L'Eglise Clinet 2016

Deep sultry crimson. Heady. Savoury nose. Meaty flavours and fantastic structure with enough flesh in the middle. Not the sweetest and not as fat as usual but there is drama and depth here. Very long. I think this will come round. 14.3%Drink 2028-2045

Fragrant the nose has violets and bramble freshness the palate is rich with ripe black plum fleshy and supple. The tannins are fine, ripe, discreet the mid and back palate are opulent with rich fruit the finish though lighter fresh with elegance and length. 2028-43

You’d better not be in a hurry to drink this, because it’s a dense, thick, sinewy wine that will reward long cellaring. Serious and concentrated, it has notes of damson, black fig and roasted herbs and a foundation of layered tannins. 2029-35

This is an imposing wine with huge, grainy, blackberry and violet-soaked flavours all backed up with otherworldly tannins and an immense finish. It is so spicy and so dramatic and the freshness on the finish is equal to the exuberance of the fruit and tannin. There is balsamic power here coupled with earthiness, but it is all set against a backdrop of lush fruit. Amazing. 19++

The 2016 L'Eglise-Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc picked between 21 September and 4 October for the former and on 6 October for the latter. It was cropped at 43 hectoliters per hectare and matured in 80% new oak, with around 14.2% alcohol. Lucid in color, it has a quintessential L'Eglise-Clinet bouquet with blackberry, raspberry coulis, liquid minerals and hints of iris and incense. The palate is very precise and crisp, some of the finest tannins that you will encounter in Pomerol, tensile right from the beginning, taut and linear with immense precision towards the extended mineral-soaked finish. This is nothing less than a brilliant wine from Denis Durantou, undoubtedly one of the stars of the vintage. Drink 2024 - 2050.

This has so much violet and black-olive character to it. It’s full-bodied and powerful with incredible power and depth of old-vine tannins. It just rolls on and on. What a finish.

The 2016 L'Eglise Clinet has a medium to deep garnet-purple color with aromas of warm black cherries, mulberries and Black Forest cake slipping seductively from the glass plus nuances of rose hip tea, baking spices, fragrant soil and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it's wonderfully elegant in the mouth with fantastically plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and very perfumed. Beautiful! 2023-2053.

The 2016 L'Eglise Clinet has a medium to deep garnet-purple color with aromas of warm black cherries, mulberries and Black Forest cake slipping seductively from the glass plus nuances of rose hip tea, baking spices, fragrant soil and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it's wonderfully elegant in the mouth with fantastically plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and very perfumed. Beautiful!