CHÂTEAU L'ÉGLISE CLINET
2024 Pomerol
90 Merlot, 10 Cabernet Franc: 85% new oak: 13.8% alc: Merlot was picked on the 21, 23 and 24 September and the Cabernet Franc was picked on 23, 24 and 28 September.
Noëmie Durantou noted her wine has ‘the luminous precision of a French garden’, and these are some of, if not the most evocative and accurate, of the winemakers’ musings this year. L’Église Clinet is all about the perfume in 2024. The perfume is incredibly complex and detailed, with an entire library of scents, corridors of spices, and vaults of earth. In addition, there is a glorious texture here. This wine enchants every sense, and at this juncture, it is worth noting that the colour is unique, too. The freshness and grip are devastating, and the overall feel of joy and balance feels both anthemic and transcendent. This is one of the finest wines of the vintage. 19.5+/20 Rating: 19.5+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2025)
In Bond
75cl bottles (wood case of 6)
* 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.
Really impressive concentration for the vintage with dusty tannins that give density and intensity. Medium-bodied, this shows dark fruit and chocolate plus walnut and hazelnut undertones. Juicy and flavorful but always in reserve. Winemaker Noemie Durantou Reilhac likens it to the 2015 but with finesse. 90% merlot and the rest cabernet franc. Rating: 97-98 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2025)
Elegant, slow unrolling of black fruit flavours, beautiful precision, get a lot of fennel here, even a touch of marzipan, coffee grounds, savoury and juicy, black fruits, cassis and blueberry, violets, powdery rose petals. This is just exceptional within the vintage, such a deeply felt and deeply chiselled wine, and I can unhesitatingly recommend. No chaptilisation, 3.59ph, 85% new oak. Harvest September 21 to 28, 45hl/h yield, Noëmie Durantou winemaker and co-owner. Clearly will age with elegance and finesse. Red wine of the vintage for me. Drinking range: 2032 - 2046 Rating: 97 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2025)
The 2024 L'Eglise-Clinet was picked on September 21, 23 and 24 apropos the Merlot and September 23, 24 and 28 for the Cabernet Franc, which constitutes 10% of the blend. It matured in 85% new oak (90% Darnajou and 10% Taransaud). This takes time to unfurl generous black cherry, mint and cassis aromas that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with chiseled tannins that frame the mineral-driven black fruit. It's not the most powerful L'Eglise-Clinet I have ever tasted at this stage, but you have to admire the manner in which this just builds toward the finish whilst retaining poise and tension. The 2024 is a wonderful Pomerol that will age effortlessly in bottle. Drinking range: 2030 - 2060 Rating: 94-96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2025)
90 M 10 CF 13.8% More intense and deeply closed than its sibling, Petit Eglise, with dark cherry and blackcurrant fruit scents, some saline graphite and rich depth of plum and damson. Dark and inviting. Supple ripe tannins and fresh raspberry acidity with the beginnings of silky creaminess and great extract - but nothing green. Fresh dark-fruited finish. Very good this year, as are pretty much all the Pomerols from the plateau. Rating: 94 Rod Smith MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2025)
The 2024 L'Eglise-Clinet is brilliant and intensely aromatic in its first impression. Vibrant red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, cedar and rose petal soar from the glass. Readers will find a vertical, explosive L'Eglise-Clinet that impresses with its poise and balance. The 2024 deftly marries finesse and power to a degree I have seldom seen here in the past. Superb. Drinking range: 2034 - 2054 Rating: 95-97 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2025)
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. Following Denis' untimely death, his daughters Noémie and Constance are running the show- with the same passion. We love the wines here - and they continue to represent real class and real value from top to bottom. The Durantou family also own Château les Cruzelles in Lalande-de-Pomerol, Saintayme in Saint Emilion and Chateau Montlandrie in the Côtes de Castillon.
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. Many properties specify a standard case format, and may make additional charges for six-bottle cases, for example. We offer wood cases of six bottles as standard where these are available without extra charge, but we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. If you want six-bottle cases where a 12 bottle case is offered, please check for the extra case charge. 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
- +£9.50 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 2027. 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.