Château L'Eglise Clinet, Pomerol, 2023
"The finesse and architecture of the 2019 with the fruit and flesh of 2018" is how Noémie Durantou explains 2023. This was our first appointment of the week and it certainly raised our expectations. The entire range is exceptional so we had high hopes for Eglise Clinet… and we weren't disappointed. More reserved (than the Petite Eglise), but equally enthralling – with air suggestions of blood orange, minerals, griotte and pure hedgerow fruits emerge. This purrs across the palate with dark, ripe fruits and touches of spice. Packed with bright fruit and detail this is a very distinguished Pomerol, composed, refined, effortless, exuding long, noble flavours of spiced fruit, dark chocolate and ripe cherry on its velveteen tannins. Charm and power in equal measure. Superb. 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.
critic reviews
An opulence of flavours and aromatics, knitted down and ready to go the distance, expect waves of squid ink, crayon and slate, alongside iris, peony, fragrant camellia blossoms. Creamy black fruits and liquorice bud emerge after 15 minutes in the glass, this will take its time to fully open, suggest a good four or five years in bottle for the precise, carved natured of the tannins to soften and fully reveal the brilliance of this wine. Once again sitting among the very best of the appellation. 82% new oak. Harvest September 10 to 14. Noëmie Durantou winemaker, 42hl/h yield.
The 2023 L'Eglise-Clinet was potentially one of the wines of the vintage after its sublime performance from barrel. Now in bottle since May after maturation in 82% new oak, it has a seamless bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, veins of blue fruit mixed with violet and iris petal, hints of black truffle emerging with time. The palate delivers with that intense, quite mineral-driven smorgasbord of red fruit that gently grip the palate. Wonderful backbone, very precise with a sustained finish, this is a brilliant L'Eglise-Clinet from Noëmie Durantou that should give 30 to 40 years' drinking pleasure.
A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, L’Eglise-Clinet 2023 has a pH of 3.7. It is deep garnet-purple in color and opens with an initial burst of gregarious fruit, with blueberry preserves and ripe, juicy plums giving way to perfumed waves of lilacs, cinnamon stick, star anise, crushed rocks, and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly coiled at this stage with the taut, intense black and blue fruit core intertwined with minerals and exotic spices, supported by firm, rounded tannins and compelling tension, finishing very long and fragrant. A head-turner!
So delicious, a seriously impressive wine combining juicy spiced plum and damson fruits, bitter black chocolate and espresso, serious and reserved, with the creamy texture of Pomerol fruits emerging after a few minutes in the glass. Noëmie Durantou winemaker. Harvest September 1 to 18. 42hl/h yield.