Farr Vintners Logo

L'Eglise Clinet 2008

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Franc

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château L'Église-Clinet

Label

Tasting Notes

A remarkable wine in this vintage, L'Eglise Clinet's 2008 has a color almost as dark as the barrel sample of 2010. Classic mocha and caramel-infused creme de cassis and black cherry notes, with hints of licorice and loamy soil soar from the glass of this opaque ruby/purple, aromatically compelling wine. Opulent, expansive, and savory, with a broad texture, a full-bodied mouthfeel, terrific purity and a layered finish, this is another big, massive wine that transcends the vintage character, and will probably need 7-10 years of bottle age. It should keep for 20 or more years as well.

95
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194), May 2011

Mid crimson. Scented and rich on the nose. Very broad and mouthfilling - quite complex. Much more than just sweet. An interesting wine - quite different from most Pomerols. Lots of lift and attack - not at all playing the sweetness card. Very appetising. Intriguing - even quite intellectual. Explosive with a savoury finish. Smooth and sleek and complete. Good wine! No holes. Lots of energy.

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2009

So many great wines have emerged from this property administered with meticulous care and obvious passion by proprietor Denis Durantou that it hard to say the 2008 is better than some of the previous wines produced over the last decade. It is more backward and less evolved than some of the other Pomerols in this vintage, but the wine boasts an inky/ruby/purple color as well as an exceptionally pure bouquet of creme de cassis, black raspberry liqueur, charcoal, and a hint of black truffles. Dense and pure with massive concentration yet undeniable elegance and precision (because of the fresh acids), this full-bodied effort, despite the high level of Merlot in the blend, requires 7-10 years of patience. It should evolve for 30-40 years after bottling, and will be fascinating to compare with some of the legends produced here over the last ten years.

94/96+
Robert Parker, RobertParker.com (182), April 2009

Tasted ex-château and single blind in Southwold. On the nose, the l'Eglise-Clinet 2008 is much broodier and introspective than its peers, the Cabernet Franc imparting seductive truffle and undergrowth aromas. It displays impressive intensity, a nose that is full of character. The palate is full-bodied with lush, saturated tannins that belie a firm backbone. This Pomerol has impressive acidity and depth: "spherical" at first, but those tannins come through with time in the glass. Well enmeshed oak with a seamless, classy finish. This is an enigmatic, alluring Pomerol wine. Tasted January 2012.

97
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, January 2012

A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, this has a very pure, elegant nose with brilliant definition. It has an almost Burgundian personality. The palate has awesome balance - so much freshness and tension. Tart red cherries, crushed violets and minerals. Crushed stones on the finish. Also tasted samples directly from the barrel that are showing more power and depth, perhaps a greater length, less of the precision that will eventually be the signature of this great Pomerol. Tasted April 2009.

95/97
Neal Martin, RobertParker.com, April 2009
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.