A gorgeous vivid red with lead pencil and black berry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with plenty of fine tannins. Black olives and dark fruit. Tight and structured. Muscular and formed, but not overbearing. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. From organically grown grapes.

Black raspberries, cassis, leafy herbs, leather, and even some blue fruits emerge from the 2022 Clos De L'Oratoire, an elegant medium to full-bodied, silky Saint-Emilion. It has solid tannic grip, but the balance is there, the fruit is clean and pure, and it's a gem of a wine in the making.

Lovely aromatics, with rose petals and tomato leaf, shows sinewy tannin and raspberry puree fruits, charming and thoroughly enjoyable. 47hl/h yield, massal selection now fully underway, with around 10% of the blend from vines dating from the 1950s. Former technical director Gaëlle Barbareau still involved, with Ludovic de Niepperg in charge, no outside consultant. 30% new oak. More clay in the vineyard than in most of this sector of St Emilion, over limestone mother rock, with no till farming across most of the property, and mulching over the rest. Certified organic since 2020.

The 2022 Clos de l'Oratoire includes fully 20% Cabernet Franc this year, which has brought more depth and structure to the blend. Offering up aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with vine smoke, petals and sweet soil tones, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vibrant, with a sweet core of fruit, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish.

The 2022 Clos de L’Oratoire is rich, sensual and super-expressive. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with the Franc adding dynamic energy, aromatic presence and structure. Complex and beautifully layered, Clos de L’Oratoire is showing beautifully today. Succulent red cherry, blood orange, spice, tobacco, cedar and dried herbs build, with clean, saline notes that extend the finish.

The 2022 Clos de l'Oratoire was picked from 13-23 September at 47hL/ha and aged in 30% new oak. It has a nicely composed, floral bouquet with red cherries, crushed strawberry and orange rind. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied and well-balanced, with a gentle grip on the entry, grainy tannins and a lively and overly peppery finish that lingers in the mouth. More structured than the d'Aiguilhe, this will merit four to five years in bottle.