Clos de l'Oratoire 2023

Ripe-fruited, finely spicy, cinnamon, anise, floral notes, showing depth and dark fruit. Delicate on the palate, precise, silky tannins, a magnificent tension arc, saline, red-fruited finish.

A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Clos de l'Oratoire reveals aromas of dark berries, spices, fresh licorice and creamy, toasty new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, it is rich and concentrated, firm and structured, with good depth at the core, concluding with a long, lead-pencil-inflected finish.

Smooth and supple, great energy and movement, a lovely chalky but ripe body with textured tannins and a fresh crunchy plum, cranberry and cherry fruit presence. I like the styling, it’s full but equally quite tense and straight. Ends minty and lifted with elegance and finesse.

75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. 44 hl/ha. Certified organic. Cask sample. Full, round, aromatic. Greater depth than in the past. Measured tannins provide an adequate structure. (JL)

The 2023 Clos de l'Oratoire is an elegant, sophisticated wine. Silky tannins and lifted aromatics convey finesse. Crushed flowers, mint, red/purplish fruit, graphite and blood orange are finely knit together. Lithe and elegant, Clos de l'Oratoire is a gorgeous Saint-Émilion from the Neipperg family.

Flowers, tobacco, spearmint, and spice ride along with all the fresh black raspberries in the nose. On the palate, the wine is supple, creamy, and vibrant, with a lot of freshness in the red fruit finish. There is lift to the sweet, ripe, round berries on the mid-palate, and in the finish. The wine blends 75% Merlot, with 25% Cabernet Franc. This is one of the best vintages of Clos de l'Oratoire I’ve tasted so far. Drink from 2027-2042.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the edge. Delicate aromas of red cherries, cranberries, blackberries and orange zest. Medium body, a red-berry touch, fresh, delicate fruit, elegant and with a certain light-footedness, a harmonious, uncomplicated food wine.

75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 44 hl/ha, 13.5% vol. Seductive bouquet with beguiling iris notes, blueberry, light tobacco and a refined red cassis spice. On the complex palate, silky texture, supportive drive and a tightly woven, well-structured body. The focused, finely aromatic finish shows blueberry contours, dark minerality and a fine, powdery astringency paired with a refined saline note.

Score: 91–93. Waves of floral aromas caress your nostrils, transporting you into a state of blissful trance. On the palate, the flavors are taut, concentrated yet expansive. A beautiful limestone presence: it feels almost chewable.

This is pure and refined from the start, with pretty damson plum and morello cherry notes stitched together with a fine-grained structure. Light flashes of apple wood, incense and iris fill up the remaining space, with everything focused and fresh through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2037. 5,650 cases made.