Wine Advisor
L'Eglise Clinet 1998
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
l'Eglise-Clinet's 1998 is a blockbuster within the standards set by Pomerol in this vintage. The color is an intense saturated ruby/purple. The nose offers up licorice, spice, sweet blackberry and cherry liqueur-like scents. Layer after layer of concentrated fruit cascade over the palate with exceptional purity and medium to full body. It's tannin and new oak are well-integrated. This wine possesses low acidity, high extract, and impressive tannin, but it is more forward than Clinet. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A slightly lighter colour compared to La Mondotte. The nose is in a different class, fundamentally with far more definition and freshness, a mineral component that lends the bouquet so much definition and vivacity. Black cherries, raspberries and a touch of boysenberry, still surprisingly primal after a decade. The palate is full-bodied, very closed and backward, almost coarse in texture but still supremely well balanced with a tightly wound structure. Touches of graphite and singed leather on the long, long finish. I would not approach this with a barge pole at the moment, but it will surely render tasters speechless in 20-25 years time. Tasted March 2008.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Raised in just over 60% new oak, this remains a benchmark ’98 Pomerol. It retains a very intense nose of dark berried fruits, roasted herbs, black truffle and violets. Superb definition and intensity. The palate is full-bodied with firm tannins, superb acidity, quite grippy and introverted at the moment – this wine certainly deserves another 5-8 years in bottle. Firm tannins, broody black fruits, very persistent towards the grippy, almost austere finish. Everything lies in the future for this wine. Tasted May 2009.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted single blind at FINE magazine’s vertical in Dusseldorf. This has a very ripe, Merlot-dominated bouquet, opulent compared to other vintages with touches of dried honey intermingling with precocious dark berry fruits and hints of truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with a tannic entry, grainy in texture with a savoury, smoke-tinged finish. Moderate length. Although it is now 12-years old, its remains very compact and endowed with a long-term future. Tasted February 2011.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
An explosively rich, full-bodied, concentrated 1998, this dynamite l'Eglise-Clinet boasts a saturated purple color in addition to a glorious bouquet of cherry liqueur, black raspberries, and blackberries, an unctuous texture, opulent personality, low acidity, and powerful, moderately tannic, hugely concentrated flavors. This impressive, large-scaled, backward, unevolved effort requires patience. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
En primeur at the chateau. Almost opaque purple. A super-concentrated nose. Intense blackcurrant and tar. Palate is multi-layered with immense depth and clarity. Good acidity. Balanced. This has incredible concentration of black fruits with unbelievable purity. An astounding wine. 20+ years. Then at the L'Eglise-Clinet vertical. The nose is much more intense than the 2000 with roasted herbs, dark chocolate and black truffle, all with superb definition. The palate is very concentrated though not quite as poised as the 2000. Blackberry leaf, iron and a savory note towards the finish. Backward. If I had to chose I would go for the 2000 but its a close run. Magnificent. Tasted June 2005.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This wine has been so impressive over the last decade that it can now be said to rival Petrus. This effort should turn out to be one of the longest-lived Pomerols of the vintage. It is backward, and has closed down since bottling, but make no mistake about it ... this is a dazzling, serious vin de garde. An opaque purple color is followed by a restrained but promising bouquet of sweet black raspberries intermixed with vanillin, caramel, and minerals. The wine is full-bodied, powerfully tannic, beautifully textured, and crammed with extract (an assortment of black fruits). While it is bursting at the seams, purchasers will need to wait a minimum of 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2035.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Pomerol off-line at The Ledbury. This is a stunning L’Eglise-Clinet with stunning delineation on the vivacious bouquet: dark cherries, raspberry, blueberry, violet…still primal and nowhere near ready. It is just so full of energy and tension. The palate does not disappoint with a sense of ebullience and joie-de-vivre it did not have in its youth. This wine is beginning to attain harmony and focus with those ripe dark berried fruits strafed through with an engaging mineralite, the finish still tightly wound but very long and very focused. Brilliant. Drink 2014-2030+ Tasted September 2010.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Château l'Eglise-Clinet 1998 has developed an absolutely stunning bouquet: precocious, glycerin-rich red cherries, cassis, violets and minerals all beautifully defined and so intense. The palate is full-bodied with ripe tannin, layers of sweet blackberry and wild strawberry fruit intermingling with white pepper, cumin, black truffle and tar. There is a crescendo towards the finish that just fans out across the mouth. After 17 years (which makes me feel old, as I remember tasting it from barrel), it is a Pomerol that will take on all comers in the appellation with the exception of the 1998 Petrus. It will give 40-50 years worth of drinking pleasure. Tasted March 2015.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
This is the most sublime example of the 1998 l’Eglise-Clinet of many that I have tasted. The 1998 is a Pomerol that, after 23-years, has reached its zenith. It has a simply gorgeous bouquet of ebullient red fruit, black truffle, cedar and pressed rose petals, with exquisite delineation and harmony. That, follows through on the palate that has a fine bead of acidity, perfect balance, brilliant poise and ethereal purity. Whereas previous bottles have been tight and required longer cellaring, this indicates that Denis Durantou’s brilliant Pomerol is reaching its drinking plateau. Tasted at the Amos Bursary charity dinner at 67 Pall Mall.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1998 l’Eglise-Clinet was picked 21 to 26 September. This formed my introduction to the property and I still remember the impact of tasting this vintage from barrel. Durantou opened three bottles as the first two showed a little TCA. It has a wonderful bouquet that is fragrant and pure: redcurrant, cranberry, a touch of kirsch, hints of marmalade and orange rind. It captures Pomerol at its most opulent without excess. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, dense black fruit laced with truffle with a very complex, mineral-driven, truffle and morels infused finish that lingers long in the mouth. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Saturated dark ruby. Slightly reduced aromas of sappy berries, minerals and orange peel. Extremely dense in the mouth, with compellingly sweet, powerful flavors of raspberry, minerals and espresso. A rare combination of great breadth and verve. Still a bit withdrawn today from the bottling. But this extract-rich wine should be spectacular in seven or eight years and be very long-lived.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Saturated deep ruby. Knockout vibrant nose of roasted blackberry, dark chocolate and espresso. Great concentration and sappy brightness in the mouth; the dark fruit and torrefaction flavors are almost confectionary yet retain great verve thanks to brilliant acidity. A monumental Pomerol with extraordinary seve. Finishes with toothcoating but thoroughly ripe tannins and great grip. As ripe and rich as this is, the 3.65 pH is not particularly high for Pomerol. Will be a cellar treasure.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Saturated purple-ruby to the rim. Compelling, multidimensional aromas of black raspberry, dark chocolate and toffee. Distinct jammy, port-like notes complemented by a metholated aspect. Liqueur-like in its ripeness yet amazingly vibrant. Incredibly sappy and almost confectionery in its sweetness; almost too big for the mouth. Crystallized berry flavors complemented by torrefaction notes of roast coffee and grilled almond. Finishes with huge, very sweet, toothfurring tannins and explosive fruit.
About the Producer
Château l'Eglise-Clinet is located in the Pomerol appellation on the right bank of Bordeaux, France, and is one of the most famous wineries in the Pomerol region. Château Clinet Chapel has a long history, dating back to the late 19th century. The Rouchut family, who ran Chateau Clos l'Eglise at the time, and the Constant family, who ran Chateau Clinet, decided to make wine together. Until 1950, the Bordeaux wines produced by these two families were sold under the name Château Claregelis. It was only after 1950 that their wines were given their current name, Château Clignet. Later, the Durantou family acquired Château Clignet. However, the owner was not keen on wine at the time and left everything to Pierre Lasserre, the owner of another Pomerol estate. Pierre Lasserre only had to give him half of the estate's income each year. This partnership has continued for 40 years. Today, Denis Durantou, a descendant of the Durantou family, is in charge of the estate. At present, Château Clignet has 5.5 hectares of vineyards. The soils are mainly gravel and clay, some of which are rich in iron. The vineyards of Château Clignet were spared from the 1956 frosts and the vines are on average 45 years old. The vineyard is planted with 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc at a density of 6,500 vines per hectare. The vineyard is fertilised with an organic fertiliser mix every 5 years. The grapes are hand-picked when they are ripe at Château Clignet. After careful selection and crushing, the grapes are fermented in concrete and stainless steel containers for 15-21 days. After about October, the fermented wine is aged in new oak barrels for a period of 18 months. The main wine of Château Clinet is the Château l'Eglise-Clinet, Pomerol, France. The wines are concentrated and rich, full-bodied, with pure fruit and exotic spice notes, particularly fresh and wonderful, making them unique among Bordeaux wines. In recent years, as the price of the wine has soared, so has the quality. Today, it is in the top tier of Pomerol.
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