Château La Clotte

Château La Clotte is situated on the edge of the limestone plateau overlooking the village of Saint-Émilion. The estate was managed by the Chailleau family for several decades before its acquisition in 2014 by the Vauthier family. The Vauthiers are well known in the region as the owners of Château Ausone, which is historically one of the highest ranked estates in the Right Bank. This transition moved the technical management of the property to Pauline Vauthier and her team, who also oversee other family holdings such as Moulin Saint-Georges and Château Simard. The name of the estate refers to the caves or dwellings carved into the limestone rock on the property, which were historically used for habitation and storage.

The vineyard encompasses 4 hectares of land with vines planted on a thin layer of clay over Asteria limestone. This specific geological profile is a defining feature of the Saint-Émilion plateau and dictates the drainage and nutrient intake for the vines. The grape varieties consist of approximately 85 percent Merlot, 10 percent Cabernet Franc, and 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, with an average vine age of roughly 50 years. Viticultural practices involve manual harvesting and careful sorting to ensure quality fruit reaches the cellar. Fermentation takes place in small, temperature controlled stainless steel vats to allow for plot by plot vinification. The wine undergoes aging for approximately 18 months in French oak barrels, with the proportion of new oak typically ranging between 85 and 100 percent.

The property holds the status of Grand Cru Classé within the Saint-Émilion classification system. It is recognized for an aromatic profile and mineral qualities that are often attributed to the limestone subsoil. Since the Vauthier family took over operations, the estate has gained attention for a refined style that emphasizes freshness and precision rather than heavy extraction. Because the vineyard is small, the total annual production is limited to roughly 1,000 cases. This low volume makes the wine a specific expression of its plateau terroir, often noted for maintaining structural tension and aromatic clarity across different vintages.