[Magnum] Le Clos du Notaire 2020 - Côtes-de-Bourg

The Producer

Le Clos du Notaire is above all a story of people and passion. Owned by Amélie Osmond and Victor Mischler since 2015, this property has long been cultivated as a vineyard garden adjacent to a family home. This estate has traversed the decades in relative discretion. The current owners have chosen to take over this heritage with the desire to restore its rightful place, respecting the soul of the place and the work of previous generations, while bringing their own sensitivity.

Located on the right bank of Bordeaux, Le Clos du Notaire rests on clay-limestone soils that favor wines that are both structured and elegant. This terroir, naturally balanced, allows the Merlot to express itself with precision, offering wines with aromas of ripe fruits, supported by freshness and beautiful tension. The human scale of the vineyard allows for careful observation of each plot and particularly meticulous work.

Today, Clos du Notaire is supported by its dedicated owners, present daily in the vineyards and at the cellar. Their approach aims to be respectful of life, with organic certification since 2022 and constant attention to detail, from the vine to the bottling. The vinifications are conducted with precision to preserve the purity of the fruit and the identity of the terroir, giving rise to sincere, elegant wines that are deeply rooted in their history.

The Wine

Terroir: Clay-limestone soils. 

Area: 10 hectares. 

Blend: 84% black merlot, 10% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc. 

Management: Mechanical weeding, natural cover crops, and green fertilizers (cereals and legumes) 1 row out of 2. No insecticides, no acaricides, no synthetic amendments. 

Maturity control. 
Parcel harvest. Sorting, destemming, crushing, and settling of juices at the start of the harvest.

Fermentation under temperature control. Fractional pump-overs for gentle and deep extractions. 

Maceration: 18 to 25 days. Malolactic fermentation in tanks. 

The wine 40% lightly oaked (new wood). 60% in concrete tank. 

Blending in tanks after 18 months in the cellars. Racking every quarter.

Tasting

Estate tradition cuvée, this wine offers us aromas of black fruits revealing all the roundness of Merlot and the subtle tannic quality of Cabernet. The aromas oscillate between crunchiness, smokiness, and spiciness, making it a wine of character. The palate is ample, the finish is elegant with a well-adjusted hint of firmness. The silky tannins encourage tasting today; this wine can also be kept for about ten years.

To fully appreciate it, it is recommended to open and aerate the bottle for several tens of minutes before serving, at 17°.