La Petite Eglise, 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. Petite Eglise 2023 is expressive and open knit, aromatically very charming with notes of cacao nib and flowers, turmeric and Goji berry, there's lots of intensity to the mid-palate with gravelly cassis, pure berries, and some briary, saline notes too. This is a very charming and velvety Petite Eglise with an easy charm and balance and lots of detail on the finish. Impressive.
critic reviews
A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, La Petite Eglise 2023 has a deep garnet-purple color. It pops from the glass with scents of juicy black plums, fresh mulberries, and Morello cherries, leading to fragrant suggestions of violets and charcoal, with a touch of black truffles. The medium-bodied palate is light on its feet, with bright berry layers and a firm, fine-grained texture, finishing earthy.
The 2023 La Petite Eglise comes from two plots near the village of Pomerol, augmented by the youngest vines in front of the château. It comprises 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, picked from September 9 to 14, the Franc on the last day. Matured in 82% new oak, this is initially quite backward on the nose, demanding a bit of aeration in the glass. Quite pure and floral, it only reluctantly opens. The palate is medium-bodied and very pure, with fine-boned tannins. The new oak is vocal toward the finish, lending a smooth veneer that will be subsumed with time in bottle. This is very fine, but allow it a few years in bottle.
As usual, the 2023 La Petite Eglise is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that checks in at 14.4% alcohol. Wafting from the glass with aromas of plums and cherries mingled with notes of dark chocolate and truffle, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with a rich core of fruit, sweet tannins and good depth at the core, concluding with a broad, oak-inflected finish.