| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The 1999 l’Eglise-Clinet is youthful in appearance with thin bricking on the rim. The bouquet is very attractive with scents of Dorset plum, wild strawberry, truffle and a touch of warm brick, all nicely defined. The palate is well balanced and underpinned by a fine thread of acidity, demonstrating a little more fruit intensity than its peers, with a finish not a million miles away from the superb 1999 Lafleur. This off-vintage l’Eglise-Clinet is frankly not far away in quality from more lauded vintages. Excellent.
Pretty wine. Very attractive aromas of violets, raspberries and minerals. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and supersilky tannins. Medium finish. Best after 2004. 1040 cases made.
Denis Durantou is making stunning wines and over the last few vintages this has invariably matched or beaten all the top names of Pomerol in blind tastings. Around 1000 cases are produced from 50 year old vines (80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc). No fancy tricks here, just old vines, great terroir and inspired, yet traditional, winemaking. Durantou believes that this is even better than his great 1995. It is a massive wine yet has wonderful purity and length. A masterpiece of natural grape-growing and winemaking. Beautifully balanced.
Like Lafleur ’99 up the road, the Chateau l’Eglise-Clinet ’99 is in a very good place at the moment. Here, it has a lucid deep garnet colour that hardly appears to have aged in the last two years. The bouquet is captivating with scents of dark plum, wild strawberry, hints of black truffle and cold stones that are well defined. The palate is very well balanced with a keen thread of acidity. It is sensual and generous in the mouth – uncommon for a 1999 – with a finish that appears more powerful than my last encounter. This is a supreme Pomerol for the vintage. Drink 2014-2030. Tasted October 2012.
The 1999 l'Eglise Clinet has evolved beautifully since tasted last year. This is one of the stars of the vintage. It is an extraordinary expression of elegance married to power. An opaque purple color is followed by aromas of black raspberries, currants, licorice, graphite, truffles, and earth. The wine is sweet and expansive. It is a model of purity, symmetry, and balance. Moderate tannin suggests 4-5 years of cellaring is required. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025.
Denis Durantou explained that analytically, the Château l'Eglise-Clinet 1999 is exactly the same as the 1998, although it is completely different in taste. He also said that it was the last vintage that he had to chaptalize (a little). Poured from magnum, it is clearly more mild-mannered on the nose than the preceding vintage, but still extremely well defined with blackberry and briary scents, a hint of black truffle and incense following later. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannin. The acidity here is well judged, not unlike a superior and more substantial version of the 1997, with commendable precision on the truffle-tinged finish. This can be broached now, but unlike the 1997, this has another decade or more of drinking pleasure to give. Tasted March 2015.
