COUVENT DES JACOBINS

By Linden Wilkie, 20 May 2021

Couvent-des-Jacobins is a magical place. Perched high on the plateau, indeed in the medieval township of St.-Émilion itself, its contents are secreted away behind an imposing entrance. Through the door and to the back you are in a very charming sheltered ‘garden of prayers’, the cloisters of the couvent surrounding it. This spot is surprising and very special. Below this lie an extensive series of cellars – St.-Émilion literally having been hewn from below ground, and its warm-tone buildings built from the limestone removed to make the cellars… or is it vice versa? A double-benefit, certainly.

For centuries the wines of this estate were made by the Dominican order of friars – the Frères Prêcheurs Jacobins, and with close ties to England, the wine was served at royal weddings. For the past 116 years the Couvent-des-Jacobins has been owned by the Joinaud-Borde and Jean families, today represented by Xavier Jean.

I met Xavier during the 2016 vintage en primeurs in April 2017. I was impressed by the classic not-over-the-top style of Couvent des Jacobins. This Grand Cru Classé wine comes from 10.7ha of vineyards on the limestone plateau itself, and soils varying on clay / limestone / and sand composition, 80% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot on average. About 2,250 cases are made each year of the grand vin, and an additional 600 cases or so of the second wine, Menut des Jacobins. In 2018, The Fine Wine Experience hosted a vertical tasting dinner in Hong Kong, back to 1978, and on a visit to the château in 2019 we tasted back further still. The wines age beautifully, elegantly and with the aromatic and mineral complexity the best sites in St.-Émilion are capable of delivering. I mean, look at the price of the 2018 on our list. How often do you see value like that for a fine wine? The critics are beginning to catch up too – the 2017 was just rated 94/100 at Vinous, and this 2018 is rated 93-95 in the Wine Advocate.

CALICEM is made in a special labour-intensive way, using whole-berry fermentation (‘vinification intégrale’) in 600-litre demi-muid barrels. The 1ha 100% Merlot plot they purchased in 2015, gives naturally low yields, of 30hl/ha or less. Only around 250 cases are made each year. I say ‘each year’, but the quality is so closely guarded that in 2017 Xavier decided to declassify the wine altogether. It’s a very special wine that will repay cellaring, but the fruit and aroma are so delicious, and the texture so velvety, that I would encourage you to buy a bottle to try.

Filter By
WA
87-95
Vintage Wine Bottle Size Unit of sale Qty of unit Qty of btl Btl price (HKD) Score Location
1982 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion 1500 BOTTLE 3 3 2,400 WA87 HK
1982 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion 1500 BOTTLE 3 3 2,400 WA87 SHOP
2018 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion 750 BOTTLE 3 3 360 WA93-95 HK
2020 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion 750 BOTTLE 120 120 360 WA92-94 HK
2020 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion 15000 OWC1 3 3 12,800 WA92-94 HK
2020 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion 750 BOTTLE 5 5 360 WA92-94 SHOP
2021 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion 750 BOTTLE 120 120 320 WA92-94 EP
2022 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion 750 OWC12 10 120 320 WA92-94 EP
1982 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion
1500 ml BOTTLE HK HKD 2,400 / BTL 3 BTL available
Bottle size
1500
Qty of unit
3
Qty of btl
3
Btl price (HKD)
2,400
Score
WA87
Location
HK
1982 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion
1500 ml BOTTLE SHOP HKD 2,400 / BTL 3 BTL available
Bottle size
1500
Qty of unit
3
Qty of btl
3
Btl price (HKD)
2,400
Score
WA87
Location
SHOP
2018 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion
750 ml BOTTLE HK HKD 360 / BTL 3 BTL available
Bottle size
750
Qty of unit
3
Qty of btl
3
Btl price (HKD)
360
Score
WA93-95
Location
HK
2020 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion
750 ml BOTTLE HK HKD 360 / BTL 120 BTL available
Bottle size
750
Qty of unit
120
Qty of btl
120
Btl price (HKD)
360
Score
WA92-94
Location
HK
2020 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion
15000 ml OWC1 HK HKD 12,800 / BTL 3 case available
Bottle size
15000
Qty of unit
3
Qty of btl
3
Btl price (HKD)
12,800
Score
WA92-94
Location
HK
2020 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion
750 ml BOTTLE SHOP HKD 360 / BTL 5 BTL available
Bottle size
750
Qty of unit
5
Qty of btl
5
Btl price (HKD)
360
Score
WA92-94
Location
SHOP
2021 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion
750 ml BOTTLE EP HKD 320 / BTL 120 BTL available
Bottle size
750
Qty of unit
120
Qty of btl
120
Btl price (HKD)
320
Score
WA92-94
Location
EP
2022 Couvent des Jacobins - Couvent des Jacobins Saint Emilion
750 ml OWC12 EP HKD 320 / BTL 10 case available
Bottle size
750
Qty of unit
10
Qty of btl
120
Btl price (HKD)
320
Score
WA92-94
Location
EP
Under the law of Hong Kong, intoxicating liquor must not be sold or supplied to a minor in the course of business. 根據香港法律,不得在業務過程中,向未成年人售賣或供應令人醺醉的酒類。 The wines are offered subject to remaining unsold. Title to all wine remains with The Fine Wine Experience until paid for in full.提供的货物仍有待售。 货物所有权只在收到全额付款到The Fine Wine Experience的帐户後转移。
HK / HK storage; ready for delivery within 1-2 business days.
HK-Shop / available for in-store purchase in Sai Ying Pun.
HK Pre-arrival wines in transit to Hong Kong. Please contact us for arrival estimate.
En-Primeur / wines still in chateau; will arrange delivery to once wine is received in HK