James Suckling (91-92)

A solid red with berry, cherry and hints of chocolate. Medium body. Firm tannins.

Emanating distinguished elegance, the Clos de Bouard 2022 is a revelation in the world of fine wines. Accentuated by meticulously managed vineyard techniques, this remarkable libation stems from the renowned Montagne Saint-Émilion appellation in Bordeaux, France. The ingenious involvement of the de Bouard family, known for their exquisite winemaking mastery, results in an admirable creation of unique complexity and harmony.

Traditional winemaking methods, combined with avant-garde viticultural technology, highlight the exceptional quality of the terroir. Handpicked Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes undergo a scrupulous selection process, ensuring only impeccable berries contribute to Clos de Bouard 2022.

By blending immense respect for ancestral winemaking traditions with a progressive approach to viticulture, each bottle seals in sophisticated notes of black and red fruit, refreshingly balanced with velvety tannins. The captivating allure of the Clos de Bouard 2022 offers an authentic, unforgettable journey into classical French winemaking.

Wine Advocate (94)

From the Comte von Neipperg, his wines from this over-achieving estate always deliver an aromatic fireworks display of cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake, roasted herbs, black olive, cassis and sweet kirsch. The 2005 has all that as well as ripe, well-integrated, velvety tannin, and full body in a sexy, luscious, heady style to drink now and over the next 10-15 years.

James Suckling (93)

This is already really delicious. The black-fruit aromas are really ripe, but there’s no hint of jammy stuff. Tastes simultaneously juicy and creamy, and the tannins are so graceful: The wine glides across the palate. If it were more subtle, the score would go even higher.

James Suckling (94-95)

Lovely silky tannins and juicy fruit. Medium body and pretty energy. Lots of walnut, crushed-stone and subtle fruit flavors. Very fine.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93+)

The 2017 Clos de l'Oratoire has closed down since its bottling, but that is not a bad thing. All of the depth and energy the 2017 showed from barrel are present, but not quite as evident. Dark plum, savory herbs, sage, menthol, spice and licorice add attractive overtones to this deep, dense Saint-Émilion. The 2017 is an absolutely gorgeous wine with a ton of upside potential; it is one of the most pleasant surprises of the year - a wine of class and persistence. Tasted two times.

Wine Spectator (94-97)

Features seamlessly layered dark currant, fig and boysenberry fruit, infused liberally with a tobacco note and backed by a long, smoldering finish. Latent energy keeps this going. An impressive young wine.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

Ripe black fruit (there's some red fruit as well), tobacco leaf, damp earth, exotic flowers, and some chocolaty notes all emerge from the 2019 Clos De L'Oratoire, another beautiful wine from the Neipperg family and team. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and seamless on the palate, I love its mid-palate, it has gorgeous tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. This is clearly a great vintage for this cuvée. Hide bottles for 4-5 years, and it's going to have 2-3 decades of longevity, and probably a gradual decline after that as well. It's beautiful.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)

This wine seems to always deliver, and I loved the 2020 Clos De L'Oratoire. Lots of black cherries, subtle cassis, notes of lead pencil and violets, medium to full-bodied richness, and a balanced, elegant texture all make for a beautiful Saint-Emilion. It picks up more minerality with time in the glass, and its purity of fruit is top-notch. It will keep for at least two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)

This wine seems to always deliver, and I loved the 2020 Clos De L'Oratoire. Lots of black cherries, subtle cassis, notes of lead pencil and violets, medium to full-bodied richness, and a balanced, elegant texture all make for a beautiful Saint-Emilion. It picks up more minerality with time in the glass, and its purity of fruit is top-notch. It will keep for at least two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)

This wine seems to always deliver, and I loved the 2020 Clos De L'Oratoire. Lots of black cherries, subtle cassis, notes of lead pencil and violets, medium to full-bodied richness, and a balanced, elegant texture all make for a beautiful Saint-Emilion. It picks up more minerality with time in the glass, and its purity of fruit is top-notch. It will keep for at least two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)

This wine seems to always deliver, and I loved the 2020 Clos De L'Oratoire. Lots of black cherries, subtle cassis, notes of lead pencil and violets, medium to full-bodied richness, and a balanced, elegant texture all make for a beautiful Saint-Emilion. It picks up more minerality with time in the glass, and its purity of fruit is top-notch. It will keep for at least two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)

This wine seems to always deliver, and I loved the 2020 Clos De L'Oratoire. Lots of black cherries, subtle cassis, notes of lead pencil and violets, medium to full-bodied richness, and a balanced, elegant texture all make for a beautiful Saint-Emilion. It picks up more minerality with time in the glass, and its purity of fruit is top-notch. It will keep for at least two decades.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92-94)

The 2021 Clos de l'Oratoire is terrific. It offers a striking mix of dark blue/purplish fruit, chocolate, lavender, spice, menthol and crushed rocks. Dynamic and vibrant in the glass, impresses for its finely cut, somewhat nervous personality. The 2021 represents a pretty big stylistic shift. Some of that is the vintage and some is an evolution in style. The combined effects of those two factors make for a compelling Clos de L'Oratoire.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

The 2022 Clos De L'Oratoire is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, and you can expect the quantity of the Cabernet Franc to increase here as the younger vines move into the Grand Vin. Black raspberries, crunchy black cherries, spice, flowers, and a gorgeous sense of minerality all define this beauty. It's medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It might be the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2023 Clos de l'Oratoire is an elegant, sophisticated wine. Silky tannins and lifted aromatics convey finesse. Crushed flowers, mint, red/purplish fruit, graphite and blood orange are finely knit together. Lithe and elegant, Clos de l'Oratoire is a gorgeous Saint-Émilion from the Neipperg family.

Vinous - Neal Martin (83)

The 1982 Clos de Sarpe is clearly cut from a different cloth compared to vintages from the 1960s and 1970s. This has more fruit: mulberry, red plum and strawberry, smudged but with commendable presence. There are scents of clove and field mushrooms developing in the glass as secondary aromas take over. The palate is medium-bodied with bitter cherry and tobacco on the entry, the tannins drying a little with a mushroom-tinged, quite piecey finish that cuts away quickly. Drink soon.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

An off-the-hook Saint-Emilion, the inky colored 2016 Château Clos de Sarpe is mostly Merlot but includes 15% Cabernet Franc. A beautiful, floral character gives way to more blueberry, raspberry, spice, and cedar notes, and it's medium to full-bodied, fresh, and elegant on the palate, with thrilling purity of fruit. It's still tight and reserved at the moment, with a focused feel on the palate, but has tons of potential. Give bottles 5-7 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 15+. Tasted twice.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2018 Clos de Sarpe has turned out beautifully. Rich and unctuous in the glass, yet with terrific freshness, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. There is plenty of the flamboyance Clos de Sarpe fans expect, and yet the 2018 is so measured and vibrant. Inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and blood orange meld into the sumptuous finish. A slight move away from the very pushed style of years past has paid off big time. The 2018 is simply magnificent.

Jeb Dunnuck (96+)

I love this estate, and their 2019 Château Clos De Sarpe offers the newer, balanced, elegant style of recent vintages while still bringing beautiful fruit and opulence. Cassis, blueberries, graphite, tobacco damp earth, and violet notes are just some of its nuances, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, awesome purity of fruit, good acidity, and a great finish. It's going to take a decade of bottle age to hit maturity and will evolve for 30 to 40 years. This classic, beautiful, old-school yet pure and balanced Saint-Emilion deserves a place in your cellar.