Wine Advisor
L'Eglise Clinet, La Petite Eglise 2015
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Description
Petite Eglise, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Still, Red, 2010
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 La Petite Eglise, which is pure Merlot as usual, has a ripe and quite opulent bouquet that pays little heed to its deuxième cru status. It leaps from the glass with scents of black cherries, blueberry, kirsch and orange blossom, all very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with an almost viscous opening and a level of concentration that many a self-aggrandizing Pomerol would be proud of. There is great depth here with layers of blackberry, raspberry coulis and light white pepper notes, a gentle grip on the finish and a long aftertaste. What a superb La Petite Eglise, perhaps the best that Denis has ever produced.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Denis Durantou's 2015 La Petite Eglise is just as compelling from bottle as it was from barrel. Classy, polished and super-refined in every way, the Petite Eglise is all class. The bright red cherry, hard candy, mint and rose petal notes are beautifully delineated throughout. Even with all of its obvious fruit density, the 2015 remains light on its feet and gracious. There is no question Petite Eglise is one of the best second wines in 2015. Actually, Petite Eglise is not really a terrific second wine, it is simply a gorgeous Pomerol. That's all there is to it.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
A gorgeous second wine, the 2015 La Petite Eglise exudes raciness. Sweet red cherry, kirsch, hard candy, blood orange, rose petal and mint give the Petite Eglise an exotic edge that is compelling. There is a level of Pinot-like sweetness and overall purity here that is impossible to miss. This sensual 100% Merlot will give readers immense pleasure over the next decade or so. This fruit was brought in on September 24.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 La Petite Eglise is pure Merlot picked on 24 September at 41 hl/ha and matured in 45% new oak. It has a vivacious, precocious bouquet for a deuxième vin, kirsch and raspberry coulis, a touch of orange blossom. It is not an exotic bouquet, but it knows how to have fun. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, good depth in the mouth, perhaps just a little pinched on the finish at the moment, but it will have its fingers pried open by the end of its élevage. As such, give this a couple of years in bottle before broaching.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
A gorgeous second wine, the 2015 La Petite Eglise exudes raciness. Sweet red cherry, kirsch, hard candy, blood orange, rose petal and mint give the Petite Eglise an exotic edge that is compelling. There is a level of Pinot-like sweetness and overall purity here that is impossible to miss. This sensual 100% Merlot will give readers immense pleasure over the next decade or so. This fruit was brought in on September 24.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This pure merlot is so wonderful to taste now with violet, berry and chocolate character. It's full-bodied yet in check and balance. Lovely, enticing finish. Second wine of Eglise Clinet. Drink in 2020.
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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