The Sainte Colombe plateau, the highest point in the Côtes de Castillon, is an extension of the Saint Emilion limestone plateau, and shares the same essential characteristics: excellent clay-limestone soil, fine south-facing sun exposure, good drainage due to its slope location, an excellent water regime because of the limestone substrate, and early ripening thanks to white clay soil which retains warmth remarkably well. Château Clos l'Eglise is just a few kilometres (as the crow flies) from Château Pavie. The vineyards are green harvested, with an initial leaf thinning on the eastern side of the vines in late June and a second in mid-August on the western side. Alcoholic fermentation is triggered by indigenous yeast in temperature controlled cement vats. The wine stays on the skins for 4 to 5 weeks. Malolactic fermentation in barrel. Clos l'Eglise ages in oak barrels for 18 months. It is racked every 3 months with final blending just before bottling (no fining or filtering). Reviews: "Fresh and fruity with lovely berry, grapes and flowers. Full-bodied, round and delicious. Long. Best after 2006." -Rated 88, Wine Spectator "Good full red. Strawberry, mocha, earth and roasted oak on the nose. Surprisingly fresh and juicy in the mouth for the vintage, with lively fruit flavors that linger nicely on the aftertaste. This shows much less baby fat in bottle than it did from barrel last year, but more shape. The tannins are firm but not dry." -Rated 89, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar |
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