2022 Château La Grande Clotte, Lussac-Saint-Émilion, France

The Moment

Some Bordeaux is built to impress from across the room.
Others win you over once everyone’s seated.

The 2022 Château La Grande Clotte is the kind of bottle that makes dinner feel a little more grounded — ripe cherry and blueberry fruit, violet and herbal notes, plush tannins, and just enough earth to remind you where it comes from.

This is Right Bank Bordeaux in a very drinkable register: textured, polished, and quietly generous. It has depth, but it doesn’t ask for a speech. Just a good meal, a proper glass, and maybe someone lingering a little longer than planned. The estate is primarily 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc on clay-limestone soils, with élevage split across tank and barrel, which helps explain the wine’s mix of fruit, texture, and restraint.

What It Feels Like

Think roast chicken, mushrooms, a little butter in the pan, and a red that feels classic without feeling rigid.

What works here is the balance. The 2022 vintage has enough ripeness to make the wine feel plush and open, but there’s still a Bordeaux frame underneath — floral lift, herbal nuance, and a gentle earthy edge that keeps the fruit from taking over. Critics and merchants describe it as medium- to full-bodied, ripe, textured, creamy, and smooth, with plush tannins and plenty of mid-palate depth.

In the Glass

Aromatics
Cherry, blueberry, violet, dried herbs, vanilla, tobacco, and a touch of hazelnut.

Palate
Ripe red and dark fruit with a polished, textured core, plus subtle savory notes and soft oak influence.

Texture
Medium- to full-bodied with ripe, plush tannins and a creamy, smooth shape.

Finish
Supple and gently earthy, with lingering plum, berry fruit, and a soft chalky close.

Why We Love This Bottle

Bordeaux That Feels Welcoming
This has the structure and savory polish people want from Bordeaux, but the fruit is ripe enough to make it feel open and easy to enjoy now.

Classic Right Bank Character
Merlot leads the way here, backed by Cabernet Franc, giving the wine a nice mix of dark fruit, floral lift, and subtle herbal complexity.

Serious Enough for Dinner, Easy Enough for a Weeknight
The texture is plush, the tannins are polished, and the earthy finish keeps it from feeling too glossy. This framing is my interpretation of the published notes and blend details.

Pair It With

• Roast chicken with herbs
• Mushroom pasta
• Burgers with gruyère
• Beef stew
• Comté or aged gouda

This is the kind of Bordeaux that does especially well with roasted food, mushrooms, and anything that likes a little earth and structure alongside the fruit. That pairing guidance is my recommendation based on the wine’s fruit profile, tannin shape, and savory finish.

Technical Notes

Producer: Château La Grande Clotte
Region: Lussac-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France
Grapes: Merlot 90% · Cabernet Franc 10%

Body: Medium-Full
Structure: Plush tannins · balanced freshness

Flavor Profile
Cherry · Blueberry · Violet · Dried Herbs · Tobacco · Vanilla · Hazelnut

Drink Window
2025–2030