2022 La Petite Eglise
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Tasting notes
What can be said about La Petite Eglise, beyond the fact that it is a tremendous second wine… ? The tiny amount produced each year makes it an extremely desirable wine – but it holds even more allure in 2022. The nose is majestic, with fine balance between the power of the Cabernet Franc and the fresh, fruitiness of the Merlot with purple plum, blackcurrant and fine oak notes. This is really rich on the palate, but the chocolate and dark berry fruit tones are contained by silky and refined tannins which develop into a firmer structure on the mid-palate. With a long, multidimensional finish, saline and savoury, this wine is superb – some of the finest Pomerol we tasted in 2022 (alongside the Grand Vin, of course).
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Average Score
James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2022 L'Église-Clinet has a generous bouquet with brambly red fruit, wild mint, fennel and light crushed stone scents that gain clarity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and gentle grip, silky smooth with a touch of dark chocolate towards the finish. Give this a couple of years, just to soak up that patina of new oak. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.
Coming from two designated parcels and mostly Merlot with 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Petite Eglise reveals a dense purple hue as well as beautiful Pomerol aromatics of ripe black cherries, damp earth, darker chocolate, and forest, leafy herb-like nuances. It's beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, has sweet, polished tannins, and a great finish.
The 2022 La Petite Eglise is one of the go-to wines from Pomerol, a second label acting more like a Grand Vin. This offers irresistible purity on the nose, featuring blackberry, truffle, walnut oil and a background scent of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky texture from the start, exquisite balance, perfectly judged acidity and a razor-sharp finish that beckons you back for the next sip. It is wonderful.
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.