Clos Puy Arnaud 2012
Bordeaux
Red
Sold individually
Drink or Keep
16/20
RVF
-
15,5/20
Gault & Millau
-
88/100
Wine Spectator
-
89/100
Robert Parker
-
17,5/20
Decanter
"Thierry Valette, a renowned winemaker, has created this wine. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet from a biodynamic vineyard. The revelation of the vintage, this wine has a dense ruby/purple color, notes of black cherry and cassis, chalky minerality, good substance, excellent concentration, depth and length. The purity, overall balance and silky tannins suggest that this wine can be enjoyed in its youth or cellared for a decade." (Wine Advocate 2015 - Robert Parker)
Features
Estate
Clos Puy Arnaud
Vintage
2012
Designation
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Region
Bordeaux
Grape varieties
65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc et 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Terroirs
80% very thin sandy-loamy-clay plateaux on asteriated limestone and 20% clay-limestone slopes and foot of slopes. Altitude between 75 and 100 m
Viticulture
certified organic and biodynamic
Harvest
manual
Winemaking
vatting without pump by gravity, pre-fermentation cold maceration at low temperature under inert gas in tanks (50% wood, 50% cement), fermentations carried out with indigenous yeasts on whole berries, post-fermentation maceration at low temperature (25° max).
Breeding
Approximately 12 months in 25% new barrels and 75% barrels for 1 and 2 wines
Organic
Yes
Tasting & pairing
Eye
purplish color with ruby highlights
Nose
aromas of wild berries and sweet wood spices.
Mouth
crisp. Beautiful fruit, juicy wild berries. Tannins and freshness. Subtle woody notes. Beautiful persistence.
Serve
at 16-18°C
Open
to decant when young
Drink from
2015
Drink before
2028
Production
Approx. 24,000 bottles
Food and wine pairing
goes very well with a nice piece of grilled beef with mashed potatoes
Clos Puy Arnaud
Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Expert opinion
Bettane & Desseauve
Domaine rated (2022 guide) 4*Stars (Top-quality producers, the glories of French winegrowing)
About the domain :
Thierry Valette has always had a taste for wine; his great-grandfather owned Châteaux Pavie and Troplong-Mondot, two of Saint-Émilion's most prestigious crus classés. In 2000, he took over this 13-hectare estate in Belvès-de-Castillon (20 km east of Libourne), opting for the demands of biodynamic viticulture. Asteriated limestone predominates at Puy Arnaud. In the late 19th century, the 15 hectares of Le Clos were classified as Saint-Émilion Premier Cru! These soils bring a great deal of finesse, freshness and minerality to the grapes, enabling the bouquet to rival that of the "grands terroirs" (floral, spicy, truffle) as it gradually takes shape. The range asserts itself by its regularity and coherence: the cuvée pervenche, for medium aging, should be drunk within 5 years for its jovial fruit. Les-ormeaux releases a delicate juice, coupled with exemplary fruitiness in its gourmet balance. Velvety in texture, predominantly Merlot, this great wine shows great refinement in its tannic length, with well-expressed fruit and a stylish finish of great freshness. This is certainly one of the most accomplished cuvées on the Right Bank. On a blind tasting, this cru will surprise many, as it can compete with other more prestigious wines. It's one of the most original wines in Bordeaux!
Decanter
Wine rated 17,5/ 20
About the wine:
Creamy, with a lovely texture and ripe fruit. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. As with many vintages of this cuvée, there's a subtle, elegant edge to the finish. It carries you away without you realizing it. Certified organic ECOCERT and biodynamic
Guide des Vins Gault & Millau
Wine rated (2016 guide) 15.5/20 (Very good)
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Wine rated (2015 guide) 89/100 (Very good wine)
About the wine:
Thierry Valette, a renowned winemaker, has created this wine. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet from a biodynamic vineyard. The revelation of the vintage, this wine has a dense ruby/purple color, notes of black cherry and cassis, chalky minerality, good substance, excellent concentration, depth and length. Purity, overall balance and silky tannins suggest that this wine can be enjoyed young or cellared for up to ten years.
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2015 guide) 16/20 (Very good wine)
Domaine rated (2022 guide) 2*Stars (These great estates, often blessed with fabulous terroirs, are must-haves which, because of their consistency and the excellence of their production, must be included in the cellars of discerning wine lovers).
About the wine:
The 2012 Clos Puy Arnaud displays great volume and very well-controlled fruit ripeness.
About the domain :
Thierry Valette has owned this Castillon estate since 2000. Carefully crafted, the wine has established itself from the outset as one of the appellation's most interesting crus, with a deep, eminently racy style. The vineyard, now cultivated biodynamically, confirms all hopes. In addition to the first wine, Thierry Valette offers two thirst-quenching cuvées (Bistrot and Rouge) that reconcile us with fast-drinking Bordeaux. It's worth noting the coherence of the range and the determination to make both wines for immediate pleasure and vintages of great depth.
Wine Spectator
Rated 88/100 (Good wine)
About the wine:
The 2012 is of the highest quality. It has a fresh, bright, unadorned style, with notes of plum, blackberry and violet. We're carried forward to an iron-tinged finish.
Jancis Robinson
Rated Domaine (2022 guide) Recommended
James Suckling
Rated Domaine (2022 guide) Recommended
Customer reviews
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