Château Clos de l'Oratoire, 2025 - Magnum
Château Clos de l'Oratoire, 2025 - Magnum
- 150cl
- 14.5%
- Red Still
- Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
- Organic
Please note, en primeur wines are not available for delivery until they arrive in the UK
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Est. delivery in 2028.
Château Clos de l'Oratoire sits on Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau, where the Von Neipperg family has been crafting wines of remarkable concentration and finesse since taking over in 1991. This Right Bank estate benefits from old vines on prime terroir, producing wines that marry the richness of Merlot with the structure of Cabernet Franc.
What the critics say:
"Dark ruby garnet, deep core, violet reflections, subtle edge brightening. Dark forest berries, black cherries, a hint of candied orange zest and herbs, some nougat underneath. Juicy, elegant, fresh structure, ripe tannins, good persistence, delicate extract sweetness in the finish, good ageing potential."
The 10-hectare vineyard sits on Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau, where a thin layer of clay and sand covers the famous calcaire à astéries bedrock. This elevated position provides excellent drainage while the limestone subsoil retains just enough moisture for the vines during dry spells. The terroir imparts a distinctive mineral precision to the wines, balancing the natural richness of Merlot with elegant structure and remarkable aging potential.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru represents the pinnacle of Right Bank winemaking, where Merlot and Cabernet Franc thrive on varied soils from limestone plateau to sandy graves. The appellation's strict yield limits and mandatory tasting approval ensure quality, while the famous classification system recognises the finest estates. Unlike the Médoc's Cabernet Sauvignon dominance, Saint-Émilion's wines tend towards elegance and approachability, though the best age magnificently for decades.
The 2025 Bordeaux vintage emerged from one of the most demanding growing seasons in recent memory — the earliest budbreak since 1989, June temperatures second only to 2003 since records began, and an unusually early harvest beginning in August for the whites. Conditions that should have produced heavy, overripe wines. They didn't. Decanter's Georgie Hindle, who tasted close to 200 wines ahead of the formal campaign, describes "exceptional concentration, aromatic purity and a freshness that contradicts the record-breaking heat.
The early critical consensus places 2025 stylistically between the precision of 2020 and the structure of 2016, with the brightness of 2023 — a combination that suggests a very serious vintage indeed. Yields are dramatically low, the smallest crop since 1991, with production across the Gironde running around 15% below the five-year average. The quality is here. There simply isn't very much of it.
OUR GROWERS
Château Clos de l'Oratoire
