The 2014 L'Eglise-Clinet has a gentle, understated bouquet at first that takes time to open, eventually offering black fruit, melted tar, truffle and bay leaf aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, rather masculine and thickset at the moment, lightly spiced towards the finish. Much like the Vieux-Ch?teau-Certan, this is a little awkward in a blind setting however, it clearly meliorates in the glass and I keep on having to up my score. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.- Neal Martin (03/2018)
This has a big ball of raspberry confiture at the core, with dark licorice and warm fruitcake notes. Hedonistic only to a point, as a serious graphite beam runs throughout, giving this serious drive through the finish. This will keep pace with the top dogs in this vintage. Best from 2020 through 2035. 1,835 cases made.?-- JM (03/2017)
The Ch?teau l'Eglise-Clinet 2014 is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc picked from 26 September to 4 October and 17 to 21 October respectively and matured in 70% new oak. I tasted the wine from two barrels ? la Burgundy with Denis Durantou. It has a gorgeous bouquet that boasts exquisite precision. It is not an intense nose but one that unfurls in the glass, revealing red berries, myrtle and more mineralit? than probably any other Pomerol '14 that I tasted from barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin. This is utterly harmonious, the Cabernet Franc more expressive than the 10% would suggest with a long, sophisticated finish whose cousin might be say, Vieux-Ch?teau-Certan. This continues a run of outstanding vintages from Denis Durantou and should offer 20+ years of drinking enjoyment.- Neal Martin (04/2015)