94pts Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Clos Lunelles comes from the Castillon region and is 80% Merlot and 10% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. it has classic limestone notes of chalky minerality, red and black fruits, and spice to go with a medium to full-bodied, round, textured, almost sexy style that's very hard to find in this vintage.
93 Points James Suckling
Very clear and mineral with a firm, lightly chalky tannin structure. Plenty of blue fruit and stones. Long and structured. Firm yet fresh at the end.
92 Points Vinous
The 2021 Clos Lunelles was picked at 36hL/ha, twice the yield of Monbousquet this year, advantaged by plots exposed to wind that inhibits the spread of rot. Picked October 7–11, it offers a mélange of red and blueberry on the nose, along with hints of wilted violet petals and orange sorbet. It feels more harmonious than the Monbousquet. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip and nicely judged acidity (pH is 3.58). There is backbone to this Clos Lunelles, the 10% Cabernet Sauvignon imparting graphite notes toward the finish. This is worth seeking out, though note that alcohol level is high for the vintage at 14.45%
90 Points Decanter
Sweet and ripe blackcurrants on the nose with graphite, pencil lead and black pepper aromas, smells rich and ripe. The palate is juicy, softly sweet and succulent but also so linear and direct. This is piercing, not in terms of acidity although it’s has nice freshness but in terms of direction - it’s straight and pure. So focused going from start to finish in one swift motion. This definitely has the graphite and slate touches on the palate, clean and clear minerality with a salty iodine tang at the end. It’s serious, there’s concentration here but at the moment it’s all tightly wrapped up. I like the precision and the overt; ‘this is what I am nature’. Nice energy and harmony. Should be a good value pick!
History
Purchased in 2001 by Gérard Perse - Château Pavie, Pavie-Decesse, Monbousquet, Bellevue-Mondotte - Clos Lunelles shines with its vision of excellence, anchored to a first-class terroir composed of clay and limestone, in the natural extension of the Saint-Emilion limestone plateau. With state-of-the-art viticulture and ambitious technical means, the wines are a perfect example of concentrated yet elegant Bordeaux.
The Clos Lunelles vineyard covers 8.5 hectares of vines, composed of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. As at Gérard Perse’s other properties, everything has been done in the vineyard to obtain low yields and perfect maturity. Traditional and precise vinification and long maturation followed by 18 months in French oak barrels (50% new) without fining or filtering gives a complex bouquet of black fruits and a rich, deep and substantial structure.
Tended by Robert Parker himself, Clos Lunelles expresses without reserve the style of a straightforward wine, built for immediate pleasure.
