Clos St. Martin Clos St. Martin
Saint-Émilion, France
Vintage:2022 (Current)
2014 (Past) | 2015 (Past) | 2016 (Current) | 2017 (Current) | 2018 (Current) | 2023 (Current)
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Reviews
Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points
A blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Clos Saint-Martin is massive and deeply layered, with dense black fruits, truffle, chocolate, crushed stone, and floral notes. Full-bodied and powerful, it has great freshness, fine tannins, and remarkable purity. Aged for 20 months in 60% new oak barrels and 40% amphorae, this structured and mineral-driven wine will need time but should evolve gracefully for 30+ years. Total production: 416 cases.
JamesSuckling.com 92 Points
Deep and complex with a touch of olives, white pepper and charcoal to the fruit of ripe but fresh blackberries, sweet plums and a touch of licorice. The tight-grained tannins give it real structure and fine-boned gravity. This is compact, focused and long. Needs some time to soften. Drink from 2028.
Vinous Media 96 Points
The 2022 Clos Saint-Martin is a gorgeous, sensual beauty from Proprietor Sophie Fourcaud-Rieffers. Élevage has added striking finesse to complement the wine's imposing structure. The result is a wonderfully complex, deep Clos Saint-Martin that hits all the right notes. A blast of dark cherry, spice, tobacco, cedar and new leather punctuates the plush, explosive finish. What a sensational wine.
Overview
Established in 1850, this jewel-like estate is situated on Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau, adjacent to Château Canon. Named after the neighboring church of Saint-Martin, Clos Saint-Martin is owned and managed by Sophie Fourcade, a descendant of the Reiffers family, established wine producers in Saint-Émilion since the 17th century, with Michel Rolland acting as consultant winemaker.
At just 3.2 acres, Clos Saint-Martin is the smallest classified growth in SaintÉmilion. The vines, averaging 37 years of age, are planted on clay and limestone soils, typical of the appellation’s limestone plateau, with southwestern exposure. The site’s natural qualities coupled with the team’s devoted care yield a wine that is powerful, structured, yet round and elegant. A great wine that is very sought-after by the initiate.
Winemaking
After the hand-harvest, the grapes undergo a pre-fermentation cold maceration at 46°F. The must is fermented partly in new oak barrels and partly in amphorae. The first four months of aging are spent on the lees, stirred twice every week, allowing the wine to develop volume and body. The wine is then aged for 15-18 months in new oak barrels and amphorae. At Clos Saint-Martin, each vine and each barrel enjoys the undivided attention of owner Sophie Fourcade and her team.
Harvest Notes
The autumn and winter were particularly mild and dry, though there was a cold snap in early April with temperatures around 0°C, a few days after bud burst in the last week of March. Spring and summer were both dry and hot, without this disturbing the growth cycle of the vine, which held up marvellously at Clos Saint Martin due to the quality of its subsoil. These climatic conditions promised a great vintage, which turned out to be the case. The harvest was early, with magnificent grapes brought into our cellars. The vinification proceeded smoothly, with gentle extraction ensuring the quality of the fruit and the structure of the wine. The fermentations finished without any difficulty. This very sunny year only affected the size of this marvellous vintage.
Technical Information
Varietals: 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Harvest Start Date: September 8, 2023
Acres: 3.2 acres acres
Soil Composition: Clay & limestone
Average Vine Age: 35 years
Aging: 18 months: 80% in new oak barrels and 20% in amphorae