Clos du clocher

Clos du clocher is a French red wine from the Pomerol appellation in the Bordeaux wine region.
Located on the Pomerol plateau, it has belonged to Bourotte-Audy since 1924.
Contents
1.History
2. Vineyards
3. Wines
4. Miscellaneous
5.References
6.External link
== History ==
From the 1920s onwards, wine merchant and estate owner Jean-Baptiste Audy started looking for plots on the :fr:Pomerol_(AOC)|Pomerol plateau. Originally from the :fr:Plateau_de_Millevaches|Millevaches plateau, in :fr:Corrèze_(département)|Corrèze, his family, like many :fr:Bordeaux|Bordeaux winegrowing families (the Moueix family at :fr:Petrus_(vin)|Petrus, the Borie family at :fr:Château_Ducru-Beaucaillou|Château Ducru-Beaucaillou and :fr:Château_Grand-Puy-Lacoste|Château Grand Puy-Lacoste, the Janoueix family; etc.), has been established in the Bordeaux region since the 1870s (first with Château Jonqueyres, then Château Clinet, Château Brondeau, Château du Courlat, Château La Cabanne, etc.).
File:Clos du Clocher 2019.jpg|thumb|309x309px|c:File:Clos_du_Clocher_2019.jpg#/media/Fichier:Clos_du_Clocher_2019.jpg|Clos du Clocher in 2019
He eventually purchased two plots, La Fleur Petrus and Trotanoy, in 1924 and 1931, respectively. Their location next to the church inspired the estate’s name Clos du Clocher.
Clos du Clocher featured in the 1929 edition of :fr:Cocks_&_Féret_-_Bordeaux_et_ses_vins|Cocks and Féret, where it is cited as one of the finest Pomerol great growths. “1er Cru Haut Pomerol” appeared on the label, as was the custom at the time, to distinguish wines from the plateau (Haut-Pomerol) from the others in the appellation. Most of the production was already château-bottled, a rather unusual practice in those days.
The acquisition of another plot next to Château Petit-Village and Château Beauregard increased the area under vine to 5.90 hectares, making it possible to construct outbuildings (renovated in 2011 by Bordeaux-based agency Fabre/de Marien).
From 1961 to 1998, the estate belonged to Jean-Baptiste’s son Jean Audy and his daughters. The 1983 vintage was served at the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II (another Pomerol, :fr:Petrus_(vin)|Petrus was chosen for her wedding banquet).
In 1998, Pierre Bourotte, the grandson of Jean-Baptiste Audy and nephew of Jean, repurchased part of the estate, which he managed until 2005. His son, Jean-Baptiste Bourotte a graduate of :fr:HEC_Paris|HEC Paris and the Faculty of Oenology at :fr:Université_Bordeaux-II|Bordeaux Segalen University now runs the estate, after spending several years at :fr:Cartier_(entreprise)|Cartier,. He has co-owned the estate with his sister ever since buying back his shares from one of Jean Audy's daughters in 2016.
The Bourotte family also owns :fr:Château_Bonalgue|Château Bonalgue (Pomerol), :fr:Château_Les_Hauts-Conseillants|Château Les Hauts-Conseillants (:fr:Lalande-de-pomerol_(AOC)|Lalande de Pomerol), Château du Courlat (:fr:Lussac-saint-émilion|Lussac-Saint-Émilion) and the négociant firm Jean-Baptiste Audy SAS, founded by the great-grand-father and located on the Quai du Priourat in  :fr:Libourne|Libourne, specialising in Bordeaux wines.
== Vineyard ==
File:Jean-Baptiste Bourotte.jpg|thumb|354x354px|c:File:Jean-Baptiste_Bourotte.jpg#/media/Fichier:Jean-Baptiste_Bourotte.jpg|Jean-Baptiste Bourotte in the Clos du Clocher vineyards
Despite being one of the smallest appellations in the Bordeaux region in terms of area under vine, and not being included in the :fr:Classification_officielle_des_vins_de_Bordeaux_de_1855|official 1855 Classification, Pomerol produces some of the finest :fr:Vins_de_Bordeaux|Bordeaux wines (:fr:Petrus_(vin)|Petrus, Le Pin, Vieux Château Certan, etc.), on par with the :fr:Vignoble_du_Médoc|Médoc great growths, including :fr:Château_Latour|Château Latour, :fr:Château_Lafite_Rothschild|Château Lafite-Rotschild, :fr:Château_Margaux|Château Margaux, and :fr:Saint-Émilion|Saint-Émilion wines, such as :fr:Château_Angélus|Château Angelus, :fr:Château_Ausone|Château Ausone, and :fr:Château_Cheval_Blanc|Château Cheval-Blanc. 
Le Clos du Clocher consists of two plots 150 metres apart, located 300 metres south of the church, in the heart of the Pomerol plateau, which stretches north-east of :fr:Libourne|Libourne and up to the western edge of :fr:Saint-émilion_(AOC)|Saint-Émilion.
The vines' altitude ranges from 33 to 38 metres, close to the highest point in the appellation, known as Boutonnière (40 metres). The soil is characteristic of the Pomerol plateau, consisting of :fr:Grave_(terrain)|gravel and blue clay rich in ironpan. This very elastic clay retains water, providing a regular supply to the vines, even during drought, and thus increasing their resistance to unusual weather conditions.
The grape varieties consist of 70% :fr:Merlot|Merlot and 30% :fr:Cabernet_franc|Cabernet Franc. The vines are fairly old on average, with some over 60 years, contributing balance and depth to these wines.
From 1995 to 2004, Ludovic David was appointed technical director (he has managed the :fr:Château_Marquis_de_Terme|Margaux great growth :fr:Margaux_(AOC)|Château Marquis de Terme since 2009). From 2005 to 2008, Jean-Baptiste Bourotte was supported by Lucas Leclercq (who subsequently worked at :fr:Château_Lafon-Rochet|Château Lafon-Rochet, a great growth estate in :fr:Saint-estèphe_(AOC)|Saint-Estèphe, and later at Château Fourcas-Dupré in :fr:Listrac-médoc_(AOC)|Listrac). In 2009, young :fr:Œnologue|œnologist and :fr:Ingénieur_agronome|agricultural engineer Cécile Dupuis took over as technical director. The France 3 documentary “Par Amour du Goût” filmed the :fr:Œnologue|œnologist's first harvest at Le Clos du Clocher.
In 2020, following the appointment of Cécile Dupuis as technical and quality director at :fr:Château_Ducru-Beaucaillou|Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, :fr:Oenologue|oenologist and :fr:Ingénieur_agronome|agricultural engineer Mathieu Bonté became the estate's new technical director. Born and raised in a family of winegrowers in the :fr:Cognac_(eau-de-vie)|Cognac region, he began his career in :fr:Saint-émilion_(AOC)|Saint-Émilion (Château Bel-Air, Premier Grand Cru Classé), Vouvray, in Burgundy (Domaine de la Soufrandière), and in the Napa Valley (Newton Vineyard), before specialising in the Right Bank terroirs (Vignobles Delacour, Vignobles Carles), and large-scale [CO1] :fr:Viticulture_biologique|organic viticulture.
== Wines ==
Annual production is around 20,000 bottles. The Clos du Clocher estate also produces approximately 8,000 annual bottles of another wine, Château Monregard La Croix, grown on a sandy plot at the edge of the plateau.File:Clos du Clocher 2015 NOUVEL HABILLAGE.jpg|thumb|296x296px|c:File:Clos_du_Clocher_2015_NOUVEL_HABILLAGE.jpg#/media/Fichier:Clos_du_Clocher_2015_NOUVEL_HABILLAGE.jpg|2015 Clos du ClocherClos du Clocher wines are emblematic of the Pomerol plateau: deep, long and powerful on the palate with velvety tannins and aromas of violet, black fruit, truffles, tobacco… (Neal Martin)
The major international wine journalists regularly comment on wines from this estate.
* ·        Robert Parker: “a fabulous terroir”, “one of the stars of the appellation
* ·        Neal Martin (Vinous): “precision and finesse, right in the heart of the plateau”
* ·        Chris Kissack: “a broad and textural type of Pomerol”
* ·        Vinum Swiss journal: “a real class act”,
* ·        Jean[DI5] -Marc Quarin: “a rare introduction to the Pomerol elite”
* ·        Bettane & Desseauve: “a long-distance runner”
* ·        Decanter: “a dazzling wine”
Primeurs 2019 - Wine Advocate - RobertParker.com	Primeurs 2019 - Wine Advocate - RobertParker.com	Primeurs 2019 - Chris Kissack - The Wine Doctor	Primeurs 2019 - Chris Kissack - The Wine Doctor
The top 15 Pomerol wines 	The top 15 Pomerol wines 	The top 15 Pomerol wines 	The top 15 Pomerol wines
== Miscellaneous ==
The label was redesigned in 2015 to match the original 1924 version, featuring an engraving of the plot in front of Pomerol church. A silver hot stamping technique makes it incredibly difficult to counterfeit.File:Clos du Clocher 2019.jpg|thumb|c:File:Clos_du_Clocher_2019.jpg#/media/Fichier:Clos_du_Clocher_2019.jpg|Clos du Clocher in 2019|borderSince 2017, the wines have been distributed in a nailless wooden box. Designed at Caisserie Adam, this exclusive process not only makes it easier to open the case, but also keeps the stamp intact. Le Clos du Clocher is a member of the Pomerol Séduction association, bringing together ten Pomerol estates: Château Beauregard, Château Clinet, Clos du Clocher, Château La Conseillante, Château Nénin, Château Gazin, Château La Pointe, Château Mazeyres, Château Rouget, and Château Vieux Maillet.
For the 2016 vintage, these ten estates produced 100 limited edition numbered cases, which won the “outstanding case” prize at the 2019 Formes de Luxe awards.
Jean-Baptiste is also a member of the Bordeaux Oxygène association, a group of 20 winegrowers from several local appellations who promote an uncomplicated, open-minded image of Bordeaux wines.
Category:red wine