L'Eglise Clinet 2009 (750ML)

100 WCI / 99+ RP / 99 VM / 97 JS / 96 DE / 19 JR

5 Spice, smoke, kirsch liqueur, truffle, tobacco, charcoal and floral aromas pop from the glass. On the palate, this deep colored wine is pure, sensuous, silky and rich. Picture each berry wearing a cashmere sweater before it hops into the fermenter and gives up its life to become wine. 2009 Chateau L’Eglise Clinet is Pomerol at its decadent best. Currently, the owner, Denis Durantou ranks his top 5 favorite vintages of L’Eglise Clinet as follows; 2010, 2009, 2000, 2005 and 2001.-Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider 

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. - Robert Parker

How many dinners start with a wine like the 2009 L’Église Clinet? Not many that I go to that is for sure. When we opened this bottle to check on its soundness, I knew right away it was going to be one of the wines of the night, and it is. Wow. Bold and seamless in the glass, the 2009 L’Église Clinet is a great example of the vintage. It is obviously quite opulent, yet all the elements are magically in the right place. It’s always good to start strong, and we sure do. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Wonderful aromas of crushed blackberries and blueberries and spices. Rose petals. Full body, with soft and velvety tannins and a juicy, fruity finish. Beautiful layers of tannins, with hints of acidity. Best after 2017. - James Suckling

Silky, seductive raspberry and blueberry fruits are joined by dark chocolate and toasted almonds. This is powerful on the attack, then settles down and starts to unveil the confident sexiness of Clinet in its prime. It's very young still, but it could be drunk from a carafe in the next few years. It's dense, rich and sweet-throated, a gorgeous Clinet. As with Nénin, the quality of the tannins is so different from St-Emilion and the left bank - silky and effortless - usually to do with the higher pH levels, meaning an overall perception of lower acidity. - Jane Anson, Decanter