CLOS DU CLOCHER
2016 Pomerol
The 2016 Clos du Clocher has a rich, opulent bouquet with layers of macerated small black cherries, crème de cassis and violet aromas. There is brightness and vivacity here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, finely judged acidity, a slightly lactic texture and flecks of dark chocolate toward the finish, which fans out nicely. This will need time, but it is very promising. A composed and refined Pomerol from Jean-Baptiste Bourotte. Drinking range: 2024 - 2044 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jan 2019)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2016 Clos du Clocher is gorgeous. Blackberry jam, chocolate, new leather and licorice add to the wine's racy, plush feel. Even with all of its textural richness, the 2016 retains terrific energy. The new oak needs time to fully integrate, but that is not enough to keep the 2016 from being hugely appealing in the early going. The 2016 has been impressive on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. Drinking range: 2022 - 2036 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jan 2019)
The 2016 Clos du Clocher is a blend of 79% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc, picked 10-17 October at 44 hectoliters per hectare and matured in 65% new oak. This includes some vinification intégrale. It has a very clean and precise bouquet with pure blackberry, raspberry and cold stone aromas, the oak beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, with an edginess from start to finish, and saline vein that becomes more evident towards the finish. I love the focus, the intent of this Clos du Clocher, never compromising one iota of finesse from start to finish. Being located smack bang on the plateau has really yielded dividends for this Pomerol and it should age with style over 20, maybe 30 years. Drinking range: 2022 - 2050 Rating: 93-95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2017)
The 2016 Clos du Clocher is bold in style. Black cherry, plum, licorice, sweet spices and new oak flesh out in the glass. Racy and succulent to the core, Clos du Clocher captures all the radiance of the vintage in its flamboyant personality. This is a dense, opulent style and yet the 2013 has fabulous staying power. Rating: 90-93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2017)
A lovely vibrant purple, the Cabernet Franc really comes through very strongly, with an impression of tight cassis, blackberry leaf, tobacco, curling woodsmoke and violet. Beautifully precise and focussed, I love the fresh seam running through it. Drinking Window 2027 - 2040 Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 92 Jane Anson, Decanter (Apr 2017)
Clos du Clocher
A property in three plots on the plateau of Pomerol, about 4.6 hectares, a mixture of clay, gravel and sandy soils, planted with 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. The wine is aged in about 60% new wood and production is around 2000 cases per annum. A new chai was created in 2010, and quality has leapt forward here.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.
Ordering
Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.
Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.
Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.
When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.
Additional charges are as follows:-
- +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
