Ch.L'Eglise Clinet 2000 750ml

Wine Advocate # Interim End of July, Jul 29, 2016
The Château l'Eglise-Clinet 2000 was the only vintage that Denis Durantou did not fine before bottling. It is blessed with a brilliant nose that possesses the intensity of the 1998, but I find this more focused and delineated. It has a level of purity that one can only describe as profound, scents of black cherry, cassis, cedar and black truffle unfolding with each passing moment in the glass. The palate has exquisite balance with salinity that gets the saliva flowing. There is a seam of spiciness, black pepper and rosemary that coat the mouth, but the overall style at the moment is linear and focused. The precision on the finish is enthralling, completing a fabulous l'Eglise-Clinet that rivets your feet to the spot.

In 1882, Mr Mauleon-Rouchut, great great grandfather of Denis Durantou, brought together different plots of Clos L'Eglise and Domaine de Clinet, which his family had acquired in the 18th century, to make up a 4.5 hectare vineyard around the church of Saint John of Pomerol.
Spared by the recent frosts of 1956, 1985 and 1987, the Merlot plants (85%) and the Cabernet Franc plants (15%) have reached an average age of 40 years.

Meats, Beef and Venison