Clos de l'Oratoire

Count Joseph-Hubert von Neipperg acquired Château Canon La Gaffelière and La Mondotte in 1971, followed a few months later by Clos de l'Oratoire and Château Peyreau, which borders it. His son Stephan von Neipperg took over management in 1985. The von Neipperg family has made wine in Germany since the 13th century, and Schwaigern, in Germany's northern Württemberg Valley, remains the family seat.

• 1971: Joseph-Hubert von Neipperg acquires Château Canon La Gaffelière and La Mondotte; Clos de l'Oratoire and Château Peyreau follow a few months later
• 1985: Stephan von Neipperg takes over management
• 2022: Clos de l'Oratoire is listed among the 71 grands crus classés in the Saint-Émilion classification approved by INAO's national committee on September 8

Stephan von Neipperg manages the Bordeaux estates his father acquired in the early 1970s, Clos de l'Oratoire among them. His son Ludovic von Neipperg joined the family business as Technical Director in March 2021.

• Stephan von Neipperg: manages the family's Bordeaux estates; took over management in 1985
• Ludovic von Neipperg: joined the family business as Technical Director in March 2021

Clos de l'Oratoire has 13.07 hectares (32.12 acres) under vine on Saint-Émilion's northeast slope, next to Château Peyreau. The soils are clay-limestone with Fronsac molasse at the top of the slope and clay-sand at the foot. In the estate's account, its Fronsac molasse terroir, a layer of sandy soil over a clay subsoil, is ideally suited to Merlot. Plantings are 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with an average vine age of 35 years.

• Area under vine: 13.07 hectares (32.12 acres)
• Soils: clay-limestone with Fronsac molasse at the top of the slope, clay-sand at the foot
• Grape varieties: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
• Average vine age: 35 years

The 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 vintages of Clos de l'Oratoire are each listed as certified organic by FR-BIO-10. The von Neipperg estates date their ecological commitment to 1988 and use green cover, composting and the planting of hedges to protect the ecosystem; the sister estates Château Canon La Gaffelière and La Mondotte obtained organic certification in 2014.

• 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 vintages: certified organic by FR-BIO-10
• Von Neipperg ecological commitment dating from 1988: green cover, composting, hedge planting
• Sister estates Château Canon La Gaffelière and La Mondotte: organic certification in 2014

Grapes are picked by hand into small crates, sorted before and after destemming and not crushed, and reach the cellar on a conveyor belt. Fermentation takes place exclusively in temperature-controlled oak vats, for 22 to 30 days depending on the vintage, at relatively low temperatures and with very slow pigeage (punching down the cap); extraction is by pneumatic pigeage, which the von Neipperg estates implemented in 1997. Malolactic fermentation and ageing take place on fine lees in new oak barrels (up to 80%), barrel ageing lasts 18 months, and fining and filtering are done as necessary, depending on the vintage. The 2022 was aged on the lees in new oak barrels (30%) for 15 months; the 2023 was aged 75% in oak barrels (30% new) and 25% in wooden and concrete vats, for 15 months. The wine is sold through the Bordeaux wine trade.

• Harvest: by hand into small crates; sorting before and after destemming; no crushing
• Fermentation: temperature-controlled wooden vats, 22 to 30 days; pneumatic pigeage
• Élevage: new oak barrels (up to 80%) on fine lees; 18 months of barrel ageing
• Sales: via the Bordeaux wine trade

Blend and yield vary by vintage: the 2023 is 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc at 44 hl/ha, while the 2020 is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc at 36 hl/ha.

• 2023: harvested 21 to 25 September; 44 hl/ha; 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc; 13.5% alcohol
• 2022: harvested 13 to 23 September; 47 hl/ha; 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc; 14% alcohol
• 2020: harvested 22 to 25 September; 36 hl/ha; 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc; 13.5% alcohol
• 2019: harvested 23 September to 7 October; 51 hl/ha; 81% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc; 14.5% alcohol
• 2017: harvested 26 September to 2 October; 11 hl/ha; 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

Clos de l'Oratoire calls its wine 'round, smooth, and very seductive,' with 'a beautiful deep crimson colour and powerful fruity aromas.' In the estate's account, Merlot provides roundness and opulence while Cabernet Franc contributes power, aromatic complexity and a long aftertaste, and the wine can be enjoyed seven years after the vintage but is, above all, a wine with fine ageing potential.

Primary sources (producer's own site, Vignobles Comtes von Neipperg): https://www.neipperg.com/en/discover/clos-de-l-oratoire.html, https://www.neipperg.com/en/homepage.html, https://www.neipperg.com/en/a-precious-heritage.html, https://www.neipperg.com/en/winemaking/winemaking-philosophy.html, https://www.neipperg.com/en/winemaking/respect-for-the-vines.html, https://www.neipperg.com/medias/fichiers/ANGLAIS/FT%20ORATOIRE%20GB.pdf, https://www.neipperg.com/en/discover/chateau-peyreau.html. Official source: INAO, Saint-Emilion grand cru: classification for the next decade, https://www.inao.gouv.fr/en/saint-emilion-grand-cru-classement-next-decade. Secondary source: Decanter (Decanter Staff, last updated 14 September 2017), https://www.decanter.com/wine-travel/clos-de-loratoire-66605/. Last verified 2026-10-21. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.