Wine Advisor
L'Eglise Clinet 2008
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A remarkable wine in this vintage, L’Eglise Clinet’s 2008 has a color almost as dark as the barrel sample of 2010. Classic mocha and caramel-infused creme de cassis and black cherry notes, with hints of licorice and loamy soil soar from the glass of this opaque ruby/purple, aromatically compelling wine. Opulent, expansive, and savory, with a broad texture, a full-bodied mouthfeel, terrific purity and a layered finish, this is another big, massive wine that transcends the vintage character, and will probably need 7-10 years of bottle age. It should keep for 20 or more years as well.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted single blind at FINE magazine’s vertical in Dusseldorf. Another very pure bouquet that just soars from the glass, blackberry, a touch of boysenberry, crushed stone. The palate is very tight on the entry, tensile tannins, very good acidity lending this such tension that marries beautifully with the power. Almost abrasive towards the finish, a bit of a young behemoth. Serious ageing needed. Tasted February 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. On the nose, the l’Eglise-Clinet 2008 is much broodier and introspective than its peers, the Cabernet Franc imparting seductive truffle and undergrowth aromas. It displays impressive intensity, a nose that is full of character. The palate is full-bodied with lush, saturated tannins that belie a firm backbone. This Pomerol has impressive acidity and depth: “spherical” at first, but those tannins come through with time in the glass. It has beautifully integrated oak with a seamless, classy finish. This is an enigmatic, alluring Pomerol wine. Tasted January 2012.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
So many great wines have emerged from this property administered with meticulous care and obvious passion by proprietor Denis Durantou that it hard to say the 2008 is better than some of the previous wines produced over the last decade. It is more backward and less evolved than some of the other Pomerols in this vintage, but the wine boasts an inky/ruby/purple color as well as an exceptionally pure bouquet of creme de cassis, black raspberry liqueur, charcoal, and a hint of black truffles. Dense and pure with massive concentration yet undeniable elegance and precision (because of the fresh acids), this full-bodied effort, despite the high level of Merlot in the blend, requires 7-10 years of patience. It should evolve for 30-40 years after bottling, and will be fascinating to compare with some of the legends produced here over the last ten years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the chateau. This has a deep garnet hue. The nose takes a little while to unfold over several minutes, but it gradually turns into a very refined, natural, understated bouquet with touches of small dark cherry, a touch of mulberry and raspberry, an underlying mineralite that bears great similarities to Vieux Chateau Certan. Still expanding in the glass, this is a complex, mercurial bouquet, yet it remains understated with a hint of wet clay. The palate is medium-bodied, very focused and linear, filigree tannins with a certain ‘coolness’ about it. Very good weight from start to finish: a palpable edginess here, a sense of tension. The 2008 is a completely different animal to Denis Durantou’s 2009, but a classy Pomerol without doubt. Drink 2014-2030+ Tasted October 2010.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
En primeur barrel sample. A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, this has a very pure, elegant nose with brilliant definition. It has an almost Burgundian personality. The palate has awesome balance - so much freshness and tension. Tart red cherries, crushed violets and minerals. Crushed stones on the finish. Also tasted samples directly from the barrel that are showing more power and depth, perhaps a greater length, less of the precision that will eventually be the signature of this great Pomerol. Tasted April 2009.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Good full red. Pure, floral aromas of black cherry and plum are complicated by strong lead pencil and black pepper notes. Suave on entry, then conveys an almost saline sense of extract in the middle, with very good definition and verve to the pretty black fruit, ink and graphite flavors. Distinctly minty on the finish. A politely styled L'Eglise-Clinet with real breed, showing more acidity than most Pomerols from this vintage.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2008 l’Eglise-Clinet was picked 1 to 6 October and matured in 80% new oak. It has a very refined and detailed bouquet that is less powerful than the 2009 or 2010, yet there is wonderful articulation of the terroir here, dusky black fruit laced with black truffle and a touch of undergrowth. It is the most recent vintage that suggests moving onto secondary aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, grippy in the mouth, fresh and vibrant with an almost chalky finish. This certainly deserves to be part of the 2008/2009/2010 triumvirate and it is furnished with a beautiful mineral-driven aftertaste. The insider’s choice? Most certainly. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2008 L’Eglise-Clinet has a very perfumed, unapologetically floral bouquet replete with expressive red berry fruit laced with crushed limestone and truffle scents, almost Burgundy-like in terms of purity. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy cranberry and raspberry fruit, a fine and almost symmetrical structure with the density and mass you expect from Denis Durantou’s Pomerol. The Cabernet Franc lends a savory, almost dried blood note towards the long, persistent finish. This is ageing with style. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.)
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)2005(5)2006(5)2007(5)
Package Size
