Chateau L´Eglise Clinet 2023

WEINWISSER: "90 % Merlot, 10 % Cabernet Franc, 14.6 Vol.-%, 82 % neue Barriques, Produktion: Confidential. Verführerisches dicht verwobenes Bouquet, frischgepflückte Alpenheidelbeere, Himbeermark und betörender Iris-Duft. Im zweiten Ansatz Brombeergelee, Graphit und edle Cassiswürze. Am sublimen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, energiegeladener Rasse und geradlinigem Körper, unglaubliche Spannung in diesem Pomerol. Im kaskadenartigen, nicht enden wollenden Finale blaue Beeren, tiefschürfende Terroirwürze, Mille-feuille – dieses Jahr – unglaubliche Präzision, Tiefgründigkeit und Länge – ich setze ihn über den 2022er und auf ein Niveau mit dem großartigen 2020er und 2010er – Bravo Noëmi!"

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "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!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "The wine quickly focuses you on its floral characteristics paired with black raspberries, plums, black, with white cherries, dark chocolate, and just an edge of coffee beans. The palate however, is where the excitement takes place. The wine is opulent, rich, aromatic, concentrated, and long. The mark of freshness is there, but, you also experience the wine's elegance, and silky tannins, as well as its length, and width on the mid-palate, and finish. Interestingly, here, it was the moderate amount of sun hours that helped make the vintage as it shielded the grapes from the late summer heat wave. From a blend of 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc, 14.60% ABV. The harvest took place September 10-September 14. It is great to see continuing strong wines from the Durantou family. Drink from 2029-2060."

JAMES SUCKLING: "The purity and precision tof this young Eglise Clinet is exceptional, with finesse, intensity and fine tannins that last for minutes on the palate. It grows slowly and then builds and continues. The energy is terrific. Finishes long and confident. All about structure with finesse. The tannins really are refined and tightly woven. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc."

DECANTER: "Crafted from deep rooted vines in both clay with clayey gravel, this estate succeeds like no other in expressing power from this appellation but without any hard or drying tannins, which one can encounter in 2023 from other estates. Cool and confident menthol, bright tangy red berry and blueberry fruit aromas introduce an almost Pauillac like palate whose tannic grip is happily balanced by blood red orange like freshness. Aging in 82% new oak, this wine was made from grapes picked before the September rains: the tannins show no rawness, but rather pristine ripeness. I love the linear focus enveloped with subtle succulence, ending with a long finish. Give it the full opportunity to improve in your cellar, not before 2033, when it will reward your patience fully."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The Grand Vin 2023 Château L'Eglise Clinet checks in as 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that's resting in 82% new barrels. It brings another level of density as well as purity, with fabulous notes of cassis, ripe black cherries, chocolate, smoked tobacco, iron, and spice, as well as a kiss of background graphite. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet very much in the vibrant, fresh, classic style of the vintage, it has ripe tannins and a gorgeous finish. It shines on all accounts, offering beautiful purity and complexity and plenty of richness, and it should have a broad, lengthy drink window."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2023 L'Eglise Clinet unwinds in the glass with brooding aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with baking chocolate, pipe tobacco and toasty new oak. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, with a sweet core of fruit framed by rich, powdery, generously extracted tannin, it's broad-shouldered and powerful, concluding with a long, expansive finish. It's a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that checks in at 14.6% alcohol."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Blättrige Würze, rotbeerige Töne, Weichsel, balsamisches, neues Holz. Im Mund ist der Wein körnig, ein fester, präsenter, handwerklicher Gerbstoff dominiert. Sehr dicht, kräftig im Alkohol, geschmeidig grundiert, in Saftigkeit und Frucht eher zurückhaltend, mit guter mineralischer Komponente. Strukturell sehr lang."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Aromatically explosive with a burgundy-like notion of berry fruit. Mouth-filling fruit on the palate to match and enfold the abundance of firm tannin behind. Clearly built to age. Drink 2032 – 2050"