Château L’Église-Clinet
About Château L’Église-Clinet
A minuscule estate in the heart of Pomerol, a mere 3.5 hectares were in production until 2020, and in some vintages, L’Église-Clinet produces less wine than the microscopic Le Pin. Rare, exceptional and famous – a deadly triumvirate of characteristics that have conspired to make this one of the most in-demand labels anywhere.
Viniculture
Arriving in 1982, Durantou presided over a monumental restructuring of the vineyards here, uprooting the vast majority of his Merlot vines to change to different rootstock he felt was “not too vigorous”. Lying between the cemetery and the church from which the property derives its name, the vineyards of L’Église-Clinet are planted to 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. Split into four distinct plots, there is an abundance of classic Pomerol clay here, alongside a few deep veins of gravel. A staunch purist, Durantou (and now his children) was of the strong opinion that Cabernet Sauvignon was for the Left Bank!
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£1,606.40 |
|||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 93 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£3,832.80 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (93)The 1989 Château L'Eglise-Clinet continues to shine at 27 years of age and this was certainly a better example than several that I have tasted in the last two or three years. It has a very complex nose, this bottle one of the most backward that I have encountered: red berry fruit, black truffle, crushed violets and sage aromas, a hint of warm tar emerging with time. The palate is extremely well balanced, still quite youthful and structured—a Pomerol that you have to learn to love (although trust me, it is worth the effort). This example suggests that it still has many years ahead, such is its substance and length. This was always a brilliant wine from Denis Durantou, a Pomerol that wears its heart on its sleeve. Long may it shine. Tasted January 2016. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 94 (VN (NM)) |
Inc. VAT
£1,683.84 |
|||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (94)The 2004 l’Eglise-Clinet is an outstanding wine for the vintage, where notes both from bottles and magnum have been uniformly impressive. It has a fragrant bouquet with copious red cherry, crushed strawberry, orange sorbet and violet aromas that you would think come from a warmer growing season. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine-grain tannin, a fine bead of acidity, resolutely classic in style with a persistent tobacco-laced finish. It is a quintessential l’Eglise-Clinet that can be broached now, but will also age. Tasted at a private dinner in London. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (VN (NM)) |
Inc. VAT
£727.92 |
|||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (94)The 2004 l’Eglise-Clinet is an outstanding wine for the vintage, where notes both from bottles and magnum have been uniformly impressive. It has a fragrant bouquet with copious red cherry, crushed strawberry, orange sorbet and violet aromas that you would think come from a warmer growing season. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine-grain tannin, a fine bead of acidity, resolutely classic in style with a persistent tobacco-laced finish. It is a quintessential l’Eglise-Clinet that can be broached now, but will also age. Tasted at a private dinner in London. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£2,808.24 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château L'Eglise-Clinet has a killer bouquet: intense black and red fruit, crushed rose petals, a touch of potters wheel and dried herbs. It possesses one of the classiest aromatics in the Pomerol appellation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, dense dark berry fruit laced with black tea, dried herbs and a touch of juniper, gently building towards a lightly spiced, dense finish with impressive substance. This is a long-term Pomerol that needs another 3-4 years in bottle. Tasted January 2016. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,060.32 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château L'Eglise-Clinet has a killer bouquet: intense black and red fruit, crushed rose petals, a touch of potters wheel and dried herbs. It possesses one of the classiest aromatics in the Pomerol appellation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, dense dark berry fruit laced with black tea, dried herbs and a touch of juniper, gently building towards a lightly spiced, dense finish with impressive substance. This is a long-term Pomerol that needs another 3-4 years in bottle. Tasted January 2016. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99+ (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£252.80 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99+)Proprietor Denis Durantou has produced a blockbuster Pomerol from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, tipping the scales at just over 14.5% natural alcohol. A riveting wine, pure, elegant, but at the same time, extremely powerful and concentrated, with stunning texture, opulence and density, the tannins are abundant, and the wine certainly in need of a decade of cellaring. Fabulous creme de cassis and cherry liqueur notes are intertwined with hints of licorice, truffle, and graphite. Full and rich, but still in an infantile state of development, this wine needs to be cellared for 10 years but should keep for five decades or more. This 2009 is absolutely profound. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99+ (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,363.55 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99+)Proprietor Denis Durantou has produced a blockbuster Pomerol from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, tipping the scales at just over 14.5% natural alcohol. A riveting wine, pure, elegant, but at the same time, extremely powerful and concentrated, with stunning texture, opulence and density, the tannins are abundant, and the wine certainly in need of a decade of cellaring. Fabulous creme de cassis and cherry liqueur notes are intertwined with hints of licorice, truffle, and graphite. Full and rich, but still in an infantile state of development, this wine needs to be cellared for 10 years but should keep for five decades or more. This 2009 is absolutely profound. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,598.38 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (100)Deep garnet colored, the 2010 L'Eglise Clinet begins unassumingly with gentle notions of fragrant dried flowers and wild sage leading to savory nut and meat characters over an expanding core of preserved plums, blueberry compote and black cherry coulis plus a waft of menthol. Full-bodied, concentrated and wonderfully decadent, the palate is absolutely packed with rich, ripe black fruit preserves and loads of spicy sparks, framed by super ripe, super plush tannins, finishing very long and decadent. I love the interplay of subtly and power here - this is truly a WOW wine! |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 4 | 95 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£561.95 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (95)With a dense ruby/purple color is followed by a pure nose of mulberries, cherry liqueur and spring flowers, but no hint of oak, this full-bodied, opulent, rich beauty exhibits impressive purity, texture, richness and length. Not as structured or tannic as Trotanoy, it moves more in the direction of the opulence and flashy, showy fruit of Hosanna and Petrus. It should drink well for 15-20 years. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 4 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,097.98 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (100)A wine that wins my nomination for the title of "wine of the vintage" is the 2012 L'Eglise Clinet, a fleshy and enveloping Pomerol evocative of dark cherries and berries mingled with licorice, spices, pencil lead, truffle and rose petals. Full-bodied, broad and textural, it's lavish and expansive, with terrific depth at the core, supple tannins and a long, resonant finish. Seamless, charming and impeccably balanced, this transcends the vintage, and while it's deceptively drinkable now, it remains a mere adolescent at age 11. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£563.52 |
|||||
James Suckling (95)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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 3 | 94-97 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£984.95 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94-97)The 2014 L'Eglise Clinet is a real head-turner. Gorgeous, super-expressive aromatics meld into a core of dark, sumptuous fruit. Lavender, mint, violets, graphite and crème de cassis notes abound in a powerful, structured wine endowed with magnificent purity and a skyscraper-like sense of lift. Finesse and power collide in a crystalline Pomerol of exceptional beauty. Powerful and dense to the core, the 2014 is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 94-97 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£672.35 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94-97)The 2014 L'Eglise Clinet is a real head-turner. Gorgeous, super-expressive aromatics meld into a core of dark, sumptuous fruit. Lavender, mint, violets, graphite and crème de cassis notes abound in a powerful, structured wine endowed with magnificent purity and a skyscraper-like sense of lift. Finesse and power collide in a crystalline Pomerol of exceptional beauty. Powerful and dense to the core, the 2014 is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 3 | 100 (DC) |
Inc. VAT
£977.98 |
|||||
Decanter (100)Notes of cassis, bilberry, damson, charcoal and liquorice, with pure blackberry juice filling the crevices in between. The tannins are firm but flexible, allowing for some lightness. Hugely complex, but still hugely young. This vintage was made from the first year of the full maturity for these young vines – now 14 years old, 3.55pH. At this youthful stage you can feel the smoky, grilled brush of the oak, which is 70% new, with medium toast, and it’s double toasted to ensure there are no vanillin flavours. This wine will climb upwards and outwards towards the horizon, staking a claim for greatness in 2015. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 7 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,333.18 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)One of the monumental wines in the vintage is the 2016 Château Eglise Clinet from proprietor Denis Durantou. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, this utterly perfect wine boasts a saturated purple color as well as an essence of Pomerol bouquet of ripe black cherries, blackcurrant liqueur, smoked tobacco, camphor, and graphite. Deep, full-bodied, incredibly powerful, and layered, yet always with class and balance, it offers a remarkable marriage of power and finesse. It’s already sexy and seductive yet also a baby, and needs 7-8 years of cellaring. It should keep for 3-4 decades (probably longer), but why wait? |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£824.18 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)Extremely enticing aromas of blackberries, brambleberries, sweet tobacco, bark and mushrooms follow through to a medium to full body that grows on the palate and crescendoes to medium, round tannins, juicy fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Rolls along the palate. Excellent, persistent finish. Try after 2024, but already a joyous glass. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£674.38 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)Extremely enticing aromas of blackberries, brambleberries, sweet tobacco, bark and mushrooms follow through to a medium to full body that grows on the palate and crescendoes to medium, round tannins, juicy fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Rolls along the palate. Excellent, persistent finish. Try after 2024, but already a joyous glass. |
|||||||||
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | - |
In Bond
£1,318.00 |
|||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 93 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£3,832.80 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (93)The 1989 Château L'Eglise-Clinet continues to shine at 27 years of age and this was certainly a better example than several that I have tasted in the last two or three years. It has a very complex nose, this bottle one of the most backward that I have encountered: red berry fruit, black truffle, crushed violets and sage aromas, a hint of warm tar emerging with time. The palate is extremely well balanced, still quite youthful and structured—a Pomerol that you have to learn to love (although trust me, it is worth the effort). This example suggests that it still has many years ahead, such is its substance and length. This was always a brilliant wine from Denis Durantou, a Pomerol that wears its heart on its sleeve. Long may it shine. Tasted January 2016. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 94 (VN (NM)) |
In Bond
£1,366.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (94)The 2004 l’Eglise-Clinet is an outstanding wine for the vintage, where notes both from bottles and magnum have been uniformly impressive. It has a fragrant bouquet with copious red cherry, crushed strawberry, orange sorbet and violet aromas that you would think come from a warmer growing season. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine-grain tannin, a fine bead of acidity, resolutely classic in style with a persistent tobacco-laced finish. It is a quintessential l’Eglise-Clinet that can be broached now, but will also age. Tasted at a private dinner in London. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (VN (NM)) |
In Bond
£588.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (94)The 2004 l’Eglise-Clinet is an outstanding wine for the vintage, where notes both from bottles and magnum have been uniformly impressive. It has a fragrant bouquet with copious red cherry, crushed strawberry, orange sorbet and violet aromas that you would think come from a warmer growing season. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine-grain tannin, a fine bead of acidity, resolutely classic in style with a persistent tobacco-laced finish. It is a quintessential l’Eglise-Clinet that can be broached now, but will also age. Tasted at a private dinner in London. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (WA) |
In Bond
£2,303.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château L'Eglise-Clinet has a killer bouquet: intense black and red fruit, crushed rose petals, a touch of potters wheel and dried herbs. It possesses one of the classiest aromatics in the Pomerol appellation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, dense dark berry fruit laced with black tea, dried herbs and a touch of juniper, gently building towards a lightly spiced, dense finish with impressive substance. This is a long-term Pomerol that needs another 3-4 years in bottle. Tasted January 2016. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96 (WA) |
In Bond
£865.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (96)Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château L'Eglise-Clinet has a killer bouquet: intense black and red fruit, crushed rose petals, a touch of potters wheel and dried herbs. It possesses one of the classiest aromatics in the Pomerol appellation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, dense dark berry fruit laced with black tea, dried herbs and a touch of juniper, gently building towards a lightly spiced, dense finish with impressive substance. This is a long-term Pomerol that needs another 3-4 years in bottle. Tasted January 2016. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99+ (WA) |
In Bond
£208.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99+)Proprietor Denis Durantou has produced a blockbuster Pomerol from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, tipping the scales at just over 14.5% natural alcohol. A riveting wine, pure, elegant, but at the same time, extremely powerful and concentrated, with stunning texture, opulence and density, the tannins are abundant, and the wine certainly in need of a decade of cellaring. Fabulous creme de cassis and cherry liqueur notes are intertwined with hints of licorice, truffle, and graphite. Full and rich, but still in an infantile state of development, this wine needs to be cellared for 10 years but should keep for five decades or more. This 2009 is absolutely profound. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99+ (WA) |
In Bond
£1,117.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99+)Proprietor Denis Durantou has produced a blockbuster Pomerol from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, tipping the scales at just over 14.5% natural alcohol. A riveting wine, pure, elegant, but at the same time, extremely powerful and concentrated, with stunning texture, opulence and density, the tannins are abundant, and the wine certainly in need of a decade of cellaring. Fabulous creme de cassis and cherry liqueur notes are intertwined with hints of licorice, truffle, and graphite. Full and rich, but still in an infantile state of development, this wine needs to be cellared for 10 years but should keep for five decades or more. This 2009 is absolutely profound. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,312.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (100)Deep garnet colored, the 2010 L'Eglise Clinet begins unassumingly with gentle notions of fragrant dried flowers and wild sage leading to savory nut and meat characters over an expanding core of preserved plums, blueberry compote and black cherry coulis plus a waft of menthol. Full-bodied, concentrated and wonderfully decadent, the palate is absolutely packed with rich, ripe black fruit preserves and loads of spicy sparks, framed by super ripe, super plush tannins, finishing very long and decadent. I love the interplay of subtly and power here - this is truly a WOW wine! |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 4 | 95 (WA) |
In Bond
£449.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (95)With a dense ruby/purple color is followed by a pure nose of mulberries, cherry liqueur and spring flowers, but no hint of oak, this full-bodied, opulent, rich beauty exhibits impressive purity, texture, richness and length. Not as structured or tannic as Trotanoy, it moves more in the direction of the opulence and flashy, showy fruit of Hosanna and Petrus. It should drink well for 15-20 years. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 4 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£895.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (100)A wine that wins my nomination for the title of "wine of the vintage" is the 2012 L'Eglise Clinet, a fleshy and enveloping Pomerol evocative of dark cherries and berries mingled with licorice, spices, pencil lead, truffle and rose petals. Full-bodied, broad and textural, it's lavish and expansive, with terrific depth at the core, supple tannins and a long, resonant finish. Seamless, charming and impeccably balanced, this transcends the vintage, and while it's deceptively drinkable now, it remains a mere adolescent at age 11. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (JS) |
In Bond
£451.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (95)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. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 3 | 94-97 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£801.50 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94-97)The 2014 L'Eglise Clinet is a real head-turner. Gorgeous, super-expressive aromatics meld into a core of dark, sumptuous fruit. Lavender, mint, violets, graphite and crème de cassis notes abound in a powerful, structured wine endowed with magnificent purity and a skyscraper-like sense of lift. Finesse and power collide in a crystalline Pomerol of exceptional beauty. Powerful and dense to the core, the 2014 is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 94-97 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£541.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94-97)The 2014 L'Eglise Clinet is a real head-turner. Gorgeous, super-expressive aromatics meld into a core of dark, sumptuous fruit. Lavender, mint, violets, graphite and crème de cassis notes abound in a powerful, structured wine endowed with magnificent purity and a skyscraper-like sense of lift. Finesse and power collide in a crystalline Pomerol of exceptional beauty. Powerful and dense to the core, the 2014 is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 3 | 100 (DC) |
In Bond
£795.00 |
|||||
Decanter (100)Notes of cassis, bilberry, damson, charcoal and liquorice, with pure blackberry juice filling the crevices in between. The tannins are firm but flexible, allowing for some lightness. Hugely complex, but still hugely young. This vintage was made from the first year of the full maturity for these young vines – now 14 years old, 3.55pH. At this youthful stage you can feel the smoky, grilled brush of the oak, which is 70% new, with medium toast, and it’s double toasted to ensure there are no vanillin flavours. This wine will climb upwards and outwards towards the horizon, staking a claim for greatness in 2015. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 7 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£1,091.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)One of the monumental wines in the vintage is the 2016 Château Eglise Clinet from proprietor Denis Durantou. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, this utterly perfect wine boasts a saturated purple color as well as an essence of Pomerol bouquet of ripe black cherries, blackcurrant liqueur, smoked tobacco, camphor, and graphite. Deep, full-bodied, incredibly powerful, and layered, yet always with class and balance, it offers a remarkable marriage of power and finesse. It’s already sexy and seductive yet also a baby, and needs 7-8 years of cellaring. It should keep for 3-4 decades (probably longer), but why wait? |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
£673.50 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)Extremely enticing aromas of blackberries, brambleberries, sweet tobacco, bark and mushrooms follow through to a medium to full body that grows on the palate and crescendoes to medium, round tannins, juicy fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Rolls along the palate. Excellent, persistent finish. Try after 2024, but already a joyous glass. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£650.40 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)Extremely enticing aromas of blackberries, brambleberries, sweet tobacco, bark and mushrooms follow through to a medium to full body that grows on the palate and crescendoes to medium, round tannins, juicy fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Rolls along the palate. Excellent, persistent finish. Try after 2024, but already a joyous glass. |
|||||||||

