Wine Advisor
L'Eglise Clinet 2015
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 L'Eglise Clinet comes bursting out of the glass with a gorgeous perfume of exotic spices and potpourri over a core of blueberry compote, red currant jelly, spiced black plums and mulberries with touches of unsmoked cigars, powdered cinnamon and licorice. Big, rich and full-bodied, the palate offers exquisite harmony, packed with exotic spice and red and black fruit layers, finishing on an epically long-lasting mineral note. In an understated word: WOW.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 L'Eglise-Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, picked between 21-25 September at 41 hl/ha and matured in 70% new oak. Denis Durantou poured two samples for me. First from Darnajou barrel. Here, a very composed, effortless bouquet with extremely pure raspberry coulis, strawberry, almost confit-like scents that display ethereal delineation. This is not a powerful or intense bouquet, rather one that is sophisticated and refined, bunches of violet emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, crisp acidity, mineral-rich and tensile. There is tangible energy and refinement on the finish that lingers long and tenderly in the mouth, a wine constantly having something more to say. The second came from Demptos barrel. This was deeper on the nose, showing a touch more fruit, slightly higher toned. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, structured in the mouth, perhaps the barrel impressing its character more on the wine than the Darnajou. Together, they should combine to create a quite magical 2015 L'Eglise-Clinet.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 L'Eglise Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that was matured in 70% new oak. It has an engaging, exquisite bouquet with effervescent red cherries, crushed strawberry, cold stone and violet aromas that just leap from the glass. The definition here is astonishingly good. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky smooth, satin-like texture and superb depth with a fine line of acidity, quite saline in the mouth and such effortless balance that you can almost ignore the backbone and structure of this Pomerol. As usual, it is a wine that will benefit from long-term aging—a supreme success for both the vintage and winemaker Denis Durantou and Olivier Gautrat (Denis’s wing man who has been at the property since 2001). Chapeau!
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2015 L'Eglise-Clinet is one of the wines of the vintage. Even better from bottle than it was from barrel, the 2015 towers out of the glass with stunning power and richness. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco and menthol are some of the many notes pulse through this riveting Pomerol. There is plenty of structure, but the tannins are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Hints of lavender, smoke, spice, licorice reappear to round out the finish. L'Eglise-Clinet is 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, aged in 70% new oak. More importantly, the 2015 is a total pleasure bomb. This a fabulous wine from Denis Durantou. Don't miss it.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Denis Durantou's 2015 L'Eglise-Clinet is magnificent. A wine that has it all, the 2015 is vertical, dense and also remarkably translucent, all at the same time. The purity, freshness and energy of the 2015 is remarkable and yet the wine has immense depth. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2015 carries considerable tannic heft. In 2015 L'Eglise-Clinet is a wine of stature and true pedigree. The 2015 is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought in between September 21 and 25. Don't miss it.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 l’Eglise-Clinet was picked between 21 and 25 September. The bouquet has closed up a little since I last tasted it with brambly red berry fruit, briary and light loamy aromas. It is certainly one of the more refined vintages from Denis Durantou in recent years. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, darker fruit than intimated by the nose, quite savory in style with graphite and tobacco towards the finish thanks to some very expressive Cabernet Franc. I suspect this is going to continue closing down as this Pomerol has a tendency to do. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 L'Eglise-Clinet has a classy pencil-shaving-tinged bouquet that combines beautifully with the black fruit, truffle and smoke developing with time in the glass. There is some top notch Cabernet Franc here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, smooth and generous with a very pure finish that has a more velvety and plush texture than I observed 12 months earlier. I have encountered better showings but it will still turn around to develop into a formidable Pomerol. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux 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.
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