Château L'Église Clinet 2016
In 1882, the great-great-grandfather of Denis Durantou, the current owner and manager of the property, created Château l’Église-Clinet by blending several small plots from the Clos de l’Église and the Domaine de Clinet, which the Durantou family had been cultivating for over a century.
The 1955 vintage was the first to be labeled "Château L’Église-Clinet."
A 4.5-hectare vineyard... Cultivated using sustainable methods, this plateau located around the Saint-Jean de Pomerol Church, in the heart of the prestigious Right Bank appellations, produces one of the finest Pomerols. The steep, clay-gravel terroir is ideal for Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The vines, over 40 years old, are harvested by hand, not to mention the maximum vinification, giving rich, elegant and captivating wines, for a remarkable balance between fruitiness, richness and suppleness.
Review by Neal Martin / Vinous - January 2019
The 2016 L'Eglise-Clinet was aged in 80% new oak and bottled in mid-April 2018. Crystal-clear in color, it has an equally crystalline bouquet that is completely seductive, with red cherries, wild strawberries, peony and iris flowers, and a hint of bay leaf. You could sit and sniff this all day.
The palate is balanced and grippy, displaying supple tannins and a perfect acidity. Again, there's a symmetry about this Pomerol that is totally seductive, and the persistence is up there with the best. Simply put, this is one of the best L'Eglise-Clinet wines I've tasted in recent years. Superb.
Review by Antonio Galloni / Vinous - January 2019
The 2016 L'Eglise-Clinet is glorious. Rich and lush on the palate, with striking depth, the 2016 has so much to offer. A rush of inky blue/purple berry fruit, lavender, menthol, and exotic spices adorn this exquisite wine. The 2016 has enormous richness and concentration, yet it's not yet ready to show all its magic.
Even so, the purity of flavors is simply enormous. I won't be surprised if the 2016 proves even better than this rating suggests. At this point, however, it's clearly one of the wines of the vintage. This is a fabulous performance from Denis Durantou.
Data sheet
- Designation
- Pomerol
- Year
- 2016
- Color
- Red
- Acceptance
- Merlot 90%, Cabernet Franc 10%
- Alcohol level
- 14.5
- Apogee
- 2028 - 2060
Jean-Marc Quarin /Quarin.com - Noté 98/100 (march 2019)
James Suckling - Noté 98-99/100 (february 2019)
Vinous / Neal Martin - Noté 98/100 (january 2019)
Vinous / Antonio Galloni - Noté 98/100 (january 2019)
Jeb Dunnuck - Noté 100/100 (february 2019)