2006 Clos de l'Oratoire

Quite dark purplish crimson. Light and rather unusually savoury nose for a St-Émilion. Light but well balanced. No excess sweetness. Pretty dry tannins but lots of fruit. Dry and only slightly lean finish. (JR)

Full ruby-red. Inky blackberry, black cherry, licorice and minerals on the nose. Sweet and densely packed, with a lush texture but also good enlivening minerality to the blueberry and dark chocolate flavors. Seamless and vinous Saint-Emilion, finishing with very suave tannins and noteworthy length and energy. An outperformer in 2006.

A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it is a surprisingly opulent, flamboyant, fleshy, soft crowd-pleaser displaying abundant amounts of smoked herbs, sweet black cherry and cassis fruit, licorice, espresso roast, chocolate, and toast. Full-bodied with superb concentration as well as a beautifully textured mouthfeel, this 2006 should drink well for 10-15+ years. Like all of the Neipperg estates, this wine’s capsule has a clever anti-fraud device, which I think will be increasingly employed by many French estates. This nearly 30-acre estate, which was purchased several years ago by Stephan von Neipperg (owner of Canon La Gaffeliere and La Mondotte), performed exceptionally well in 2006.