2009 Clos La Madeleine

Clos la Madeleine is a Grand Cru Classe estate in St.-Emilion. The estate has just over 5 acres of vineyards, though its history goes back to the mid-19th century. Established by a local St.-Emilion family, it was purchased by Belgian negociants in the late 19th century before changing hands several more times in the 20th century. Today it is owned by a group of private investors. Wine Spectator noted that the estate is “a tiny property worth keeping an eye on.” Hubert de Bouard de Laforest, whose family owns Chateau Angelus, has been a consultant at Clos la Madeleine in recent years. The estate is planted to 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc.

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.