2012 l'Eglise Clinet
Buying options
Tasting notes
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. 80% new oak. One of our wines of the vintage, L’Eglise Clinet has an extraordinary intensity on the nose with firm minerality as well as focussed fruit and some floral notes. There is a lovely gentleness on the palate which belies the power underneath. Finely balanced and very long. FINE+RARE
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
FINE+RARE
More reviews and scores
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.
The 2012 l'Eglise-Clinet is well-defined on the nose: blackberry, cassis, touches of wild mint and violet. This is very Margaux-like. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, fleshy and ripe, good density and concentration. One of the most flamboyant 2012s in the line-up, this has so much purity on the finish. Gorgeous. Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.
Dark crimson. Headily rich – almost furry on the nose. Definitely sweet and definitely an opulent Pomerol with sweetness initially, finishing with a certain inkiness. Neat, dry finish after a super-opulent palate. (JR)
About the producer
Ch. l'Eglise-Clinet is one of the most unassuming wine estates in Bordeaux. You'd probably drive past it if you didn't have prior knowledge of its vinous output. There's no ostentatious gateway nor sweeping gravel drive.