When I stayed at Villa Clarisse in Ile de Ré in September, I received a complimentary bottle of Chateau Clarisse wine. I brought it home with me and shared it with Vincent. We both really liked the taste of it and longed for more.
Last month I received an email from Chateau Clarisse announcing that James Suckling, a major wine critic and wine connoisseur, had reviewed a few vintages of Chateau Clarisse and gave them high marks, rating them from 90 to 94 out of a hundred.
The review reminded me of how much I enjoyed Chateau Clarisse and I asked if the company would send another bottle so I can write about it on Eye Prefer Paris.
A week later, a rather large package arrived, and Villa Clarisse very generously sent three bottles, a 2016, a 2017, and a 2018 vintage. The 2016 and 2017 were Vieilles Vignes, and 2018 was Cuvee Vieilles Vignes.
Before I share with you about how Vincent and I liked the wine, I want to tell you the story behind Chateau Clarisse.
Olivia and Didier Le Calvez are the founders of Heloise’s Choice, a company that owns and manages a portfolio of luxury hotels, villas and resorts mostly in France and Europe. Following a passion for wine and new business ventures, Olivia and Didier bought a vineyard in 2007 and started to produce Chateau Clarisse in 2010. The company is named after their daughter Clarisse, who was then, a year old. The 52- acre vineyard is located in Puisseguin, one of the satellite villages of the prestigious Saint-Emilion area in Bordeaux.
The vineyard, located on a high plateau of 300 feet with clay-limestone and clay-siliceous soil, is made up of 70 % Merlots, 27 % Cabernet Franc and 3% Carménère, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Since 2016, Chateau Clarisse has committed to a changeover of going 100% organic.
I am not the world’s biggest wine drinker and certainly not an expert by any means, but because I was a chef and caterer for 21 years, my palate is well trained.
We opened the 2016 bottle and it was full bodied at first, and as we kept sipping it, it took on a smooth taste with its dark berry flavor. Vincent has been cooking home every night and purposely prepared hearty, autumn dishes to complement the wine.
The 2017 when first opened, had a bold punch to it, and compared to the 2016, it was much stronger and overpowered our meal that evening. We only drank half the bottle that night, but when we tasted it the next evening, it settled in and became more harmonious and well blended. We waited a few days in between to open the 2018 bottle and it was worth the wait, because we saved the best for last. Fruity but with a woody under taste it was the most satisfying of the three wines.
Among the awards Chateau-Clarisse has won, they are most proud of Château Clarisse Castillon 2017 being awarded the GOLD MEDAL at the Concours Général of Paris in February 2020.
You can also take a tour of Chateau-Clarisse in person and do a tasting.
To read more about Château Clarisse and to order in France go to their website.
https://www.chateau-clarisse.com/en/
Click here for a list of online outlets that sell Château Clarisse in the U.S.
It’s holiday gift time, and what could be better than the gift of Paris. Most people were denied the joy of visiting Paris this year with the travel restrictions, so what better way to remind you or people on your gift list of the city than a great photo.
I have updated my Etsy shop with 15 new photos in addition to my other classic photos from before. In addition, I can make a print of almost every photo you see on Eye Prefer Paris.
Below are sizes and prices.
10x13 inches $60
11x14 inches $80
16x20 inches $115
I am offering free shipping- a $14 savings- on any photo order until December 18, 2020.
Click here to go to my Etsy shop.
Photos are printed on Fuji crystal Archive metallic paper with rich satin gloss finish and is unframed.
Prints are printed in N.J. and sent by USPS. Delivery time is 2-5 days.
If you have any questions about the photos, please email me at [email protected]
Thanks in advance for your support.
Click here to go to my Etsy shop.
Below are some of my new photos I’ve posted in my Etsy shop.
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