Château Clarisse "Vieilles Vignes" 2017

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château Clarisse "Vieilles Vignes" 2017

Tasting

Color

The wine displays a deep ruby-red hue with purple highlights.

Nose

The bouquet opens with intense aromas of ripe black fruit, notably blackcurrant and blackberry, alongside notes of sour cherry. With aeration, more complex nuances emerge: hints of forest floor, licorice and subtle spicy notes reminiscent of cocoa and vanilla.

Palate

The attack is plush and enveloping, revealing a velvety texture characteristic of old vines. The palate offers lovely concentration with generous volume and a silky tannic structure. Black-fruit flavors linger, enhanced by chocolatey and lightly toasty notes. The finish, remarkably persistent, leaves an impression of balance between ripe fruit richness and freshness, with fine-grained tannins and excellent aromatic length.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with red meats in sauce, feathered or furred game, as well as dishes featuring wild mushrooms. It also elegantly accompanies duck breast or dishes lifted by gentle spices.

Serving and cellaring

Château Clarisse "Vieilles Vignes" 2017 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. Opening it around twenty minutes in advance allows the wine to fully express itself. This vintage can be enjoyed until around 2030.

An elegant Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion from old vines on a clay-limestone terroir

The estate

Established in 2009 in Bordeaux, on the Asteries clay-limestone plateau of Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion, Château Clarisse is owned by Olivia and Didier Le Calvez. Starting from 5 hectares, the vineyard has grown to 24 hectares (including 4 ha of woodland), spread across around forty plots, and was restructured by 70% over ten years. The vineyard has been Ecocert-certified organic since 2019 and produces around 80,000 bottles per year.

The vineyard

The "Vieilles Vignes" cuvée comes from two seventy-year-old merlot plots, planted on the Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion plateau. These old vines benefit from an exceptional terroir made up of Asteries clay-limestone soils, geological formations rich in marine fossils. Located at altitude, these plots enjoy favorable exposure and deep rooting in the limestone, allowing the vines to draw minerality and complexity. Vineyard management follows the principles of organic farming, favoring manual harvesting and an environmentally respectful approach.

The vintage

The 2017 vintage in Bordeaux was marked by contrasting weather conditions. Winter and early spring were characterized by significant drought, encouraging an early start to the growing season. Summer proved hot and dry, with high temperatures in July. Fortunately, August brought welcome freshness, helping preserve the grapes’ balance and avoid excessive overripeness. Harvest took place between mid-September and mid-October in good conditions, enabling the grapes to be picked at optimal ripeness with lovely concentration while retaining freshness and elegance.

Vinification and aging

Château Clarisse "Vieilles Vignes" 2017 benefited from meticulous plot-by-plot vinification. After manual harvesting into small crates, the grapes were sorted before being vinified in tanks. Aging took place in French oak barrels from renowned cooperages, allowing the wine to develop aromatic complexity and tannic structure while preserving the expression of the fruit and terroir. The length of aging ensured harmonious oak integration.

Grape varieties

Merlot and cabernet franc.