Clos Junet (2022)

About this wine

The 2022 Château Clos Junet is built on a Merlot dominant blend with Cabernet Franc and a splash of Malbec, offering immediate notes of dark plum, black cherry and cassis. The palate shows dense, ripe fruit framed by creamy, velvety tannins and a medium to full body that carries through to a persistent finish. Secondary aromas of vanilla, baking spice and a faint smoky oak come from élevage in French oak for roughly sixteen months, with producers and reviewers noting a substantial proportion of new barrels. The wine drinks at about 14 percent alcohol and opens with a polished texture after some aeration, revealing layers of dark berry and a subtle floral lift. Critics describe it as dense and layered yet precise, with good aging potential over the next decade when cellared carefully.

About the grape

Merlot is the backbone of this Saint Eḿilion bottling, a variety long associated with the right bank that thrives on the estate s sandy soils with veins of clay, where its early ripening and plush texture form the core of the blend. Cabernet Franc supplies structure and aromatic lift, a historic companion in Saint Eḿilion planted here in significant proportion to lend peppery florals and firm acidity, often managed with careful canopy work to preserve freshness. Malbec appears in small amounts as a traditional right bank accessory, a variety originally prominent in southwest France that contributes deep color and extra tannic grip when present in older vine parcels. In the cellar the team keeps the varieties distinct through targeted vinification and then brings them together with élevage in French oak to balance Merlot s richness with Cabernet Franc s backbone and Malbec s depth.

Quick facts

• 🏡 The estate is a true family property, owned by the Junet family since 1890, giving it more than a century of continuous family stewardship.
• 🍾 Clos Junet is tiny, just about 2 to 3 hectares, yet it produces roughly 15,000 bottles a year, making it feel like a handcrafted boutique Saint Émilion.
• 🌿 For a Saint Émilion wine it carries an unusually high share of Cabernet Franc, which gives it a perfume and spicy lift that fans often spot before the fruit.
• 🌳 One small parcel survived the devastating February 1956 frost, leaving vines now over 80 years old that add concentrated depth to the blend.
• 🧑‍🌾 The modern era of the domaine is driven by Paul Junet who took over winemaking around 2017, bringing youthful energy while keeping the family traditions.

Palate profile

Producer

Clos Junet is a small family vineyard in Saint-Émilion that traces its origins to the 19th century when the Junet family acquired the parcels that form the estate. The property has remained in Junet hands for generations and was run for many years by Patrick Junet before his son Paul took on day to day management in recent years. The vineyard covers roughly three hectares planted mainly to Merlot and Cabernet Franc with a small portion of Malbec, and it includes very old vines some of which predate the severe 1956 frost. The estate produces a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru that is made in small quantities and is noted for its elegant texture and high proportion of Cabernet Franc in the blend.