Tasting Notes & Ratings
Grape
Approximately 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc.
Tasting notes
The 2019 shows the dark, plush fruit typical of this northeast Saint-Emilion slope, with black cherry and plum backed by a savoury, graphite-tinged edge. Fine-grained tannins and a lift of freshness carry the fruit through a long, spice-inflected finish, a hallmark of the Neipperg house style at Clos de l'Oratoire. It is approachable young but has the structure to reward a handful of years in bottle.
More About The Winery
Clos de l'Oratoire sits on Saint-Emilion's northeast-facing limestone slope and has been part of the von Neipperg family's Saint-Emilion holdings since 1971, alongside Chateau Canon-la-Gaffeliere and La Mondotte. The estate is farmed organically, with fruit picked by hand into small crates and sorted before and after destemming. Winemaking follows the meticulous, terroir-focused approach that runs across the Neipperg portfolio, with fermentation in temperature-controlled wooden vats and ageing in a mix of new and used oak.