Wine Advisor
L'Eglise Clinet 2005
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Among the most saturated in color of all the 2005 Pomerols (which is saying something), this wine has a spectacular nose of licorice, mulberry, blackberry and sweet blue fruits. The new oak is completely hidden, the wine full-bodied, multi-layered and just stunning. The purity, richness and skyscraper-like mouthfeel are incredible. Give it another 5-10 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 30+ years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Along with Petrus, l’Eglise-Clinet is the superstar of Pomerol in 2005. Proprietor Denis Durantou has produced one of this estate’s most monumental wines. Adding weight and richness since last year, this inky/purple-colored effort offers up a phenomenal bouquet of melted tar, truffle oil, black cherry liqueur, blackberries, caramel, and espresso roast. Powerful, full-bodied, amazingly rich, huge, and dense flavors are accompanied by a boatload of sweet tannin and glycerin. This wine will need considerable bottle age before it reaches full maturity, and it should last for 3-4 decades. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035+.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted single blind at FINE magazine’s vertical in Dusseldorf. This has a ravishing sweet, decadent bouquet: very pure and more Merlot dominated than Cabernet Franc. There is a lot of puppy fat on this wine. The palate is full-bodied with succulent tannins, very supple and generous, layers of pure blackberry, cassis, a touch of bergamot and tobacco, brilliant delineation towards the finish that has extraordinary length. Tasted February 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Raised in 70% new oak with the new Cabernet Franc. Very deep garnet core. This still has that amazingly pure, exuberant nose with spellbinding definition and clarity. Blackberry, black plum, a touch of cassis and blueberry. The palate is incredibly pure with and almost Burgundian texture, yet the structure is 100% Bordeaux – super fine tannins, perfect acidity with a beguiling blackberry and blueberry finish. Exceptional, but do not drink for another decade if you can resist it. Drink 2018-2050. Tasted May 2009.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Deep black/purple hue. The nose is very intense but with great definition and elegance: blackberry leaf, violets and a touch of black tea. A perfect example of power and elegance, almost floral in nature. Superb balance with a lot of freshness on the finish. Very good acidity. Quite a feminine L'Eglise-Clinet, but do not be fooled, this is an exceptional wine to rank alongside the 1998. Tasted April 2006.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A spectacular offering from proprietor Denis Durantou, the 2005 ranks alongside the 2000 and 1998 l’Eglise-Clinets. An inky/ruby/purple color is followed by a sumptuous bouquet of violets, melted licorice, creosote, black cherries, blackberries, and espresso. Boasting super intensity, huge, full-bodied opulence and power, and plenty of sweet tannin and glycerin, I would not be surprised to see this 2005 shut down after bottling. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2035.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A sensational effort from proprietor Denis Durantou, this 2005 is a compelling wine, but purchasers should wait at least a decade to begin the magical liquid tour. One of the monumental wines of the vintage, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a glorious perfume of caramelized blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries, a hint of toast in the backward, fully integrated oak, full body, and exceptional density and richness. Prodigiously concentrated, this layered, broad Pomerol reveals a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol, and wood. It is a massive, yet remarkably elegant wine that is as singular as it is exhilarating. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted single blind at Southwold. This is a stunning offering from Denis Durantou. It has a very ripe, succulent bouquet with blackberry, black cherry, ripe dates and an alluring minerality. The full-bodied, sinewy palate is bolstered by thick, saturated tannins, lavish new oak intertwined with ripe, pure red-berried fruit with immense grip towards the finish. This has much more backbone that it suggested in barrel. Great length – edgy and poised towards the finish. Takes your breath away. Drink 2020-2040+ Tasted January 2009.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Château l'Eglise-Clinet 2005 was served from bottle and from magnum (both ex-cellar). It has a magnificent nose with bewitching delineation: darker fruit than either the 2003 or 2004, blackberry, raspberry, hints of black tea and black truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with brilliant focus, still quite backward as so many grandees of this vintage remain, albeit beginning to soften towards the licorice-tinged finish. This is a benchmark for both Denis Durantou and this Pomerol estate, although I can see it testing wine-lovers' patience. Tasted March 2015.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2005 L'Eglise-Clinet soars out of the glass with captivating aromatics. Inky dark fruit, graphite, lavender, licorice, rose petal and spice captive the senses. In the glass, the 2005 is outrageously beautiful, with layers of inky dark fruit that continue to open, seemingly with no end. Floral notes and redder tonalities of fruit develop with time in the glass. L'Eglise-Clinet is another wine in this tasting that just got better and better with time. It is an epic Pomerol that evokes so many memories of tasting at the château with late proprietor Denis Durantou. Well-stored bottles will prove to be nearly immortal.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2005 l’Eglise-Clinet was picked 9 to 23 September. The bouquet races out of the blocks with red berry fruit, brown spices, black truffle and a whiff of smoke. Give it several minutes in the glass and it develops some gorgeous floral aromas, iris and violet, gaining precision with every swirl. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin that frame layers of red fruit infused with tea leaf, bay leaf, a touch of white pepper and an almost ferrous finish that caresses gently. This has long been a deeply impressive l’Eglise-Clinet with a half-century lifespan. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Saturated ruby-red. Superripe, deep aromas of black cherry, mocha, bitter chocolate, licorice pastille and menthol; almost porty in its ripeness. Hugely concentrated and sweet, with perfectly integrated acidity giving shape and verve to the dark berry, violet and licorice flavors. A very powerful, ageworthy wine with terrific grip and flavor definition. The serious but fine tannins arrive very late and coat the front teeth. It will be fascinating to taste this alongside the great 1998 in a decade or so.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(tasted from a stainless steel tank) Good full red-ruby. Great soil expression on the nose: dark raspberry, minerals, violet, dark chocolate, licorice and crushed stone. Lush and silky on entry, then fine-grained in the middle, with sexy oak and lively acidity framing the blueberry and leather flavors. Thick but quite lively-in fact a bit tight from being in tank. This has a real peacock's tail of a finish, and the tannins are substantial but quite sweet. Offers great potential.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(14.1% alcohol) Full medium ruby. Compelling, wonderfully complex nose combines black raspberry, minerals, dark chocolate, tar and violet. Superconcentrated, opulent and sweet; has a texture of liquid velvet but with superb lift. (The pH of 3.61 is low for this wine.) Intriguing soil-driven notes of violet and blond tobacco. Spreads out impressively on the back end and finishes with big but noble tannins. This extremely long wine should easily last for two or three decades and appears to be the best L'Eglise-Clinet since the supernal 1998.
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.
1961(1)1985(2)1989(1)1993(1)1994(1)1995(2)1997(2)1998(2)1999(1)2000(2)2001(2)2002(3)2003(1)2004(8)
Package Size
1 x 6L12 x 75cl
