CLOS DU CLOCHER
2020 Pomerol
Aromas of ripe blackberries and spiced plums with licorice, dark chocolate, walnut and dried leaves. Medium- to full-bodied with layers of firm, finely grained tannins and a velvety texture. Toned and structured with a juicy, dark-fruited palate and polished finish with hints of crushed stones. 75% merlot and 25% cabernet franc. Try after 2026. Rating: 95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
* 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.
You really feel the difference in the quality and character of the tannins once you get to the top wines in Pomerol, and for me Clos du Clocher is increasingly one of the stars of the plateau. This is powerful, knitted down, with purity and direction to the blackcurrant and black cherry fruit. Draws out through the palate, with a pretty intense tannic frame, a brilliant wine that delivers graphite, pencil lead, violet, almost at the intersection between Pomerol and the Left Bank. They finish the blend towards the end of ageing here, with 60% new oak. Organic conversion that began officially in 2021 but was farming entirely organically in 2020. Drinking range: 2025 - 2045 Rating: 96 Jane Anson, Decanter (Feb 2023)
The 2020 Clos du Clocher was picked early to harness the power, freshness and violet scents. That certainly comes through on the nose, one of Bourotte's more fragrant and floral incense infusing the opulent black fruit, though it retains admirable delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with plush tannins, a dash of white pepper on the entry, finely balanced though with good backbone and grip towards the finish. This has developed well in barrel and contains a persistent peppery aftertaste. Drinking range: 2027 - 2050 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
The 2020 Clos du Clocher is laced with the essence of crème de cassis, lavender, rose petal, spice, mocha and red/purplish berry fruit. Plush, opulent and silky, the 2020 offers tons of immediacy. All the elements come together so well in a Pomerol that is all class. Clos du Clocher continues to improve, and that's always great to see. Drinking range: 2026 - 2040 Rating: 91-93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)
The 2020 Clos du Clocher is very perfumed and floral on the nose of exuberant black cherries, wild strawberry, shavings of black truffle and a touch of bay leaf. This is more sophisticated compared to its stablemate, Bonalgue. The palate is well balanced with fleshy ripe black fruit, licorice and hints of menthol. Certainly quite exotic in style compared to its peers, but controlled and quite persistent on the finish. An opulent Clos du Clocher, well crafted and with the substance to suggest long-term aging. Drinking range: 2027 - 2050 Rating: 92-94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)
Lots of ripe cherries, plums, violets, and cedary herbs define the nose of the 2020 Clos Du Clocher, which is medium to full-bodied, supple, elegant, and beautifully balanced on the palate. It displays the vintage’s fresher, more elegant style, yet still beings plenty of fruit and depth. It’s a brilliant wine in the making. Rating: 92-94 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)
Sporting a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Clos du Clocher gallops out of the glass with energetic scents of crushed blueberries, boysenberries and plum preserves, plus touches of ground cloves, cedar chest and damp soil. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers beautifully pure, well-defined black fruits with a fine-grained texture and seamless freshness, finishing earthy. Drinking range: 2024 - 2043 Rating: 92 - 94+ Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (May 2021)
Beautiful depth to the aromatics on the nose; this is an extremely well controlled and well delivered wine, with a ton of plump raspberry, blueberry and loganberry fruits with texture and juice in them. The depth of flavour that you expect from Clos du Clocher is here in spades, chewy, tangy tannins build up on the finish to give an insight into how well it will age. After a few minutes in the glass, things broaden and soften, and the Pomerol signature seduction comes in, as do waves of violets. A yield of 45hl/ha. 60% new oak. 3.62pH. Drinking range: 2025 - 2042 Rating: 95 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)
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 on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at 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 £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
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). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.