La Petite Eglise (2nd label Eglise Clinet) 2016

Super-juicy and so much flesh it almost covers the structure. Sweet ink. Lovely stuff. Just falls away a little bit on the end. Drink 2023-2031

The second wine of the estate is the 2016 Petite Eglise, which is always 100% Merlot from the more gravelly parts of the vineyard. This is a beautiful 2016 that shows the house style in its ground herbs, tobacco, gravelly, earthy minerality, and sweet black cherry fruit. This medium to full-bodied, rounded, fleshy beauty is ideal for drinking over the coming 10-15 years. Drink 2019-2034.

Succulent and ripe the nose has sweet black fruits the palate is fleshy and rich ripe black plums. There is some underlying freshness but it fills out at the back supple and ripe all very approachable. 2024-33

This vineyard-based selection from Denis Durantou is a notable success in 2016, showing plum and damson flavours, rich, compact, concentrated tannins, serious oak and, wafting above the whole thing like a fluttering angel, scents of violet and liquorice. 2024-32

The 2016 La Petite Eglise was picked on October 5 and matured in 50% new oak. It has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, raspberry coulis and rose petal aromas; more sous-bois elements emerge with time in the glass. The fresh palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and hints of oyster shell toward the persistent finish. I like the symmetry here. A wonderful La Petite Eglise that will give 10 years of pleasure, possibly more. Drink 2022-2035.

The 2016 La Petite Eglise is pure Merlot as usual that was picked on 5 October this year and matured in 50% new oak. It is a small production of just 700 cases. It has a pure and elegant bouquet with a hint of oyster shell infusing the red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, bright redcurrant and cranberry notes and fine acidity, tender and refined towards the finish. This is another beautiful La Petite Eglise from Denis Durantou.Drink Date 2020 - 2034

The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 La Petite Eglise features beautiful black cherries, mulberries and warm black plums scents with touches of underbrush, cigar box and fragrant soil. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with complex, intense black and red fruit layers with tons of savory sparks coming through on the long, plushly textured finish. Drink 2020-2033.