critic reviews
The 2022 Clos l'Eglise, which contains 30% Cabernet Franc, needed a few minutes to open in the glass. It is a little tighter than its stablemate, Barde Haut, also owned by the Garçin-Léveques. The nose features a black plum aroma and touches boysenberry. The palate is medium-bodied with a structured opening and a strong marine influence intermixed with a black olive tone. Patience is required, but it will be worth the wait.
The 2022 Clos L'Eglise, 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It features straight-laced, classic scents of warm black plums, blueberry preserves, and cedar chest, leading to suggestions of iron ore, Sichuan pepper, and fertile loam. The full-bodied palate is wonderfully bright and pure, with fresh black fruits and earthy accents supported by very firm, very ripe tannins and finishing long and mineral-laced. 1.5 ha of Merlot is being replanted, so there is a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc this year, which really lends a shine to the wine! pH 3.75.
Offering up aromas of sweet cherries, berries, spices and new oak, the 2022 Clos l'Eglise is medium to full-bodied, broad and layered, with a velvety attack that segues into a vibrant, rather structured mid-palate, concluding with youthfully firm tannins. Incorporating fully 30% Cabernet Franc this year, this is a strong effort, albeit a touch on the liberally extracted side for such a concentrated vintage.