Grand Cru sleeper alert!

We have a true head scratcher here and honestly still haven’t figured out how this computes. After all, what’s left in the wine world for under $30 that drinks like liquid SILK? 93 points and just $28?!

Not much fits this mold I tell you, having kissed too many frogs in search.

THIS, however? It delivers the goods.

To be honest, we had never heard of this Château until the sample showed up. A quick pop and pour and eyebrows raised.

Then we saw the PRICE. And so began our deep dive into this little-known producer.

We started with the terroir. St-Émilion is quite vast. Many little not-so-grand crus exist in the furthest unknown corners of the appellation… and yet, Clos Saint-Vincent is NOT one of them. The property sits smack dab between the vineyards of Monbousquet and Canon-La-Gaffelière. In other words, prime real estate.

Then there’s the vintage. In 2018 the entire St-Émilion commune shone as with the rest of Bordeaux. Per Antonio Galloni’s Vinous “2018s are aromatically intense, deep, dark wines that beautifully marry fruit intensity with structure.”

Things were promising right from the barrel here too. Vinous again raved “The 2018 Clos Saint-Vincent is a plump, racy Saint-Émilion. Succulent red cherry, plum, spice, leather and mint fresh out in this attractive, easygoing wine. Silky tannins add to its forward, open-knit personality. This is an especially generous style.” They never revisited for an out-of-bottle review, James Suckling did that more than 4 years ago. With time, this gained a couple more points per our impression, no joke.

What’s in our glasses is quite shocking for this price point. Plump. Easygoing. Generous. Just like Mr Galloni said. Lush, warm, and exotic, we might add. Gushing with blackberry, fig, and boysenberry reduction notes. A layer of rich graphite and tobacco weaves into the mix, offering layers of complexity. Black tea and soy swirl through the deep finish, echoing showy fruit and exotic baking spices. What a little showstopper this hidden gem is!

Banging our heads against the wall wishing there was more, act fast.

93 Points – James Suckling “Fresh-currant, rosemary and dark-chocolate aromas here with some smoked meat. It’s medium-bodied with firm, fine tannins. Sleek and elegant. Racy and energetic. Try from 2025.”