| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it is a surprisingly opulent, flamboyant, fleshy, soft crowd-pleaser displaying abundant amounts of smoked herbs, sweet black cherry and cassis fruit, licorice, espresso roast, chocolate, and toast. Full-bodied with superb concentration as well as a beautifully textured mouthfeel, this 2006 should drink well for 10-15+ years. Like all of the Neipperg estates, this wine's capsule has a clever anti-fraud device, which I think will be increasingly employed by many French estates.This nearly 30-acre estate, which was purchased several years ago by Stephan von Neipperg (owner of Canon La Gaffeliere and La Mondotte), performed exceptionally well in 2006.
Tasted privately with a negotiant. This is lacking delineation on the nose: cassis, cherry, blood oranges. The palate has good structure, firm tannins and good definition. Well-integrated oak and firm grip. Red berried fruits, a touch of chocolate, very tannic on the finish. This has great potential. Tasted April 2007.
Balanced for the vintage, with vanilla, berry and mineral character. Full and silky. Medium finish. Well done for the vintage.
Dark, 95% Merlot this year and only 5% Cabernet Franc. Very dark purple. Fragrant and rich at the start - very opulent. So sweet and smooth. Almost lost the fruit in the middle but great texture. Marred only by green tannins on the finish. Not the finest vintage for this property.
Full ruby-red. Inky blackberry, black cherry, licorice and minerals on the nose. Sweet and densely packed, with a lush texture but also good enlivening minerality to the blueberry and dark chocolate flavors. Seamless and vinous Saint-Emilion, finishing with very suave tannins and noteworthy length and energy. An outperformer in 2006.
This property has been resurrected beautifully by perfectionist wine guru, Stephan von Neipperg, and his increasingly popular and respected winemaking consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt. A big-time sleeper of the vintage, the 2006 Clos de l’Oratoire reveals notes of smoked meats, blueberries, raspberries, cedar, and spicy oak. Opulent, fleshy, rich, and atypically fruity and forward for the vintage, this medium to full-bodied, gorgeously proportioned St.-Emilion is ideal for drinking during its first 12-15 years of life.
Good full red. Complex aromas of black cherry, raspberry, currant and game. Juicy and fine-grained, with a distinctly chocolatey character to this merlot-dominated wine. Harmonious wine with considerable appeal.
