Clos St. Martin Clos St. Martin
Saint-Émilion, France
Vintage:2015 (Past)
2014 (Past) | 2016 (Current) | 2017 (Current) | 2018 (Current)
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Reviews
The Wine Advocate 93 Points
“Blended of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Clos St. Martin displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and is scented of plum preserves, blackberry pie, wild blueberries and incense with touches of unsmoked cigars and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with vibrant, well-delineated black fruit layers with alluring red fruit accents and a firm frame of velvety tannins, finishing long and lively.”
Vinous Media 94 Points
“Sophie Fourcade's 2015 Clos Saint Martin has turned out beautifully. Dense, pliant and impeccably layered, it also offers a good bit of freshness to play off the sweet red stone fruit flavors. I especially like the brightness here, especially in 2015, where it is easy for wines to be out of balance. A closing flourish of sweet red cherry and raspberry fruit leaves a lasting impression. Tasted three times.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points
“The 2015 Clos Saint Martin falls under the Moueix umbrella and is certainly one of the gems in their lineup. A blend of 90% Merlot and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s slightly reserved on the nose, but man, what a palate! Notes of strawberries, black raspberries, vanilla bean, toasted bread and dried flowers all flow to a full-bodied, opulent, huge wine that stays incredibly well balanced and elegant, with no hard edges and a cashmere-like texture. Count me impressed. I’d be thrilled to drink bottles anytime over the coming two decades.”
Overview
Established in 1850, this tiny estate is situated on Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau, adjacent to Château Canon. Named after the neighboring church of Saint Martin, Clos St. Martin is today owned and managed by Sophie Fourcade, with Michel Rolland acting as consulting winemaker. At 1.33 hectares (3.28 acres), Clos St. Martin is the smallest classified Bordeaux wine in Saint-Émilion. The vineyard sits on clay and limestone soils, typical of the appellation’s limestone plateau, and is planted 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, with an average vine age of 35 years.
Winemaking
After being harvested by hand, the grapes undergo an eight-day pre-fermentation cold maceration at 8ºC (46.5ºF). Since 2008, the must is fermented in 100% new oak barrels for 48 days, before Malolactic fermentation takes place in 100% new oak barrels - the first four months of which is spent on the lees, stirred by hand twice a week. The wine is then aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 20 months. In most vintages, Clos St. Martin produces around 250 cases.