Description
Clos Petit-Corbin, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
The contemporary mythology of Bordeaux often focuses on ‘garagiste’ winemakers and/or “vintage(s) of the century.” Still, the more we explore the heavily hyped new wines of Bordeaux, the more we find ourselves returning to the same proven short list of small family properties who have consistently delivered the goods for generations. Danielle Meunier and her tiny Château Haut-Segottes consistently lurked near the top. Her reds rely on the classic Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation marriage of Cabernet Franc and Merlot—except for Clos Petit-Corbin. With this bottling, she focuses all of her energy into the supple Merlot grape and avoids any new oak during the élevage. Fermentation occurs slowly in steel tanks, followed by 18 patient months of aging in small oak barrels (with a small portion remaining in stainless steel) before hand-bottling without filtration. This simple, defiantly old-school approach produces wines that faithfully telegraph Bordeaux’s golden age.
