Chateau Clos de L´Oratoire 2019

JEB DUNNUCK: "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."

WEINWISSER: "81 % Merlot, 19 % Cabernet Franc, 51 hl/ha. Tiefes Purpurrot mit lila Rand. Betörendes Bouquet nach reifen roten Kirschen, dahinter Brombeergelee und Veilchen. Am eleganten Gaumen mit seidiger Textur und straffem Tanningerüst, dazu ein mineralischer Kern und tänzerische Rasse, dadurch wirkt er schlank wie ein Pfeil. Im gebündelten Finale schwarzbeerige Konturen gepaart mit tiefgründiger Mineralik und schwarzem Bergpfeffer. Der trifft dieses Jahr voll ins Schwarze. Bravo Stephan!"

JAMES SUCKLING: "Aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, plum leaves, violets and bitter chocolate. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, compact tannins. Very solid with a dense core of dark fruit. Chewy finish. Try in 2026."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Stephan von Neipperg's 2019 Clos de l'Oratoire has turned out very nicely in bottle, opening in the glass to reveal aromas of sweet wild berries, cherries, loamy soil and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's broad and succulent, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a nicely defined finish. It's produced from holdings on sandy-clay soils in the northeast of Saint-Émilion."

DECANTER: "Sweetened and silky berry fruits, lovely combination of juice and tension alongside firm tannins and a confident overall feel. Impressive stuff from Neipperg at this rather under-the-radar classified estate."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Attraktive schwarze Waldbeernote, Herzkirschen, Brombeerkonfit, feine Kräuterwürze, kandierte Orangenzesten. Saftig, feine Extraktsüße, elegant, frische Kirschen, reife Tannine, lebendig strukturiert, mineralisch-salzig im Abgang, gutes Entwicklungspotenzial."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Shows steeped red and black currant fruit that mingles with tobacco, worn cedar and savory notes, with a streak of warm cast iron through the finish. Slightly rustic in feel but has character and range, with good energy throughout. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035. 4,600 cases made, 400 cases imported."