When was the last time Bordeaux felt exciting? Not regal or polished or compelling, but exciting. Truly exciting. Today’s phenomenally rare and perfectly sculpted cuvée is exactly that. Closerie Saint Roc is among the most beguiling biodynamic properties on the planet, tenderly and skillfully guided by a family who operated “naturally” 400+ years before it was the cool thing to do. How’s that for exciting?
If you want super-swanky and engineered Bordeaux, I suggest leaving Closerie Saint Roc, floating down the Dordogne, and pulling corks on some 97-point Classified Growths. If you’ve chosen to stay, though, prepare yourself for a supernormal experience that’s unmatched in the entire region. For me, this tiny property has more in common with a vinous sanctuary than an ornate château. You’ll find no machines here. It’s hands and horse only, without any tillage or leaf thinning. In the cellar, it’s natural ferments in concrete before a gravity transfer into decades-old French barrels. Upon bottling, there is no sulfur addition, no fining or filtering either; throughout the entire process, there are no additives whatsoever. So what does all this mean for today’s 2015 Closerie Saint Roc? It’s the cleanest/purest Bordeaux that’s ever graced my palate, an extraordinarily sublime and velvety Merlot-Cabernet blend overflowing with soul. This delicate 2015 was the first of their cuvées to hit the US market, making you part of the exceedingly tiny group that’s “in the know.” In due time, I promise these mythical reds will be fanatically praised and thereupon lionized. Productions are minuscule. Don’t miss out. NOTE: This is only available as a pre-offer. Our parcel will be arriving in 2-3 weeks.
Closerie Saint Roc is a new acquisition from one of the longest-lived families of Right Bank Bordeaux winemaking: the Amoureaus of Château Le Puy. Throughout their 400+ years of ownership at Le Puy, chemicals have never sullied their terroir and each wine has been painstakingly handcrafted. A decade ago, the Amoureau clan purchased the old property of Closerie Saint Roc, just a half-mile south, and quickly applied the same natural philosophies that have positioned their wines as one of the most buzzed-about labels on the biodynamic scene. You can’t frequent a trendy restaurant, speak with a savvy professional, or read an article about biodynamic winemaking without mentioning Right Bank Bordeaux superstar Château Le Puy, and their new addition of Closerie Saint Roc has only increased the hype.
For me, the most exciting part of all this hysteria is that Closerie Saint Roc and Château Le Puy are stealing the hearts of young wine enthusiasts who often overlook Bordeaux. It’s not empty hype or coincidence, either—respected critics, Michelin-level sommeliers, and thirtysomething entrepreneurs are cramming into restaurants clamoring for the same wine. With a fascinating backstory and a reputation that ranks among the most dedicated and conscientious farming in the entire region, the Amoureau family bottles some of the most astoundingly pure, elegant, and terroir-driven wines in Bordeaux. So pure, in fact, that they call it “the best Burgundy wine from Bordeaux.”
Although technically located in Saint-Émilion’s “Puisseguin” satellite, you won’t see a prestigious appellation attached to Closerie Saint Roc’s label. All you’ll find are the estate name, a single line in red that reads “Expression Originale du Terroir,” and classy text explaining the history and breathtakingly natural style of their wines. Closerie Saint Roc is located on a remote and unusually elevated part of the so-called “hill of wonders”—the same astéries limestone plateau that’s home to Right Bank’s most elite properties.
The Amoreau family has been farming grapes on this terroir since 1601. After WWII, when chemical agriculture became the norm in Bordeaux, they continued just as they had centuries prior: horses and plows, enriching soils with compost and symbiotic flora, and maintaining a self-contained ecosystem of forests, fruit trees, and wildlife. For 17 generations, and long before “biodynamic” was a buzzword in the wine world, the Amoreaus were farming the hard way out of principle, not profit. The same applies to their new neighboring property Closerie Saint Roc.
Closerie Saint Roc is planted to 16 hectares of Merlot with smaller amounts of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. Those plantings largely reflect the cépage of today’s 2015 flagship cuvée. The vinification process, like everything at the property, is as patient and natural as possible. All harvesting is done by hand and grape clusters are carefully de-stemmed before a spontaneous fermentation on skins. There is never any addition of sulfur, CO2, or sugar (still a common practice in Bordeaux) during the élevage. Following fermentation, the wine matures in well-used French barrels for 24 months, with a consistent lees-stirring regimen on a very strict schedule. There is no fining, filtration, or sulfur addition at bottling.
The 2015 vintage was a long, dry, and warm growing season that resulted in many rich, high-octane reds in Bordeaux. But Closerie Saint Roc’s flagship cuvée, clocking in at a very Burgundian 13% ABV, practically floats across the palate. This ethereal, almost “weightless” quality is a shining testament to their time-honored skills and natural philosophies. It’s a truly memorable, elegant wine that will stay in your subconscious long after the last drop leaves your glass. The palate is medium-bodied, revitalizing, and impeccably balanced with a glossy advance of red berries and bay leaf before giving way to stone, pipe tobacco, and wet leather. Because it’s a natural wine, my best advice is to serve in large stems without a decant, and allow it to slowly evolve in your glass. I found this beauty performed at peak level on day one, two hours after opening. Enjoy!
