Clos Bel-Air 2018 Wine Review

Natalie's Score: 89/100

Clos Bel-Air from Montagne Saint-Émilion A.O.C. is a dry, medium-bodied Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend from a quietly impressive 3-hectare estate on clay and limestone slopes, offering a nose of stewed black plum, worn leather, dried herbs, a thread of graphite and a hint of crushed violet that speak to this wine's growing maturity and layered character. Part of the family-owned Château Moulin Noir portfolio belonging to the Tessandier family, whose roots in the Bordeaux wine trade date back to 1875, Clos Bel-Air has held Haute Valeur Environnementale level 3 certification since 2016, a mark of serious commitment to sustainable farming and biodiversity that sets it apart among small Bordeaux estates. The grapes undergo a long maceration before spending 18 months in oak, resulting in a structured, focused wine with firm tannins and a persisting freshness that keeps it lively and engaging well into its evolution. Serve it slightly below room temperature alongside a roast beef with a red wine reduction, where the wine's earthy depth and firm backbone rise to meet the richness of the dish; it pairs equally well with a herb-crusted rack of lamb, the wine's structured tannins and savory finish cutting through the fat with admirable precision. Cellar through 2036.

Food pairings: roast beef, pork tenderloin, rack of lamb.

Best Beef Wine

This Clos Bel-Air 2018 was reviewed on April 28, 2026 by Natalie MacLean

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Please note that our reviews are based on a variety of sources: samples sent to our team, those we purchase in store, tasting events, those tasted in restaurants and while traveling domestically and internationally.

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