Wine Advisor
L'Eglise Clinet 2013
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Grand Vin is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc picked between 27 September and 2 October. It delivers 13.5% alcohol, a degree less than last year. The Merlot comes through very strongly on the nose with pure scents of cranberry and wild strawberry, dried violet petals and a touch of sous-bois It is very well defined although not as complex as a top-flight l'Eglise-Clinet. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky entry that does not hesitate in caressing the palate, the oak succinct and deftly interwoven. There is not a huge depth here, but rather great tension and precision, a hint of citrus peel. This is already utterly seductive. One day, Denis might make a L'Eglise-Clinet that does not incite superlatives. I might be waiting a long time. If you do insist on buying one 2013 en primeur, then make it this one. Tasted April 2014.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc blend from the Plateau of Pomerol near the church, the wine has an inky/purple color, a sweet kiss of mulberry and black cherry liqueurs, interwoven with licorice, truffle, a hint of melted road tar and background spice and oak. The wine is opulent, medium to full-bodied and unquestionably a tour de force for this vintage. Kudos to Durantou. If you can find it, this is clearly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage and a real star. Drink from 2018-2027. It-s no surprise that perfectionist/meticulous proprietor Denis Durantou has turned out one of the best wines of the vintage. Harvested September 27-October 6, only 10,000 bottles were produced in this tiny yielding vintage that also required a draconian-like selection process to keep the best fruit under the top label.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2013 L'Eglise Clinet has a very precise, tightly wound bouquet with limestone-tinged, brambly red berry fruit, the Merlot still very expressive and imparting comely floral scents. There is something almost Burgundy-like about the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin surrounding a core of citrus-fresh, lively red fruit, silky smooth in texture, approachable in style, with an almost symmetrical finish. This was a great L'Eglise-Clinet in barrel in the context of the vintage and it remains a very persuasive wine in bottle. Bravo Denis Durantou - a winemaker that can overcome even the most deplorable of growing seasons!
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2013 L'Eglise Clinet is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. A dark, sumptuous wine, the 2013 flows across the palate with remarkable depth and pure texture. Blue and black fruit, licorice, smoke and violets all flesh out on the voluptuous, racy finish. This is a terrific showing. The blend is predominantly Merlot, with a splash of Cabernet Franc and Malbec from the oldest parcels on the property, which were planted in 1930. New oak is around 60-70%, but it is barely perceptible. What a gorgeous wine this is.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc): Dark ruby. Very pure dark berry and floral aromas soar from the glass. Minerally and inky in the mouth, with blueberry and blackberry cocktail flavors lifted by lively acidity and nicely supported by smooth tannins. One of the better wines of 2013, it's devoid of green or astringent notes. It only lacks the depth of fruit of the better vintages but there's good concentration here.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2013 l’Eglise-Clinet was picked 25 September to 2 October for the Merlot and 6 October for the Cabernet Franc, then matured in 80% new oak. It has a hard time following the 2014 and 2015 in terms of fruit concentration as you would expect. This feels more evolved with woodland/autumn leaf aromas complemented by field mushroom and tertiary scents that occlude fruit expression. The palate is medium-bodied with rather dry tannins, dark berry fruit tinged with cedar and tobacco notes. It is actually an enjoyable Pomerol with fine acidity and freshness on the finish, although as you would expect, it does not belong with the pantheon of great Pomerols. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.
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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Package Size
12 x 75cl
