| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Clinet has produced a blockbuster wine, even in the lighter, less consistent vintage of 2011. It reveals a dense purple color as well as an abundance of black cherry, black currant and blackberry fruit intermixed with licorice, incense and a touch of camphor. Full-bodied, opulent and fleshy with a substantial finish, this showy, dramatic 2011 should drink well for 15-20 years. Brilliant!
The 2011 Clinet has a perfumed nose, quite floral and perhaps more Saint-Émilion in style rather than Pomerol, though I appreciate its mineral undertow. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly more pliant tannins, fresher than its peers with spicy red fruit with a bitter but focused finish. This is a fine Clinet that is drinking perfectly now, though many vintages surpass this in recent years. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting. 2022 - 2030
This is a rich Pomerol for the vintage with plenty of berry, chocolate and toasted-oak character. Full body with round, soft tannins. Needs two or three years to come together.
This small (8 hectare) property is situated at the edge of the plateau of Pomerol behind Clos L'Eglise. It shot to fame following a 100 point Parker rating in 1989 and then repeated this feat 20 years later. The wines here are serious, dense and powerful. The blend is approximately 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. 60% New oak. Michel Rolland consults here. A really black colour here. Rich and powerful, sexy, oppulent but not over-extracted. This is full of black fruit and has a long sweet finish. An impressively concentrated Pomerol.
The black fruited mix on the nose feels sweet with the mix of fruits giving richness in the middle. The tannins towards the back are firm tending to close down the palate and give a tight feel on the finish.
Undoubtedly one of the most ambitious Right Bank wines in 2011, this is a big, bold, concentrated red that is built for the long haul. It's got a lot of tannin and oak, but there's enough fruit and freshness for balance with sweet black fruits, some cassis and appealing underlying succulence. A wine to cellar. 12+ years.
Deep purple-crimson colour. Tight, firm and intense. Lots of chocolatey, liqueur de cassis extract. Finishes a little tough and drying.
Under proprietor Ronan Laborde, Clinet has returned to the high quality witnessed in 1989 and 1990 under the helmsmanship of the late Jean-Michel Arcaute. Made from a final blend of 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc that hit 14% natural alcohol, the inky, opaque purple-colored 2011 exhibits notes of blackberries, blueberries, espresso roast and subtle oak. Full-bodied, layered, opulent and flamboyant for a 2011, with loads of concentration and glycerin as well as a long finish, this is one of the most impressive wines of the vintage. It should drink well for two decades.
Tasted twice the second time at the property with Ronan Laborde. The Clinet 2011 is a blend of 85% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc picked from 7th September until 26th September. It has a ravishing bouquet with multi-layered, creamy dark fruit, blueberry, cassis and a touch of vanilla pod. It soars from the glass and takes no prisoners. The palate is full-bodied with rich saturated tannins, low acidity, rounded and sensual in the mouth with an intense, voluminous finish that leaves a touch of oyster shell as its calling card. A second sample at the chateau promoted the fine tannins, offering a much more delineated finish, much more precise but a little drier (possibly because of the more cloudy weather.) Excellent Mon. Laborde! Tasted April 2012.
A silky wine with dark chocolate and currant character. Chewy tannins but polished. Full and complete. Very velvety textured. Hand crafted wine for the vintage.
