La Clotte 2018 (750ML)

93-95+ Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2018 La Clotte is made up of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with gregarious scents of crushed blueberries, Morello cherries and black raspberries with touches of oolong tea, violets, mocha and cigar box plus a waft of cedar. Full-bodied with a solid frame of fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness, it is packed with vibrant black and blue fruits layers, finishing long with great purity." 4/19

93-94 Points, James Suckling: "A tight and firm red with dark berries and wet earth. Medium-bodied, racy and bright. Shows tension and structure for the vintage. " 3/19

93-95 Points, Wine Enthusiast: "A small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in this blend makes a potent difference to a wine that already has great spice and structure. It is a powerful wine from an estate that continues to develop under Ausone's Vauthier family portfolio." 4/19

94 Points, Decanter: "As the Vauthier influence continues to be felt, this is definitely a wine to watch this year. It's a powerful wine with this juicy, seductive texture to the fruit that you see in so many of the best wines in 2018. It's fleshy and brambly, with finely tuned tannins and gorgeous lift through the finish. Harvested between 27 September and 9 October. Right now there's a 10-year programme of vineyard restructuring under way, as well as drainage programmes, and the percentage of Cabernet Franc is set to rise. 100% new oak." 4/19

94-96+ Points, Jeb Dunnuck: "From an estate purchased by Ausone in 2014, the 2018 Château La Clotte looks to be a sensational wine in the making, and I think it's probably going to surpass both the 2015 and 2016. A blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, this deeply colored Saint-Émilion offers a smoky, blackcurrant, black cherry, and graphite-driven bouquet. This carries to a medium to full-bodied red that has a stacked mid-palate, tons of ripe, sexy fruit, building tannins, and a great finish. It's a brilliant Saint-Émilion that's going to need short-term cellaring but will cruise in cool cellars for two decades or more." 5/19