CHÂTEAU L'ÉGLISE CLINET

2016 Pomerol

Grapes Merlot, Cab Franc
Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Pomerol & Lalande de Pomerol
Village Pomerol
ABV 14%

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Apart from the parcels that always go to La Petite Église, everything goes into this. Seems to have powerful Cabernet Franc influence in the violet aromas and tight purple bright fruit. Floral and tense and very lifted and firm, without quite the volume of some vintages, but the concentration seems to be there, as does the elegance of grandeur. 80% new barrels but there's really no discernible wood influence. Drinking range: 2035 - 2050 Rating: 93-94 L&S (Apr 2017)


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One of the monumental wines in the vintage is the 2016 Château Eglise Clinet from proprietor Denis Durantou. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, this utterly perfect wine boasts a saturated purple color as well as an essence of Pomerol bouquet of ripe black cherries, blackcurrant liqueur, smoked tobacco, camphor, and graphite. Deep, full-bodied, incredibly powerful, and layered, yet always with class and balance, it offers a remarkable marriage of power and finesse. It’s already sexy and seductive yet also a baby, and needs 7-8 years of cellaring. It should keep for 3-4 decades (probably longer), but why wait? Drinking range: 2026 - 2067 Rating: 100 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Feb 2019)

The 2016 L'Eglise-Clinet is glorious. Rich and ample on the palate, with striking depth, the 2016 has so much to offer. A rush of inky blue/purplish berry fruit, lavender, menthol and exotic spice grace this exquisite wine. The 2016 has tremendous richness and concentration, and yet is not ready to show all of its cards yet. Even so, the purity of flavors is simply tremendous. I will not be surprised if the 2016 turns out to be even better than this note suggests. At this stage, though, it is quite clearly one of the wines of the vintage. This is a fabulous showing from Denis Durantou. Drinking range: 2024 - 2056 Rating: 98 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jan 2019)

The 2016 L’Eglise-Clinet was matured in 80% new oak and bottled in mid-April 2018. Crystal clear in color, it has an equally crystal clear bouquet that is utterly seductive, featuring red cherries, wild strawberry, peony and iris flowers and a hint of bay leaf. You could sit and nose this all day. The balanced palate is medium-bodied and grippy in the mouth, displaying supple tannin and a perfect line of acidity. Again, there is a symmetry about this Pomerol that is utterly beguiling, and the persistence is up there with the very best. Simply put, this is one of the best L’Eglise-Clinet wines I have tasted in recent years. Stunning. Drinking range: 2026 - 2066 Rating: 98 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jan 2019)

Château L'Église Clinet

In a region of modest architecture, the high-spired church in Pomerol tends to dominate the sky-line. Gathered around it, a trio of estates trumpet their proximity with their name – Domaine de l’Eglise, Clos l’Eglise and Château l’Eglise Clinet. Infact, Clos l’Eglise Clinet and l’Eglise Clinet, separated only by a narrow lane, used to form a single estate until they were divided in inheritance in the latter half of the 19th Century. Initially, confusingly, called Clos de l’Eglise, the estate appended the lieu dit name and became Clos de l’Eglise Clinet, before finally settling on l’Eglise Clinet. The château, such as it is, is quite modest – the château proper being left with the Clos l’Eglise portion when the estate divided. The Château l’Eglise Clinet story really begins when Denis Durantou took over in 1983 and turned a traditional if unexciting property into one of Pomerol’s superstars. New equipment in a small new chai were installed and meticulous attention has been paid to the vineyard. There are 6ha of vines given over to 85% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc with the last 1% being a plot of very old Malbec vines. Denis Durantou also owns Château les Cruzelles in Lalande-de-Pomerol, Saintayme in Saint Emilion and Chateau Montlandrie in the Côtes de Castillon.

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