2022 Clos de Sarpe
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Tasting Notes
Clos de Sarpe is a very special estate – this single plot of old vines, some of which are now 100 years old, is owned by the Beyney family – with Maylis Marcenat (representing the fourth generation) at the helm today. The old vines seemed to thrive in the vintage, with the limestone keeping remarkable freshness – indeed the final wine has a pH of just 3.3 (the lowest we tasted). It was fascinating tasting through five different barrels, of younger and older plots of Merlot and Cabernet Franc in wood from different coopers. Each component contributes the final blend (85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc), creating a real star of the vintage. It offers a bright, sweet nose – layered with just-ripe plum and cherry fruit. The texture here is gorgeous, full of silken Merlot fruit, yet then the structure of the Cabernet Franc comes in to tighten everything up on the finish. Although the alcohol is 15%, it’s so seamlessly integrated that you’d never guess it was that high, undoubtedly helped by the vibrant acidity that complements the sheer density of fruit. Glorious.
Critic Scores
Average Score
James Suckling
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Deeply colored, the wine is perfumed with flowers, crushed stones, peppery spices, black plums, black cherries and espresso. The wine is concentrated, powerful, and packed with dark red and black pit fruits, chocolate, and salty, crushed stone characteristics. Give it time to come together. It is worth the wait.
Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château Clos De Sarpe is a magical Saint-Emilion in the making that's going to rank with the crème de la crème of the vintage. A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc from very old vines on the eastern side of the appellation and aging in 70% new oak, it reveals a deep purple hue to go with classic, limestone-influenced aromatics of pure cassis, graphite, chalky minerality, liquid violets, and scorched earth. Full-bodied on the palate, it has remarkable purity, a layered, balanced, seamless mouthfeel, tons of ripe tannins, and a great finish. Despite its ripeness and power, it holds onto an incredible sense of freshness (the pH is quite low). It will benefit from a decade of bottle age but will have 50 years of longevity. This estate flies far too far under that radar, and readers should do their best to latch onto a few bottles.
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2022 Clos de Sarpe offers up fragrant scents of dried plums, boysenberries preserves and raisin cake, giving way to wafts of sandalwood, cumin seed, and fallen leaves. The full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating black and blue fruit preserves offset by wonderful tension, supported by velvety tannins, finishing with great length. The blend this year is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. The tiny 3.7-hectare Château Clos de Sarpe vineyard just outside the beautiful little town of Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes in Saint-Émilion. The vineyard is located on a gentle slope on the Sarpe plateau. Two-thirds of the vines here are between 60 and 85 years old, while the other third are 15 to 30 years old. It is planted to 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. The estate was purchased by Jean Beyney in 1923, and today it is managed by his grandson, Jean-Guy Beyney, and his niece, Maylis Marcenat.
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About the producer
A single family owned property belonging to the Beyney family since 1923 and currently managed by Christine and Jean-Guy Beyney. This 3.68 hectare vineyard planted 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc consists of some of the oldest vines in Saint-Émilion.