1981 | Chateau Clarke | Listrac-Medoc (Magnum)

The nearby Atlantic Ocean gives the terroir a freshness that is reflected in the aromatic brilliance of the wine. A terroir highly suited to cultivating the Merlot varietal, in a region more traditionally known for the production of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Producer Information

Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothschild produces wines from a collection of six estates located in high profile wine regions in France, South Africa, Argentina, Spain, and New Zealand. The company was established in 1973 by Baron Edmond de Rothschild following his purchase of two Cru Bourgeois estates in Listrac-Médoc and Moulis-en-Médoc: Château Clarke and Château Malmaison. The Compagnie Vinicole was, from 1997 to 2021, under the leadership Benjamin de Rothschild, Edmond's son, who greatly expanded the company's portfolio to what it is today. The company's estates include Château Clarke, Château de Laurets, Flechas de los Andes, Macán, Rimpere, and Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons. Following the death of Benjamin de Rothschild in January 2021, the running of the Baron Edmond de Rothschild holdings has passed to his widow, Ariane de Rothschild. The first château of Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothschild, Château Clarke, is located within the Listrac-Médoc appellation and includes 55 hectares (136 acres) of vineyard land. Soils at this estate are drought-resistant and composed of clay-limestone. About 70 percent of the land is planted to Merlot, with the remainder planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, less three hectares (7.4 acres) dedicated to the white varieties Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle – used in the château's Merle Blanc white blend. Château Clarke's top wine, or "grand vin", Château Clarke, is aged 14 to 18 months before release and is composed of 70 percent Merlot and 30 percent Cabernet Sauvignon—a relatively atypical blend for Left Bank Bordeaux. At the foot of Simonsberg Mountain in the Franschhoek Valley, South Africa lies Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons, a partnership between the Compagnie Vinicole and the Rupert family, then owners of the historic French Huguenot farm Fredericksburg. The estate was founded in 1997 and extends more than 100 hectares (250 acres) with soils composed of granite and red clay. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot vines on the estate were planted in the early 1980s and are used in the production of Rupert & Rothschild's two red blends: Baron Edmond and Classique. The estate also produces a white wine, Baroness Nadine, from Chardonnay. In 1999, Compagnie Vinicole purchased 250 hectares (618 acres) of land in Argentina and began planting vineyards gradually, releasing the first vintage of Flechas de los Andes in 2004. The Flechas de los Andes estate produces red wines from the varieties Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah. The estate's top wines include Gran Malbec, a varietal Malbec, and Gran Corte, a blend of Malbec, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc. Château des Laurets, Compagnie Vinicole's flagship brand, is located in Saint-Emilion atop the region's limestone plateau. The 95-hectare (235-acre) estate was purchased by Benjamin de Rothschild in 2003 and is planted primarily to Merlot in clay-limestone soils. Merlot from the top four plots is reserved for the château's premier wine, Les Laurets Baron Edmond de Rothschild Cuvée d’Excellence. Another 45 hectares (111 acres) on the property are reserved for the estate's Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend, Château des Laurets. Macán, Compagnie Vinicole's estate in Spain, was established in Rioja Alta in 2009 and is a joint venture with the esteemed Spanish producer Vega Sicilia. The 110-hectare (270-acre) estate is planted entirely to Tempranillo, some 75 hectares (185 acres) of which is over 40 years old. Two wines are produced from the estate: Macán and Macán Classico. Rimapere, located in Marlborough, was acquired in 2012 by Compagnie Vinicole in alliance with the Peabody family, owners of the well-known New Zealand winery, Craggy Range. The 24-hectare (59-acre) site is composed of alluvial soils planted to 20 hectares (49 acres) of Sauvignon Blanc and four hectares (ten acres) of Pinot Noir.

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