Guillot Clauzel 2023 (750ML)

94-95 JS / 94 DE / 92-94 WA / 92-94 WI / 92-94 VM / 91-93 JD

This is really like a Burgundy in its nature and sensibility. Medium body with a round, creamy texture and flavors of plums, redcurrants and spices. It's long and caressing. Minerally at the end. A beauty. 83% merlot and 17% cabernet franc. - James Suckling

Smells toasty, opulent and rich with dark black fruits on the nose. Juicy and clean, lots of minty freshness and fresh herbal crushed mint aligned to the plum and blackcurrant fruit. Some spiced clove, aniseed and liquorice too. Clean and precise, feels very balanced. A touch lean, and the slightest bit tight, but this will be easy to drink and approach with an excellent long length. Guillaume Thienpont winemaker. Ageing 18 months, 30% new oak. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

Guillaume Thienpont harvested the 2023 Guillot Clauzel a few days later than Vieux Château Certan, as is generally the case, and he has once again produced an excellent wine, redolent of dark berries and cherries mingled with hints of rose petals, pencil shavings and mint. Medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, it's supple and refined, with a vibrant core of fruit and a long, pure finish. It's once again a blend of Merlot complemented by 17% Cabernet Franc. - Wine Advocate, William Kelley

Guillaume Thienpont from Vieux Chateau Certan is the winemaker for Guillot Clauzel. It is a 2 ha property and the 2023 is a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc. It is aging in oak barrels, of which 30% are new and it has a deep garnet-purple color. Notes of juicy black plums, juicy cherries, and black raspberries spill from the glass, giving way to hints of aniseed, Sichuan pepper, and crushed rocks, plus a hint of lavender. The medium-bodied palate delivers pure black and red berry flavors with enticing savory accents, a velvety texture, and a refreshing finish. - Lisa Perotti-Brown, Wine Independent

The 2023 Guillot-Clauzel is gorgeous. Fresh, floral and medium in body, this is all class from start to finish. Since taking over winemaking for this small, two-hectare property in 2018, Guillaume Thienpont has really dialed in the approach. The denser, oakier winemaking of the first few years has evolved into an approach that seeks to exalt the finesse this site is capable of. The 2023 is really quite delicious. -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

The 2023 Château Guillot Clauzel is based on 83% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 33% new oak, from two hectares of vines planted in gravelly, clay soils just across the street from Le Pin. It has a pretty perfume of mostly red fruits, leafy tobacco, spice, and flowers, as well as medium-bodied richness and depth on the palate. A beautifully balanced, elegant 2023 with good ripeness, fine tannins, and nicely integrated acidity, it should easily be an outstanding wine. - Jeb Dunnuck