2017 l'Eglise Clinet
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Tasting Notes
Nothing was touched by the frost. It is matured in 70% new oak. Denis Durantou did not specify the exact quantity produced, “Just enough for my friends” according to his spec sheet! The bouquet is very succinct, perhaps more open than either the 2015 or 2016 at this early stage, extraordinarily pure with blackberry, wild strawberry, smoke and truffle. It just gets better and better as it opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, linear and focused, very fresh with pointed acidity. This is full of tension and poise, a touch of graphite emerging towards the finish that lingers in the mouth with superb salinité at the end. It completes a triumvirate for Denis Durantou after the 2015 and 2016s .
Critic Scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
More reviews and scores
L'Eglise Clinet opens with crème de cassis, black forest cake and preserved plums notes with suggestions of underbrush, lilacs and star anise plus an invigorating spark of Bing cherries. Medium to full-bodied and built like a brick house with very firm, ripe tannins and very refreshing acidity supporting the tightly wound muscular fruit, it finishes with epic persistence and bags of energy. This will be extremely long lived!
The 2017 L'Eglise-Clinet is one of the most polished, sensual wines of the year. Bright, precise and yet full of flavor, the 2017 has a lot to offer. Cedar, licorice and rose petal are just some of the many nuances that add aromatic dimension. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2017 offers notable intensity and persistence. What a gorgeous wine it is. Harvest was about a week earlier than normal. Denis Durantou gave the various lots in the Grand Vin 15-18 days on the skins. The 70% new oak is impeccably balanced in several samples.
This really rolls on the palate with fantastic fruit and tannins. Full-bodied, structured and layered. Long, long finish. Impressive all the way.
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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.