Wine Advocate (95+)

This was the first vintage for the Vauthier family of Château Ausone off this tiny three-hectare estate. Composed of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 85% new, the 2015 La Clotte displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and a very spicy nose of cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise and allspice over core of red and black currants, mulberries and black soil plus a waft of violets. Full-bodied and decadently fruited with a firm backbone of very ripe, beautifully velvety tannins, it has a lively backbone providing loads of lift throughout the very long finish.

Vinous - Neal Martin (96)

The 2016 La Clotte, part of the Vauthier family's portfolio, was outstanding out of barrel, and now that it is in bottle, I have no reason to alter my view. The sophisticated, beautifully defined bouquet features mineral-rich black cherry and raspberry fruit; hints of violet and bay leaf emerge with time. The sublimely balanced palate is sensual and refined, offering a fine bead of acidity and a silky-smooth texture. The very persistent, refined finish is exceptional. This must surely be the hidden gem of Saint-Émilion in 2016. It’s just a shame that only 10,000 bottles were produced. Try to buy one.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93)

The 2017 La Clotte was one of the Vauthier’s most impressive wines from barrel and now that it is bottled, I find no reason to change that view. It delivers gorgeous black cherry and raspberry coulis aromas, intermingling with sous-bois and crushed iris. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fresh and vibrant, very well proportioned with a veins of _mineralité _ on the finish that might be a distant cousin of a very fine Loire. This is simply a superb Saint-Émilion that is rapidly making a name for itself.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-96+)

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.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2019 La Clotte was picked from September 27 to October 7. It has a complex bouquet of detailed red berry fruit, wild hedgerow, crushed stone and wilted rose petal aromas, engaging and (for the vintage) understated. The palate is medium-bodied, ripe and beautifully poised, with pliant tannins and a judicious touch of spice. This builds wonderfully in the mouth and feels elegant and refined, almost Burgundian on the finish. Wonderful.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95-97)

The 2020 La Clotte was picked 14-30 September and matured in barriques for 18 months. This has a gorgeous and expressive bouquet with beautifully defined red fruit, crushed stone, wilted rose petal and a touch of sea spray. It is extremely focused with seamlessly integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied and silky smooth. Finely tuned acidity gently builds in the mouth. Very harmonious towards the finish that fans out wonderfully. This is a superb Saint-Émilion, one of the best you will find in 2020.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95-97)

The 2020 La Clotte was picked 14-30 September and matured in barriques for 18 months. This has a gorgeous and expressive bouquet with beautifully defined red fruit, crushed stone, wilted rose petal and a touch of sea spray. It is extremely focused with seamlessly integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied and silky smooth. Finely tuned acidity gently builds in the mouth. Very harmonious towards the finish that fans out wonderfully. This is a superb Saint-Émilion, one of the best you will find in 2020.

James Suckling (93-94)

Medium to full body with a creamy, supple tannin structure. Just-ripe plum fruit and dark berries with a touch of chocolate. Plush, yet so fresh. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-97)

Coming from vines southwest of the village and 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château La Clotte is one of my favorites in the lineup from the Vauthier family in 2022. Ripe black cherries, red plums, espresso, baking spices, and a beautiful sense of minerality all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with nicely integrated oak, ripe tannins, and a great finish.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (96)

The reworking of La Clotte under the Vauthier family continues to impress, and this is one to look out for. The terroir was always there, and the precise vineyard work is now fully accentuating the iris and lily floral aromatics, the arresting slate and pumice stone texture, where autumnal fruits are sweet and ripe, cassis pastille and raspberry puree, but they take second place to the fennel, annis, cold ash, rhubarb, lavender. One of my wines to watch in this vintage, demands attention.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (90)

The 2020 La Commanderie is packed with black fruit, cloves, licorice, menthol and chocolate. Although not especially complex, the 2020 is succulent and easy to like. It will drink well right out of the gate.

James Suckling (90)

Aromas of grilled meat and berry character with hints of toasted oak. Spices, too. Full body, silky tannins and some pretty blueberry, vanilla and chalk character. Better in 2018.

The La Couspaude 2013, a premium Saint-Emilion Bordeaux, exudes a genuinely unique character for any wine enthusiast's palate. Produced and bottled by the Aubert Family, this exquisite wine is an illustrious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sourced from a vintage of only seven hectares, endowed with limestone and clay soils, this grand Saint-Emilion Grand Cru was matured 18 months in new French oak barrels, lending it a phenomenal structure. A convergence of rich, plummy fruit and opulent spice notes offer a captivating complexity on the nose, followed by an equally expressive mouthful; generous, intense, with a gracefully enduring finish, befitting its noble lineage.

Akin to its predecessors, the La Couspaude 2013 ardently maintains an unerring proportion between depth and elegance, firmly cementing its standing as a cherished member of the Aubert Family wine portfolio. A stunning choice for any serious fine wine collection.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89-92)

The La Couspade is a deep, plush wine. Dark red cherry, plum, smoke and torrefaction are all pushed forward. Rich, sumptuous and super-inviting, the 2016 has great palate presence and terrific depth.

Vinous - Neal Martin (91)

The 1998 La Dominique replicates the fine performance it showed from magnum two weeks earlier. The bouquet offers blackberry, raspberry coulis, sage and truffle on the nose, a touch of mint developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, still fresh and cohesive with black fruit, tobacco, a touch of dark chocolate with a finish you might easily mistake for a Pomerol. There is just a note of dryness and linearity on the finish, at least in the bottle, but larger formats should still give lots of pleasure. Tasted at the vertical tasting at La Dominique.

James Suckling (96)

Attractive ripe dark berries and some darker chocolate, no to mention sweet earth and violets. The palate has impressive density and depth, not to mention great length and weight. Mulberry and dark-cherry flavors hold fresh. Best from 2022.

Decanter (96)

Aromatic and abundant on the nose, smells appealing and heady with floral touches alongside ripe red cherry and blackcurrant reflections. Amazing clarity to the fruit profile on the palate with such minerality driving the wine from start to finish. It has spicy tones, liquorice and toast that give texture and depth with acidity keeping things refreshing. Lovely grace. Tannins are fine and provide plenty of grip in the mouth supporting the fruit with excellent freshness and a wet stone character that puts you in St-Emilion. So charming, confident and characterful - lots to enjoy here. First full vintage with new technical director Yann and consultant Julien Viaud. Tasted twice. The 50th vintage at La Dominique since it was purchased in 1969.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2020 La Dominique is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. Dark and sumptuous in the glass, the 2020 is racy and wonderfully sleek right out of the gate. Dark cherry, gravel, spice, dried flowers and espresso lend shades of darkness to this deep, wonderfully plush La Dominique. Superb.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2020 La Dominique is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. Dark and sumptuous in the glass, the 2020 is racy and wonderfully sleek right out of the gate. Dark cherry, gravel, spice, dried flowers and espresso lend shades of darkness to this deep, wonderfully plush La Dominique. Superb.

James Suckling (93-94)

Blackberry, walnut and crushed-stone aromas follow through to a medium-bodied palate with medium, round tannins and a juicy, pretty finish. Polished and fine for the vintage.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (89-92)

(70% merlot and 30% cabernet franc, from vines reportedly averaging 100 years of age) Bright red-ruby. Aromas of raspberry liqueur and minerals, lifted by a floral topnote. Chewy and a bit reduced, but with a juicy character and lovely cut to its flavors of blackberry, violet, licorice and bitter chocolate. This firmly constructed, persistent wine conveys an impression of sappiness, in the style of the vintage's better examples.

Indulge your palate with 'La Fleur Morange 2020', a compelling Saint-Emilion Grand Cru from the Bordeaux region of France. Made from 100% Merlot grapes, revered winemakers Véronique and Jean-François Despagne masterfully cultivate the La Fleur Morange vineyard's century-old vines. The couple hand-harvests the grapes, conducting an intensive and meticulous sorting process to ensure quality. Post-harvest, the grapes undergo fermentation in concrete vats, then mature in French oak barrels for 18 to 24 months for optimum flavour.

The result is a full-bodied red crafted in the traditional Bordeaux style, known for its robust structure, rich, rounded tannins, and elegant, intoxicating aroma marked by dark fruits and hints of cocoa. Reflecting the producer's commitment to terroir expression, La Fleur Morange 2020 delivers a unique balance between magnitude and elegance, making it an unforgettable testament to the art of fine winemaking.

Wine Advocate (90)

Readers looking for a wine for immediate gratification, filled with plump, fat, fleshy black cherry and black currant fruit and loamy soil notes as well as hints of balsam wood and underbrush should check out this medium to full-bodied, seductive wine, which has more power and density than it normally possesses. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

Wine Advocate (88+)

An impressive dark ruby/purple color is followed by a juicy 2011 offering lots of cherry jam, spice and earth. Medium-bodied, pure and surprisingly concentrated, this wine should improve and age nicely for 10-12 years.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89)

The 2012 La Serre offers lovely depth in a classic, understated style. Sweet spice, tobacco, dark berry, cherry pit leather and cedar flesh out in the glass. Ample, layered and expressive, the 2012 should continue to drink well for another 7-10 years. The 2012 is not especially complex, but it is a pretty Saint-Emilion to enjoy for its forward, inviting personality.

Vinous - Ian D'Agata (87-89)

Bright red. Complex, wild aromas of redcurrant, iron and aromatic herbs. Then rich, tactile and savory in the mouth, with suggestions of candied raspberry and spun sugar complementing the leafy, pungently floral red berry flavors. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and a leafy, minty quality that may not appeal to everyone. A much more politely styled La Serre than usual: I like its freshness and balance. This often-underrated wine ages better than most people think; the 2003 was especially successful, should you find a bottle lingering on a restaurant wine list.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (91)

The 2016 La Serre is plump and juicy, with plenty of immediacy that will make it nearly impossible to resist young. Succulent black cherry, plum, new leather, tobacco, spice and new oak all give the 2016 soft contours. Medium in body and yet quite fleshy, the 2016 is impeccable. La Serre could be a bit less monolithic, but it is undoubtedly quite tasty.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89)

The 2017 La Serre is dark, powerful and hearty - all qualities that make it a terrific choice for drinking at the dinner table over the next handful of years. Sweet tobacco, game, licorice, spice and dark-toned fruit add to an impression of virile power. La Serre is a pretty bold, rustic Saint-Émilion, but a little air does wonders to polish some of the rougher edges. Tasted two times.

Vinous - Neal Martin (92)

The 2018 La Serre has a gorgeous, pure bouquet of vibrant wild strawberry and cranberry fruit, very well defined with neatly integrated new oak. The palate is silky-smooth on the entry. There is beautifully judged acidity and impressive depth with hints of dark chocolate toward the finish. This is a wonderful Saint-Émilion that comes highly recommended. As I said before, a hidden gem.

Decanter (94)

Ripe red cherries and blackcurrants on the nose with a delicate floral fragrance. Chalky and mineral straight away with a wet stone clarity to the texture and flavours of pencil led, graphite and menthol. Super fresh with cool fruit flavours. Well packaged and balanced, nicely charming with tons of polish. Really delicious and understated, quietly confident. I love it.