2011 Saintayme Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 750 ml

Denis Durantou Strikes Rich Limestone Vein in Saint-Émilion

In 1983, Denis Durantou took over operation of L’Eglise Clinet, a winery owned by his family. In the next 20 years, he would proceed to transform the sleeping Right Bank giant into one of the greatest properties in the entire appellation of Pomerol. Today, L’Eglise Clinet’s wines rivals the sleekest, richest releases from Petrus, Le Pin, and Lafleur, earning multiple 99-point scores from an astonished Robert Parker, who has called the wines “absolutely profound.”

A genius of Right Bank winemaking, Durantou possesses a rare combination of qualities: he is at once a traditionalist and an iconoclast. His reputation is that of a garagiste, an early proponent of green harvesting and thermoregulation in the cellar. Less recognized is how much of a classic Bordeaux vigneron he is, supplementing his technical prowess with a monomaniacal dedication to terroir.

As he’s grown his holdings in recent years, that terroir-driven instinct led Durantou on a bloodhound trail to Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse at the eastern edge of Saint-Émilion. Today it is one of the hottest communes of the region, with wineries such as Fleur Cardinale, Péby Faugères, and Valandraud pulling down a slew of high-90 scores from Parker. Durantou got in early, acquiring the 22-acre Grand Cru estate of Château Saintayme before the buzz. There, his Midas touch has yielded gold yet again, as the winery continues to release small batches of voluptuously rich, beautifully structured wine. What tipped him off?

The key was Saint-Émilion’s prized limestone plateau. One of the six distinct terroirs of the region, the plateau’s combination of calcaire soils and fossilized marine life provides Saint-Émilion’s most prestigious top growths — Canon, Clos Fortet — with their indescribable complexity. Trace the extent of that limestone strip from the town of Saint-Émilion to its eastern limit, and you land in Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse.

There, the limestone-clay-gravel mix at Saintayme — home to vines averaging 35 years in age — is cooler than soil in other parts of the appellation. That proved to be a boon in the 2011 growing season, which started out unusually warm in the Right Bank. Spring was much like summer, only to be followed by a summer much like spring. Some growers opted to pull leaves in mid-June so as to spike maturity, a strategy that backfired in the last days of the month when a sudden heat wave blistered exposed bunches.

Rain in early September left many scratching their heads, wondering if, in this somewhat “bipolar” vintage, Nature might again flip a switch. Such was the case in the latter part of the month through the first weeks of October, when the days turned sunny, dry, and mild, the nights refreshingly cool. Yields were tiny, just 2 tons per acre. The result? A masterful release from Durantou’s Saintayme.

The 2011 Saintayme is 100% Merlot, with vinification and malolactic fermentation taking place in stainless steel. Ruby to the rim, infused with sumptuous aromas of raspberries, dark plum, and cedar. Big, rich, and voluminous on the attack, silken in texture, packed with red fruit, plum, and chocolate, finishing with textbook Right Bank cut.

93 points from British Master of Wine Tim Atkin, who called it “impressive.” At $25 for just a short time today, this may well be the most underpriced Saint-Émilion of the year. 420 bottles. Shipping included on 4. Stock up while it lasts — which won’t be long!