Château L'Eglise Clinet 2017

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 L'Eglise Clinet begins a little closed and broody, soon unfurling to reveal powerful notes of baked black plums, chocolate-covered cherries and blueberry preserves with hints of chargrill, mocha and aniseed plus a touch of tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is a powerhouse of crunchy, vibrant black fruit, framed by wonderfully ripe, rounded tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and savory. Bravo!

Very lush, with warmed fig, plum and blackberry preserve flavors rolling through, laced with ganache, alder and espresso notes. A tarry edge frames the finish, where the fruit drips slowly. For the hedonist crowd. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038.

For me, this is one of the successes of the vintage in Pomerol, although it doesn’t fully escape the roadblocks of 2017. There is a real sense of precision and elegance here, with floral violet aromatics and a note of liquorice, and it delivers its power in a measured way, one hand at a time – it’s a wine to sit with and enjoy. There was no frost at this estate. The Merlot was picked between 12–22 September, and the Cabernet Franc on 22 September. The 70% new oak shows slightly on the finish, but the tannins are pliable and enjoyable, promising to cradle the fruit for the long haul.

Extremely enticing aromas of blackberries, brambleberries, sweet tobacco, bark and mushrooms follow through to a medium- to full-bodied palate that builds in the mouth and crescendos to medium, round tannins, juicy fruit and a long, flavorful finish. It rolls along the palate. Excellent, persistent finish. Try after 2024, but already a joyous glass.

The 2017 L’Eglise-Clinet was picked from 12 to 22 September for the Merlot and on 22 September for the Cabernet Franc. Denis Durantou told me that it is matured in 70% new oak. This has a stunning, mineral-driven bouquet with tightly packed blackcurrant and raspberry fruit, and hints of black truffle that emerge with time. The palate has a satin-like texture on the entry with a fine bead of acidity. This defies the growing season in terms of its concentration with layers of black fruit on the saline finish. It does not quite have the length of the 2018 - but it will give 30 years of drinking pleasure.

Truffle, smoke, tobacco and red fruits are at the core of this wine. On the palate, there is a concentration of flavor. The wine has lift and power, but the tannins in this vintage are firm and will need time to soften before they captivate the pleasure-seeking consumer. The wine was made from a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14% ABV with a pH of 3.68. The harvest took place from September 12 to September 22. Known for his wit, proprietor Denis Durantou wrote about his frost-affected, small 2017 production: “We produced just enough bottles for my friends.”

Deep dark ruby, purple reflections, delicate brightening on the rim. Closed on the nose, but very precise with pure blueberry and black cherry fruit. Elegant dark berry fruit on the palate, grainy but well-integrated tannins, powerful with rather discreet acidity and fine astringency on the finish. Showing development and has certain ageing potential.

Dense purple garnet. What an elixir, with ripe wild raspberries paired with a bouquet of violets. On the second approach, blackcurrants, ebony and licorice. On the regal palate, silky texture and a tightly knit body; you feel the untamed power and are magically drawn to the incredible mineral depth of this Pomerol. In the focused finish, a crescendo of blackberries, Virginia tobacco and roasted raspberry seeds, along with gentle astringency. Not for the impatient, as it will still gain! “Just enough bottles for my friends,” Denis whispered to me quietly during the en primeur tastings. Anyone who managed to snag a few bottles can count themselves lucky!

Kunz barrel sample 18: (90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 70% new barrique) Concentrated, deep, complex, finely mineral bouquet, candied raspberries, After Eight, fine slate, delicate licorice. Finely concentrated, multi-layered, elegant palate with a dense, silky structure, varied, fresh aromatics, plenty of fine tannin, a very long, dense, delicate finish with many lingering flavors. (19/20). 20: Medium-dark garnet with purple reflections at the core and a ruby shimmer on the rim. On the first sniff, the nose recalls an intensely fruity, raspberry-driven Richebourg. The palate is initially juicy and then still demanding. It remains in the red-berry register and, after the raspberries already noted on the nose, also conveys currants, lingonberries, and red cherries; the slightly tangy finish is syrupy-sweet. As mentioned, a Burgundian Église-Clinet with medium potential. (17/20).

A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, L’Eglise-Clinet 2017 has a deep garnet-purple color. Wow—it starts off with a very impressive, showy nose of black cherry compote, black raspberries, and warm black plums, plus suggestions of black truffles, underbrush, and lilacs. Full-bodied, the palate bursts with expressive black fruit preserves and floral layers, supported by exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and incredibly fragrant.

A very subtle peony nose; the aromatic freshness carries through to an elegant, crunchy palate, with supple tannins that are pleasantly soothing.

Wine aged in 70% new barrels. What character and authenticity in the bouquet of Eglise-Clinet! A magnificent symbiosis between the different elements that compose it, whether in terms of terroir, élevage, and fruit notes. I detect notes of blueberries and a floral touch (iris), as well as a chalky side and wafts of cocoa powder. On the palate, the wine manages to combine silkiness with the breadth of the tannins and the freshness of the structure. The latter brings a lovely tension that ensures precision and vigor on the palate. The tannins emerge on the finish and provide perfect support to the entire palate alongside the structure. Beautiful aromatic expression, all in finesse through to the finish. An exceptional wine that brilliantly reminds us how great 2017 can be! There’s just enough for friends, notes Denis Durantou.

Logo on the cork: CB Dark, intense, and beautiful colour. Very attractive nose of blackberry and hazelnut, both fruity, fresh, and above all floral. Delicate from the attack, finely supple as it develops, then complex from mid-palate to the finish, the wine unfolds rich and deep in flavour, on a dense and refined body.