Château L'Église Clinet - Pomerol 2022 (750ml)
Price: $459.99
| Producer | Château L'Église Clinet |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Sku | 202472 |
| Size | 750ml |
 |
Château L'Église Clinet Description
Denis Durantou took over Chateau L’Eglise Clinet in 1983. In his early years, it was not easy managing the estate. Durantou had to renovate the cellars as there was no floor, only dirt.
The vats were old, unclean, and lacked temperature control. He quickly added stainless steel, temperature-controlled vats, relined the cement tanks with epoxy, and increased the amount of new, French oak used to age the wine of Chateau L’Eglise Clinet. More importantly, he replanted much of the vineyard.
Improvements in the wine were easy to see. After producing a moderate wine in 1982, which was a shame as 1982 continues to be one of the all-time great vintages for Pomerol, things quickly started to turn around. It took just 2 years for Denis Durantou to start Chateau L’Eglise Clinet on the road to legendary status.
Today, it is one of the true stars of Pomerol! The wine of L’Eglise Clinet is concentrated, full-bodied, opulent and rich. Everything is in harmony and balance. This special Bordeaux wine offers purity of fruit, exotic spice components, freshness, and sensuous textures not found in most wines.
The portion of old vine Cabernet Franc, which is close to 70 years of age, is an important component of what makes this wine unique. However, they have some vines that are much older, planted in 1905 and in 1935. Those old Cabernet Franc vines and the rich, clay soils are a large part of what separates the style and aromatic complexity of L’Eglise Clinet from most of the other top Pomerol wines.
Prices keep rising and so does the quality at Chateau L’Eglise Clinet. Today, it is one of the top wines in Pomerol and if you are interested in tasting one of the best wines from Pomerol, it is well worth adding some to your cellar.
Wine Paring: Chateau L’Eglise Clinet is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.
James Suckling: 100 Points
Wonderful aromas of crushed violets and wisteria as well as black-truffle undertones and blueberries. Medium- to full-bodied, this has a beautiful center palate and an endless finish. It’s so polished and refined with breathtaking length that caresses every inch of the finish. A masterpiece for the vintage. 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.
Vinous: 99 Points
Nöemie Durantou remarked that this vintage is the best she had ever known with respect to the Merlot, and given that the 2022 L'Eglise-Clinet contains 90% Merlot, that pre-empted a fabulous Pomerol. Durantou also mentioned that her wines were a little more "shy" compared to the previous day, though the bouquet only needed four or five minutes' coaxing before it unfolded with wonderfully delineated, focused scents of black cherries, peony, blood orange and crushed stone. Exquisitely balanced, the palate has a cashmere texture thanks to the pliant tannins, gaining density all the time. The finish is powerful and very sustained, disguising the 14.6% alcohol extremely well thanks to its countervailing acidic spine, though you feel a dab on the aftertaste. The 2022 is a L'Eglise-Clinet built for the long-term and continues the estate's stunning run of form.
Wine Advocate: 96-98 Points
Offering up deep aromas of mulberries and cassis mingled with incense, licorice, rose petals, spices and hints of new oak, the 2022 L'Eglise Clinet is full-bodied, deep and layered, with an elegantly muscular core of ripe but vibrant fruit that's framed by sweet, powdery tannins. Concentrated and multidimensional, it concludes with a long, resonant finish.
Wine Spectator: 94 Points
Ripe, fleshy and dense in feel, with full-throated notes of boysenberry and blackberry preserves wrapped in licorice and bramble. The frankly toasted finish offers more than enough fruit to push through, with a late tug of earth to keep everything grounded. For the hedonist crowd. Merlot and Cabernet Franc
