2016 Clos St Julien
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Brought in exclusively by American merchant Jeffrey Davies, the 2016 Clos Saint Julien knocks it out of the park and is a killer wine made by Catherine Papon-Nouvel, who’s also the genius behind the wines of Petit Gravet Aîné. This is a tiny 1.2-hectare vineyard located just west of Château Soutard that sits on the pure limestone plateau outside the village of Saint Emilion. The blend is equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot, raised all in new barrels. It boasts an awesome nose of ripe red and black fruits, flowers, spice box, and white truffles. Seamless, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully textured, it has fine tannins and just covers the palate with fruit. There are under 500 cases made, but it’s a gem of a wine I’d be thrilled to have in the cellar.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Quite oaky, but thereâs plenty of ripe sour-cherry character, then good concentration and plenty of velvety tannins that nicely fill the full body and carry the long, sophisticated finish. A blend of 50 per cent cabernet franc and 50 per cent merlot. Better from 2021.
The 2016 Clos Saint-Julien is gorgeous and also quite a bit more reserved than it was from barrel. Voluptuous and racy, with remarkable freshness, the 2016 has so much to offer. A rush of black cherry, violet, lavender and spice builds as this sensual, caressing Saint-Émilion shows off its personality. The purity of the fruit and the wine's sheer harmony both make for a fabulous drinking experience.
An equal blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot aged in 100% new oak for 16 months, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Clos St Julien features warm plums, stewed cherries, dried mulberries and earth with oolong tea and Chinese five spice. The palate is medium-bodied with a chewy frame and earthy layers, finishing on an earthy note. About 416 cases produced.