2013 CHATEAU CLARISSE, 75 cl

The 2013 Clarisse fleshes out on the palate with lovely depth and resonance, especially for the year. Dark supple and textured, the 2013 offers terrific balance and overall harmony. The style is dark, spiced and very well suited to near-term drinking. The mid-October harvest gives the 2013 an unusual amount of depth for the year. In 2013 the blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Tasted twice. VINOUS 84-87 Clarisse is another good property that is largely unknown from a relatively obscure appellation of St.-Emilion. This blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, made with consulting help from the famous Stephane Derenoncourt, had incredibly tiny yields of 15-19 hectoliters per hectare. It was harvested late, from October 12 to 21. Not an expensive wine, and certainly a well-made one, this is a pretty wine with surprisingly low acidity in a high-acid year, solid mulberry and black cherry fruit, and chalky minerality in the background. The wine is medium-bodied, very well-made and carries 13.1% natural alcohol, which is impressive in this vintage. WA 86-88