Clinet 2001

vinous90

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

Superripe aromas of roasted plum, black raspberry, game, beefsteak tomato and woodsmoke. Full, smoky, sweet and broad, with good mineral lift. Finishes ripely tannic and sweet, with very good breadth.

vinous91

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

Full red-ruby. Cherry, chocolate, mocha, roasted meat and minerals on the nose, along with strong oakiness. Sweet and candied, with slightly jammy flavors but also sound acidity. Burnished wood notes contribute to the wine's complexity. Finishes very long and ripely tannic, but here, too, I wonder if the wine has enough verve and grip.

vinous91

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

Saturated medium ruby. Aromas of blackberry, baking spices, charred meat and spicy oak. Dense, sweet and spicy, with lovely concentrated fresh fruit and a seamless texture. Nicely bright and delineated.

robert_parker91

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Always a difficult wine to taste young, the 2001 Clinet exhibits a deep ruby/purple color and a concentrated nose of fig, plum, blackberry, and even a touch of prune. Medium to full-bodied with a lot of wood showing, impressive sweetness, and a nice, expansive mid-palate, this is certainly an excellent, possibly outstanding wine. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2017.

robert_parker87

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 10-Year On horizontal. This is looking more mature than its peers with its brick rim. It has a pleasant savoury bouquet with roasted herbs, peppermint, a touch of cherry liqueur and honey, very forward and generous. The palate is medium-bodied with very forward tannins, quite savoury with Provencal herbs and tobacco, although I worry that the finish is dry and fading. Be careful of this one. Tasted March 2011.

robert_parker89

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Aged in 100% new oak for 20 months, I prefer the nose on this compared to the 1998, better definition and the fruit is allowed to express itself. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy new oak, touches of dark chocolate inflecting the black fruits. Firm structure, good acidity but just a little drying towards the masculine, powdery finish, with hints of dried prunes and raisin. Trying too hard? I find the oak rather cumbersome here. Tasted May 2009.

robert_parker90

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

The 2001 possesses a dense ruby/purple color along with copious quantities of toasty new oak, blackberries, plums, figs, and cherries. The wine builds incrementally in the mouth, revealing excellent glycerin, a nicely layered mid-section, and medium body. Although it remains unevolved and backward, there is a lot going on. While it would be a mistake to compare the 2001 with the great Clinets of 1989 and 1990, it is a strong effort from the new proprietor, Jean-Louis Laborde. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2015.

robert_parker90

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Served from an ex-chateau double magnum, the larger format has a key role to play here, the nose more backward than from bottles, the savoury component less pronounced. Instead you get those lovely peppermint-tinged black fruit with hints of violets and iodine. The palate displays fine tannins and there is great depth here, although I still find the finish just a little clipped. Tasted May 2013.

robert_parker89

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Always difficult to judge in its youth, the 2001 Clinet exhibits a dense plum/purple color along with a nose of Asian spices (particularly soy), blackberries, raisins, and a hint of prunes. Medium to full-bodied, with good expansiveness, moderate tannin, and an elegant finish, it should round into shape in 1-2 years, and evolve for a decade.