Wine Advisor
L'Eglise Clinet, La Petite Eglise 2021
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Description
Petite Eglise, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Still, Red, 2010
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 La Petite Eglise opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, licorice, loamy soil and black truffle. It's medium to full-bodied, concentrated and tensile, with terrific depth at the core and a long, saline finish,
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Unwinding in the glass with aromas of spices plums, currants, licorice and toasty oak, the 2021 La Petite Eglise is medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a fleshy core of fruit that's framed by chalky, youthfully structuring tannins. It's one second wine that will require a bit of patience.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2021 La Petite Eglise has come out of its shell on the nose during its barrel-aging, now more expressive with finely delineated scents of blackberry, iris flower, gravel and truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and moderate weight, very harmonious and showing more cohesion on the finish than it did out of barrel. Closing with satisfying length, this is a very capable Pomerol.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
A dark-fruited Pomerol with pretty notes of cloves, sandalwood, dried lavender and tar. Medium-to full-bodied with ripe, powdery tannins. Coffee notes at the end. Excellent intensity and structure for the vintage. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
The violets come out of the glass alongside plenty of cherries and hints of sliced peaches. Medium-bodied with a solid center palate of fruit and ultra-fine tannins that give length and drive. Structured and polished, leading to a finish that goes on for minutes. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc.
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.
