wine is forward, elegant, and spicy, with a touch of chocolate and pepper that complements the sweet plums and cherries. There is no need to wait for this wine, as you can enjoy it upon release. Drink from 2024–2036.

Dark garnet, purple hues at the narrow rim. Fine herbal savouriness and tobacco aromatics support notes of blackberry compote, black cherries and a hint of liquorice. Complex, juicy, red cherries, a touch of sweetness, mineral, lovely length; has development potential.

Soft and supple, the 2021 Clos Des Jacobins is a pretty, red-fruited, spicy, tobacco, and cedary Saint-Emilion offering medium-bodied richness, good overall balance, and a clean, solid finish. It has the fresher, mid-weight style of the vintage and will drink nicely for a good decade.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: fruity, velvety bouquet, blackberries, cedar, nougat. Powerful, aromatic palate with sweet fruit, good tannins, medium structure, fine aromatics, medium finish. Has room to improve.

Fruity, velvety bouquet with blackberry, cedar and nougat. Powerful, aromatic palate with sweet fruit, good tannins, medium structure, fine aromatics, and a medium finish. Still has room to improve. 17/20 2027 - 2042

As found during En Primeur, this leads with a smoky, gourmet character, layered with coffee beans and tar, plumped up by bright strawberry and raspberry fruits. Soft landings mean I would suggest medium-term drinking.

A fresh, fragrant nose, like a basket of summer fruits just picked from the garden, topped with a lovely bouquet of wildflowers. Juicy and generous on the palate, it fills every nook and cranny of the mouth continuously.

The nose is racy and precise, offering a fine grain/power and an incisive edge. It reveals notes of wild strawberry, wild blackberry and, more subtly, small wild red fruits, joined by touches of blackcurrant and violet, as well as fine hints of sweet blond tobacco, a subtle hint of hazelnut, plum blossom and sweet spices. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, suave texture, lovely definition, freshness, minerality, energy, appealing roundness, creaminess, and fine mid-palate work. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy raspberry, creamy small red berries and, more slightly, pulpy/fresh purple plum, combined with touches of violet and vibrant blackcurrant, as well as hints of Bourbon vanilla, tonka bean and fine hints of vanilla, with underlying salinity. A classic, fresh style with lovely substance/texture.

Dark, intense and beautiful color. Moderately aromatic nose with ripe fruit, complemented by a smooth touch of oak. Delicate on entry, precise mid-palate with fine tannins; the wine caresses the palate, elegant and elongated. A very pleasant whole. Blend: 80% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Alcohol: 13.5%. Yield: 32 hl/ha. Harvest from September 30 to October 9.

A blend of 80% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Clos des Jacobins has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It rolls out with exuberant notes of juicy plums and blueberries, plus hints of bay leaves and tilled soil. The medium-bodied palate is soft and juicy, with a lively line and a peppery kick to the finish.