Description
Clos Lunelles, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
When a superstar wine family decides to put down roots in a lesser-known region, you can be sure I’ll be paying attention. Perhaps the best example I can give is Burgundy’s Lafon family—Meursault royalty—venturing south of their base in Meursault into the less-expensive precincts of the Mâcon. Lafon pedigree at a Mâcon price? We grab every bottle we can, just as we did with today’s decade-old Bordeaux beauty from Clos Lunelles, which is part of an impressive portfolio of châteaux (including the famed Château Pavie) owned by the Perse family.
The sight of “Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux” may have you reaching for a map, but let me save you the trouble: The growing zone neighbors Saint-Émilion on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, and its best vineyards occupy the same clay/limestone plateau. So, you know what I’m going to say next: The Perses have the real estate, and the know-how, for transcendent Right Bank Bordeaux, as evidenced by today’s brilliant 2011. Being able to source back vintages of Clos Lunelles direct from the château (we previously offered the ’02 vintage) has been one of our most exciting direct-import projects, and this one is exceptional. It’s well-aged and affordable with plenty of positive evolution still ahead of it. Meaning, take it in quantity—you’ll be very glad you did!
The tentacles of Vignobles Perse, the Perse family firm, reach into some serious Right Bank real estate. Gérard Perse came onto the Bordeaux scene in 1993 and quickly made a name for himself after acquiring Château Monbousquet, which has since been elevated to Premier Grand Cru Classé B. A few years later, Château Pavie-Decesse and the famed Château Pavie, now a Premier Grand Cru Classé A (only four châteaux hold this title), were purchased. In 2001, Clos Lunelle was acquired—today’s value-driven label—and the purchase of Château Bellevue Mondotte—another Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé—soon followed.
Gérard and his wife, Chantal Perse, are true visionaries. They have tirelessly worked for 25 years to improve the quality and reputation of all their holdings—despite them already being highly regarded. Yields were curtailed, mass renovations were made, white wines were introduced (a first for Saint-Émilion), vines were replanted…you get the idea. Of course, visionaries and backlash go hand in hand, and they have received their fair share, but the family has stubbornly stayed the course. Top-quality wine will always be Gérard’s destination, and as long as Clos Lunelles remains in his hands, you can expect a killer bottle of wine.
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux abuts the eastern border of Saint-Émilion. The nine hectares of old vines for Clos Lunelles are dug deep in a clay-limestone slope of Sainte-Colombe. Just a 15-minute drive to Château Pavie, this is an extension of Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau. Geologically speaking, their soils and climates are nearly identical. The vineyard, with vines exceeding 40 years of age, is largely planted to Merlot, with equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc comprising the remainder. Grapes for this wine were hand harvested and fermented with ambient yeasts in concrete vats. The final blend for 2011 was 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc, with malolactic fermentation carried out in barrel. The wine underwent 18-24 months of aging in 60% new French oak and was racked a minimum of six times (racking is a decanting from one vessel to another, a process which clarifies the wine by separating it from its spent yeasts and prevents the development of ‘off’ flavors). It was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
In the glass, the 2011 is a well-concentrated, nearly opaque purple/black moving to a garnet rim, almost Pomerol-esque in appearance. Its aromas follow suit, with lots of blacker fruit notes—blackberry, black plum, black cherry—supported by a terrific mineral structure. Notes of crushed gravel, tobacco, licorice, fennel, sweet spice are layered throughout, and time has allowed for a slow creep of savory spice and earth to emerge. It is full-bodied but well-framed by tannin and acid, keeping it energetic and powerful on the palate. If enjoying this wine now, decant it 30 minutes before service (there may be some slight sediment) and serve it at 60 degrees in large Bordeaux stems. It is just now arriving at peak drinking condition but has at least a decade left in the tank, so take advantage of its bargain price and squirrel a few bottles away. You will not regret it! As for food, I’d play to its increasingly earth-driven nature and opt for a beefy dish with lots of gravy/jus and some mushrooms. The attached recipe would be perfect. Enjoy!
