A dense purple color is followed by aromas of blueberries, plums, acacia flowers and crushed chalk. This full-bodied, surprisingly powerful and rich effort possesses abundant fruit as well as a lavish personality that I suspect conceals some elevated tannins given the limestone soils as well as the nature of the vintage. Give it 2-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 15-20 years. This tiny (under 3 acres) estate owned by Catherine Papon-Nouvel is situated on pure limestone soils in the sector known as Guadet. The impressive 2012 Clos Saint-Julien was produced from low yields of 25 hectoliters per hectare, and the final blend consisted of equal parts Merlot (harvested on October 10) and Cabernet Franc (harvested on October 18) that achieved 14.5% natural alcohol.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot is similar to that of Cheval Blanc, which is situated on the sandy, gravelly soils facing Pomerol. However, Clos Saint-Julien comes from the limestone plateau, and the wine shows lots of crushed chalk/wet gravel/rocky minerality characteristics. Its deep blue/purple color is followed by a wine with excellent ripeness and tart, crunchy acidity that gives it a vibrant, lively mouthfeel. The higher than usual acidity along with a low pH tend to make the tannins more noticeable. However, this is a smart choice for readers who love vivid minerality in their wines. Moreover, it should drink well for 15 or more years.