CLOS L'ÉGLISE
2017 Pomerol
The 2017 Clos l’Eglise was picked from 6 September to 2 October, the harvest was spread out for almost one month. It is matured in 90% new oak for 18 months. It has a well-defined, very pure bouquet with cranberry, dark cherries, bay leaf and crushed stone. It needs a little time to open in the glass and is not as immediate as the 2016 last year. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very smooth in texture with a slightly lactic note towards the finish. There is a touch of dark chocolate that infuses the red berry fruit with a subtle liquorice tincture that lingers on the aftertaste. This is a fine Clos l’Eglise although I do feel this year that its stablemate in Saint-Èmilion, Barde-Haut, takes the top honor. Drinking range: 2022 - 2042 Rating: 91-93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)
* 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.
Blended of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Clos l'Eglise comes bursting forth with fresh black plums and black currants notions with hints of black raspberries, black pepper and Indian spices plus touches of lavender and roses. Medium-bodied, firm, grainy and with seamless freshness, it fills the palate with spicy black fruits and finishes long and perfumed. Rating: 90-92 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2018)
Another pretty, elegant wine in the vintage, the 2017 Clos l'Église (80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc aging in new barrels) offers a forward, medium-bodied, ultra-fine and seamless profile as well as classic Merlot fruit, spice and floral aromas and flavors. It’s not a blockbuster but shines for its purity of fruit, ripe tannin, and impressive length. It’s going to drink nicely right out of the gate yet also evolve gracefully. Rating: 92-94 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Apr 2018)
Blueberry, blackberry and anise flavors rush forth, with more modest structure behind them. Fresh acidity keeps this honest, but this will likely deliver more immediate appeal. Rating: 88-91 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2018)
This is a very juicy red with blackberries, blueberries and hints of chocolate. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Tight. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2018)
The Pomerol estate belonging to Hélène Garcin-Lévêque. Here she has tended towards a long harvest period, eschewing the notion of ‘optimal’ maturity, believing that picking across the ripeness spectrum results in a more interesting wine. This is illustrated by the start date for the harvest, beginning with the Merlot on September 6th, almost two weeks before she began picking on her St Emilion vineyards, while she finished here on October 2nd, with the last of the Cabernet Franc, just one day before she finished in St Emilion. The blend is, as always, 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. It has a very fresh nose, of iron filings and black plum, showing a very sweet and primary character. The palate follows up with a charming substance, fresh and cool, with a medium body, wrapped in subtle cigar, chalk and cinnamon-sugar oak. It feels ripe and supple, with broad tannins, fresh and grippy. The fruit here seems to stand up to the oak better than Hélène’s wines from St Emilion. This has good potential. The élevage will be in 100% new oak, for 18 months. Rating: 91-93 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2018)
Clos l'Église
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, Château l’Eglise Clinet and Clos l’Eglise. In fact, l’Eglise Clinet and Clos l’Eglise, 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. Clos l’Eglise’s rise to prominence has been rapid, dating from the purchase of the estate in 1997 by Sylviane Garcin-Cathiard who already owned a couple of châteaux in Pessac-Léognan and whose brother is the owner of Château Smith Haut Lafitte. The €12mil. price tag turned heads at the time although, given the continued growth of interest in Pomerol, it now looks like Sylviane got herself a bargain. The 5.8ha of vineyard are planted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, and run by Sylvaine's daughter Hélene Garcin, who also runs the family's other properties, Haut Bergey, Branon, Poésia and Barde Haut. The consultant oenoligist since 2015 is Thomas Duclos. The wines are fermented in stainless steel, and aged 16 to 18 months in new barrels. There was a surprising amount of Cabernet Sauvignon at Clos l’Eglise when the family took over, all of which has been done away with. The Clos produces around 1200-1500 bottles per vintage.