Another surprising recent find from Bordeaux: we tasted this one at a supplier dinner, and it was delicious. 2017 Château Clos St. Martin is a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé that comes from a 3.2-acre vineyard, making it the smallest classified growth in the appellation. Named after the neighboring Saint-Martin church, the estate is owned and managed by Sophie Fourcade, a descendant of the Reiffers family, which has been producing wine in Saint-Émilion since the 17th century. The vineyard features 35-year-old vines planted on clay-limestone soils with southwestern exposure, with the blend this vintage being 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. In 2017, frost reduced yields, but the vintage produced concentrated wines with fresh acidity and refined tannins. The barrel room here is very small, with only 12 barrels on average. The wine is aged for 16 months in oak (25% new), with lees stirring for the first four months to enhance volume and body. The result is a structured yet elegant wine with dark fruit, minerality, and well-integrated oak that is showing exceptionally well right now. This is a rich and powerful wine that still shows an excellent sense of place and refinement, appealing to both new and old-world palates. A great note by Galloni: we have low pricing on this one today, and it's highly recommended!
Antonio Galloni 94 points! "The 2017 Clos Saint-Martin is superb. Rich, racy and flamboyantly ripe, the 2017 is a real head-turner. Super-ripe red plum, blood orange, spice, mint and star anise all pulse through a juicy, Saint-Émilion built on textural lushness. I would prefer to cellar the 2017 to allow some of the baby fat to melt away, but the 2017 is an undeniably alluring and racy wine with a bright future. Today, it is a total pleasure bomb, but not at all overdone. Tasted two times."
2017 Château Clos St. Martin Eta W/O 3-3-2025
2017 Château Clos St. Martin Eta W/O 3-3-2025
Another surprising recent find from Bordeaux: we tasted this one at a supplier dinner, and it was delicious. 2017 Château Clos St. Martin is a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé that comes from a 3.2-acre vineyard, making it the smallest classified growth in the appellation. Named after the neighboring Saint-Martin church, the estate is owned and managed by Sophie Fourcade, a descendant of the Reiffers family, which has been producing wine in Saint-Émilion since the 17th century. The vineyard features 35-year-old vines planted on clay-limestone soils with southwestern exposure, with the blend this vintage being 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. In 2017, frost reduced yields, but the vintage produced concentrated wines with fresh acidity and refined tannins. The barrel room here is very small, with only 12 barrels on average. The wine is aged for 16 months in oak (25% new), with lees stirring for the first four months to enhance volume and body. The result is a structured yet elegant wine with dark fruit, minerality, and well-integrated oak that is showing exceptionally well right now. This is a rich and powerful wine that still shows an excellent sense of place and refinement, appealing to both new and old-world palates. A great note by Galloni: we have low pricing on this one today, and it's highly recommended!
Antonio Galloni 94 points! "The 2017 Clos Saint-Martin is superb. Rich, racy and flamboyantly ripe, the 2017 is a real head-turner. Super-ripe red plum, blood orange, spice, mint and star anise all pulse through a juicy, Saint-Émilion built on textural lushness. I would prefer to cellar the 2017 to allow some of the baby fat to melt away, but the 2017 is an undeniably alluring and racy wine with a bright future. Today, it is a total pleasure bomb, but not at all overdone. Tasted two times."
