Château L'Eglise Clinet 2021

The 2021 L'Eglise Clinet is one of the more muscular, powerful wines of the vintage, unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, incense, licorice, spices and toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, with a broad attack that segues into a mid-palate framed by ripe, powdery, richly extracted tannins, it's a dense, youthfully introverted Pomerol that's defined more by its terroir and winemaking than it is by the vintage.

A dark, serious, brooding nose full of black fruits, truffle, rose, violet and dark chocolate. The palate is different, however, giving succulent and lively red fruits — sweet/sour strawberries and red cherries — so fresh and sincere, so perfectly presented with bitter touches balanced against sweetness, racy acidity and fine tannins. An easy-to-like wine, with personality and style and just a feeling of pure joy about it! Not rich, heavy or opulent, but taking the most joyous elements from the vintage and putting them in the glass, still with structure and depth. Great winemaking on show by Noëmie Durantou Reilhac. Ageing in 70% new oak.

Extremely complex and subtle with blackberries, wild forest fruits, orange peel, bark and mushroom on the nose. Perfumed. Full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that are polished and extremely long, going on for minutes. Structured and layered yet compressed on the finish. Some terra-cotta and stony undertones. This shows old-vine character and the essence of 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc. Give this three or four years in bottle, but it’s surprisingly attractive now.

The 2021 L'Eglise-Clinet is a wine that I gave five to ten minutes to open in the glass. It is worth being patient, as it responds with gorgeous black cherries, blueberry and violet scents, hints of crushed stone and a subtle marine element emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with blackberry, boysenberry, oyster shell and blood orange. Very harmonious and almost Lafleur-like in style (no surprise given their proximity, though less Cabernet Franc in the blend here) with a persistent finish, this is a contender for Right Bank of the vintage, perhaps even the best Bordeaux from both Banks.

Elegance, freshness, refinement, and concentrated layers of plums, black cherries, chocolate, flowers, wet earth, along with a hint of espresso come together on the nose and palate. There is ample depth, vibrancy, freshness, and complexity, with a chalky edge to the finish that ties everything together perfectly. The wine blends 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. It is great to see continuing strong wines from the Durantou family. This gem is one of the wines of the vintage, and not much was produced. If this is your thing, grab it now! Drink from 2026–2055.

The flagship 2021 Château L'Eglise Clinet brings another level of concentration and depth, with ripe red and black plum fruits intermixed with notions of damp earth, tobacco leaf, graphite, and violets. Medium to full-bodied, with rock-solid mid-palate density, sweet tannins, and the vintage's fresher, focused, elegant style, it brings plenty of fruit and I'd wager is clearly better than the vast majority of vintages from the 1980s and 1990s, and even many of the 2000s. I was able to follow this bottle for multiple days, and it only got better with air. This will be absolutely loved by the traditionalists out there and plays with the crème de la crème of the vintage. The blend of the 2021 is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc (Noëmie commented that the Cabernet Franc was the standout in the vintage) that was raised in 75% new French oak, which is perfectly integrated. Give bottles just 2-4 years if you can (it already offers pleasure) and enjoy over the following two decades.

Black color, dark-fruited, with plenty of cassis and blueberry on the nose. The intensity and fullness of old vines shine through. Chocolatey, cherry-like, liqueur-like and intensely aromatic, compact and profound, both inviting and disarming. A racy, deep presence on the palate with enormous concentration and ripeness. Great, dense volume with a massive body, compact and long, fresh and multi-layered, yet not fat. The extraction is perfectly pushed to the limit; the tannins still feel slightly rough yet remain elegant. A very concentrated l’Église-Clinet!

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 14% vol. alcohol) Concentrated, profound, complex, fresh, finely mineral bouquet, raspberries, raspberry seeds, mint, vanilla, candied fruit. Tightly knit, multi-layered, elegant palate with fresh, finely creamy fruit, varied, dense, concentrated aromatics, dense, elegant structure, plenty of very fine tannin, very long, dense, full, airy finish with lots of lingering flavors.

(85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 14% alc./vol.) Concentrated, profound, complex, fresh, finely mineral bouquet: raspberries, raspberry seeds, mint, vanilla, candied fruit. Tightly woven, multilayered, elegant palate with fresh, finely creamy fruit; varied, dense, concentrated aromatics; dense, elegant structure; plenty of very fine tannins; very long, dense, full, fragrant finish with abundant lingering flavors. 20/20 2030 - 2060

Carved, precise and energetic, I described this as intellectual during En Primeur, and I stand by that assessment now. Waves of cloves and liquorice root, fine tannins, blueberry, redcurrant, tobacco, red rose petals, blackberry, mandarin zest, slate minerality. This can be approached earlier than many L'Eglise Clinet, maybe 7 or 8 years after harvest, but it will still be revealing new facets after 15 or 20 years. Harvest September 27 to 29, no chaptalisation, 75% new oak.

A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, L’Eglise-Clinet 2021 was aged in 75% new oak. It has a deep garnet-purple color and strides confidently out of the glass with bold notes of juicy black plums, Morello cherries, and wild blueberries, plus suggestions of licorice, violets, and wet slate. The medium-bodied palate has a plush texture and bags of freshness framing the bright, expressive black and red berry flavors, finishing long with a spicy lift. Beautiful!

Eglise-Clinet captivates with its scale, its cut and its precision. The generosity of the style wraps a citrus-driven tension, the whole framed by finely powdered, highly precise tannins. It will keep for at least 20 years.

Very small production in 2021. Aged in 75% new barrels. From the outset, the bouquet is precise, subtle, and detailed. It reveals numerous nuances, whether from the élevage, the fruit, or the spices. The wine clearly succeeds in creating a symbiosis between power and breadth, between depth and character. Everything is here; all the elements needed to give birth to a great wine are present and already ensure harmony. When finesse, power, and a touch of austerity come together so well, the notion of a great wine needs no further proof. A great success that bridges vigor, charm, and tension.

Beautiful dark, purple color. Very aromatic, fine nose with pure, ripe fruit. Precise on entry, juicy mid-palate, supple, very flavorful; the wine caresses the palate and finishes delicate, sapid, and persistent. It’s very good. Blend: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol: 14%. pH: 3.4. No chaptalization. All wines produced by the Durantou family were bled at 20%. Yield: 45 hl/ha.

A shy nose at first, evoking a morning garden in early summer, with buds just beginning to awaken. This is followed by an energizing burst of creamy, lightly spiced fruit. Tannins are firmer than in previous years, yet still display a beautiful, velvety grain. A classic and delicious wine.