The 2021 Saint Emilion Satellite Appellation wines from Lussac, Montagne, Puisseguin, and St. Georges can offer fabulous drinking for prices much less than what you might pay from its more prestigious neighbor, St. Emilion. While 2021 is a difficult vintage here, there are several wines worth tasting. However, they are going to be difficult to find as many of the vineyards suffered damage from the April frosts. Sadly, agriculture can be quite unforgiving.
The following 2021 St. Emilion Satellite Appellation wines were all tasted in Bordeaux in April in non-blind conditions.
2021 Baudon Les Terres Blanches – Montagne-St. Émilion – Fresh red, plums, cherries, and a touch of espresso show in the nose. On the palate, the wine is fresh, sweet, and salty, giving you a nice touch of the vineyard’s minerality on the backend. This is the first vintage for this wine which is produced from 100% Merlot and is partially vinified with whole bunches. Drink from 2023-2031. 88-90 Pts
2021 de Bellevue – Lussac-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, with a floral, thyme, and red cherry-packed nose, the wine is crisp, bright, tangy, and sharp in the finish. Drink from 2023-2028. 84-86 Pts
2021 Bernon Bécot – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, soft, forward, fresh, cherry-filled wine with touches of cocoa and licorice on the nose and palate. This will be easy to enjoy on release. Drink from 2023-2028. 86-88 Pts
2021 Cap St. George – St. Georges-St. Émilion – Licorice, black cherry, flowers, and wet earth on the nose. Medium-bodied, forward, soft, polished, fresh, and refined, with a touch of salinity in the tannins on the backend of the minty finish. The wine is produced by blending 84% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is perfect for early drinking pleasure. Drink from 2023-2030. 88-90 Pts
2021 Clarisse – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Espresso, flowers, and cherries with a bit of oak on the medium-bodied palate that needs to integrate. Drink from 2022-2028. 86-88 Pts
2021 Clarisse Vieille Vignes – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Espresso, chocolate, and plums on the nose and a round, soft-textured, forward palate ends with a sweet, dark plum and cocoa, chalky finish. Drink from 2023-2029. 88-90 Pts
2021 Clos Bertineau – Montagne-St. Émilion – Light-weight, cherry-filled, early-drinking charmer with a soft, bright, red berry finish. From 100% Merlot, you can enjoy this on release. Drink from 2023-2027. 84-86 Pts
2021 Clos de Bouard – Montagne-St. Émilion – Deeply colored, the silky-textured, fresh wine is loaded with chocolate-coated plums, black cherries, spice, licorice, and a sprig of mint. Polished and lifted with soft tannins and sweet, plums with cocoa on the backend, you and enjoy this on release. The wine blends 85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.8% ABV. The harvest took place September 19 – September 30. Drink from 2023-2033. 90-92 Pts
2021 Clos de Boüard Dame de Boüard – Montagne-St. Émilion – Soft, fleshy, medium-bodied, round, forward, and fruity, with a black cherry core of fruits on the nose and palate. Drink from 2023-2027. 87-89 Pts
2021 Faizeau – Montagne-St. Émilion – Espresso, minty chocolate, and plums create the core of this medium-bodied, soft, accessible, wine. Drink from 2023-2029. 88-90 Pts
2021 La Grande Clotte – Lussac-St. Émilion – Minty herbs, flowers, cherries, and plums come through easily on this medium-bodied, soft, round palate. Drink from 2023-2029. 88-90 Pts
2021 La Grande Clotte L’Envolée – Lussac-St. Émilion – Leafy herbs, flowers, espresso, red fruits, and a touch of cocoa come through easily in this medium-bodied, soft, round, polished, fresh, fruity wine. Drink from 2023-2032. 89-91 Pts
2021 Lafaurie – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Bright, fresh, crisp, red berry-filled wine with a strawberry and red plum finish that will be best over the next few years. Drink from 2023-2026. 83-85 Pts
2021 Simon Blanchard Guitard – Montagne-St. Émilion – Soft, fresh, bright, crisp, and floral, with a nice sweetness to the cherries and red plums on the palate and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2030. 88-90 Pts
2021 Soleil – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, soft, forward, sweet cherries, plums, licorice, chocolate, espresso, and coffee bean come through, though you have to be able to look past the strong, oak influence. Drink from 2023-2028. 86-88 Pts
2021 Soleil Le Rival – Lussac-St. Émilion – Dark black plums, black cherry, cocoa, espresso beans, smoke, and black cherries are all over the wine. On the palate, the licorice, dark red fruits, and coffee beans are round, sweet, and fruity. Drink from 2023-2037. 89-91 Pts
2021 St. Georges – St. Georges-St. Émilion – Bright, leafy, green, and herbal with salty, crisp red fruits on the palate and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2026. 83-85 Pts
2021 Tour Bayard – Montagne-St. Émilion – Soft, round and plummy, with a touch of minerality that adds complexity on the palate. The wine ends with red plums on the back end. Drink from 2023-2028. 86-88 Pts
2021 Tour Perruchon – Lussac-St. Émilion – Flowers, mint, and spice, with a hint of fennel and cherries on the nose and palate. Soft, fresh and fruity, drink this on the young side. Drink from 2023-2028. 86-88 Pts
2021 Tour du Pas St. Georges – St. Georges-St. Émilion – Flowers, red cherries, herbs, and spice show on the nose and on the medium-bodied, bright, crisp, cherry and cranberry palate, with just a touch of salt on the tannins that shows up in the endnote. This will be best in its youth. Drink from 2023-2028. 86-88 Pts
2021 Vieux-Chateau-Palon – Montagne-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, round, forward, and focused on its chocolate-covered, espresso-infused black cherry and plum profile, this is going to be quite a pleasure to enjoy in its youth for all of its lush, ripe, sweet, chocolatey fruits. Drink from 2023-2030. 87-90 Pts
This is the last report on 2021 Right Bank wines. We are almost finished with our coverage of 2021 Bordeaux Barrel Tasting Notes and vintage reports. Two more articles to go. 2021 White Bordeaux Wine, (dry and sweet from Sauternes) and 2021 AOC Generic Red and White Bordeaux
