L'Eglise Clinet 2013

The 2013 L'Eglise Clinet has a very precise, tightly wound bouquet with limestone-tinged, brambly red berry fruit, the Merlot still very expressive and imparting comely floral scents. There is something almost Burgundy-like about the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin surrounding a core of citrus-fresh, lively red fruit, silky smooth in texture, approachable in style, with an almost symmetrical finish. This was a great L'Eglise-Clinet in barrel in the context of the vintage and it remains a very persuasive wine in bottle. Bravo Denis Durantou - a winemaker that can overcome even the most deplorable of growing seasons!

A 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc blend from the Plateau of Pomerol near the church, the wine has an inky/purple color, a sweet kiss of mulberry and black cherry liqueurs, interwoven with licorice, truffle, a hint of melted road tar and background spice and oak. The wine is opulent, medium to full-bodied and unquestionably a tour de force for this vintage. Kudos to Durantou. If you can find it, this is clearly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage and a real star. Drink from 2018-2027.

It-s no surprise that perfectionist/meticulous proprietor Denis Durantou has turned out one of the best wines of the vintage. Harvested September 27-October 6, only 10,000 bottles were produced in this tiny yielding vintage that also required a draconian-like selection process to keep the best fruit under the top label.

This is a vivid wine with terrific clarity and vibrance aromas and flavors. Full body, ultra fine tannins and a long, long finish. Class. Really superb for the vintage. Needs two or three years of bottle age to soften.

Denis Durantou is making stunning wines that, since 1985, have invariably matched or beaten all the top names of Pomerol in blind tastings. Produced from 40 year old vines picked when ripe but never late. No fancy tricks here, just old vines, great terroir and inspired, yet traditional, wine-making. As our blind tastings have proved over and over again, this is one of the top wines of the Pomerol appellation. In the challenging 2013 vintage we honestly think that Eglise Clinet is a significant step up from Petrus or any of the other top names of the appellation. Durantou believes that vineyard management was key in this vintage. He was able to pick his fruit quickly and early, but fully ripe, between September 27th and October 6th. The blend is 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc with elevage in 70% new oak. Only 10,000 bottles will be produced. A stand out wine that defies the usual characteristics of the vintage. Deep purple in colour with a viscous texture in the glass. Damsons, black forest fruits, cocoa and barbecue on the intense and complex nose. The palate is rich and dense in a way no other 2013 is, with a huge intensity of blackcurrant, blueberry, mulberry, violets, nutmeg and liquorice. The palate is full throttle with lots of ripe tannin and smoky spice giving the structure. The finish is sweet, rich and enduring. Unique, and undoubtedly incredibly impressive.

Deep and brooding the nose is very black fruit in character. The palate packed with rich ripe fruit fleshy and supple black plum backed by rich black cherry. There is an underlying freshness slightly lighter at the back but the finish has depth richness lots of sweet fruit.

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. 70% new oak. Chocolate and black fruit, lovely richness and concentration. Very high tannins here, but they have a buffed edge that suggests they will soften well. Fine, lengthy and concentrated. Pretty hearty, yet quite effortless to taste. Impressive! (RH)
Drink 2020-2030