Clos des Jacobins 2019

Features a mix of mulled black currant and warmed fig notes that are coated liberally with espresso crema and roasted alder, while a humus echo lingers on the finish. This has muscle but is a touch shy on energy. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2032. 2,570 cases made, 50 cases imported.

Gosh I love the florality to this, really a heady mix of wild flowers, sweet ripe cherries, chocolate and bramble blackcurrants. Tannins are immediately present, they fill the mouth and take over the fruit completely at this point replaced by a smattering of dark liquorice and bitter dark chocolate that dominate the palate which is actually quite appealing. A less immediately enjoyable wine, this needs more time to expand, integrate a little more and for the fruit to express itself, give it a few years, but this will be so delicious in time.

Aromas of cherries, blueberries, lavender, sandalwood and walnuts. It’s medium- to full-bodied with firm, polished and silky tannins. So supple and polished. Seamless. Try in 2025.

Just as it was from barrel, the 2019 Clos des Jacobins is racy and forward. Jammy red cherry fruit, leather, spice, menthol and licorice are all amplified. This succulent Saint-Émilion will provide plenty of pleasure over the next decade, give or take. The only thing this needs to get to the next level is a more harmonious integration of oak.

Roses, licorice, espresso and black with red fruits come through easily on the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, silky and lifted on the palate, with a savory finish loaded with red and black fruits and a hint of crushed stone in the endnote. Drink from 2023-2037.

Dark ruby garnet with a firm core, purple reflections and a touch of edge brightening. Inviting dark wild berry fruit and black cherries on the nose, with a hint of precious wood, cedar and candied orange zest. Complex on the palate, juicy and round thanks to ripe, firm tannins. A chocolate note lingers for a long time on the mineral finish. Promising development potential.

Opaque purple. An intoxicating bouquet of plum compote and blackberry jelly, backed by crème de cassis, light malt, and licorice. The palate is powerful, with a muscular frame and a tightly woven tannic corset, delivering fine, stony notes. The focused finish shows dried black berries and juniper, ending on a delicately sandy extract. On par with the great 2016!

Spicy, fruity bouquet with red cherries, currants, apples, and wood. A firm, slightly austere palate with good fruit, fine sandy tannins, medium aromatics, a bourgeois structure, and a bitter finish. Still has room to improve. 16/20 2025 - 2035

Silky tannins, powerful dark chocolate and eucalyptus notes, this is a powerful wine with muscles and grip. Impressive, with plenty of personality, oak remains a little dominant even after 18 months ageing, but there is so much vivacity on display, and a feeling of precision and clarity to the blueberry and black cherry fruit. Magali and Thibault Decoster since 2005. 45% new oak.

The 2019 Clos des Jacobins is composed of 80% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts with black cherry preserves, juicy blackberries, and clove oil scents, plus hints of chocolate box and lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate is generous and plush, with a spicy lift on the finish.

Savory, refined tannin, great volume, both rigorous in its structure and alluring in its silky texture and balance on the palate. A superb achievement.

On the nose, aromas of small flowers and violet, then a light menthol note. The palate is fresh and mouthwatering, with notes of redcurrants and aromatic herbs, followed by chlorophyll.

An 8.3-hectare estate owned by Magali & Thibaut Decoster. The bouquet clearly reflects its limestone terroir through chalky nuances. It also shows fruity notes of blackberry and blackcurrant. Creamy, savory character on the palate. The wine offers refreshing tension while remaining juicy and inviting. A fresh, indulgent wine.

Dark color with good intensity. Very aromatic nose, fruity and slightly truffled. The palate is finely fleshy, before the oak shows a little on the finish. Well-wrapped tannins. Good length.