| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Clinet has been on a hote streak lately and the 2009 appears to be the greastest wine ever made at the estate, surpassing even the late Jean Michel Arcaute's monumental 1989. A blend of 85 % Merlot and tiny amounts of Cabernet Franc (12%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (3%), this big Pomerol boasts an opaque, moonless night inky/blue/purple color in addition to a gorgeous perfume of blueberry pie, incense, truffles, black raspberries, licorice and wood smoke. Viscous and multidimensional with silky, sweet tannin, massive fruit concentration and full-bodied power, there are nearly 4,000 cases of this thick, juicy, perfect Clinet. It should drink well in 3-5 years and keep for 25-30.
Aromas of dark fruits, hazelnut and dark chocolate, follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins that are polished and refined. Beautiful depth of fruit to this. Best in 2018.
Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Clinet is showing quite a lot of evolution on the nose with notes of new leather, fried spices and dried herbs over a core of dried mulberries and prunes with a touch of redcurrant jelly. Full-bodied and decadently fruited with loads of mature, savory layers, it has a chewy texture and finishes on a dried herbs note. 2019 - 2035.
Thick and sweet and almost a cliché of Pomerol with its great meaty richness and savour. Should calm down and become something quite exciting eventually, but quite tough on the end. Date tasted 29th March 2010. Drink 2017-2029.
Very lush and exotic, boasting plum sauce, crushed fig, warm raspberry confiture and steeped black currant fruit all dripping over a racy but buried graphite spine. The long, dark finish has plenty of stuffing for the long haul. Really beautifully rendered. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2015 through 2034.-J.M.
Superb. Probably the best Clinet since the famous duo 1989-1990. Dense, opulent with beautifully textured tannins. Very gourmand. Loads of charm. With the right élevage could be a 5-star wine. Drink 2017-2035.
The greatest Clinet since the incredible duo produced by the late Jean-Michel Arcaute in 1989 and 1990, the 2009 (tasted on 4 separate occasions) was off the charts in terms of quality and potential. Yields of 47 hectoliters per hectare were not particularly low, and the fruit used in the final blend (87% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon; 14% natural alcohol) was all harvested between September 21 and October 7. The wine boasts an opaque black/purple color in addition to a gorgeous bouquet of truffles, charcoal, asphalt, blackberries, blueberries, and meaty, smoky notes. This dense, unctuously-textured Pomerol is built like a skyscraper with multiple layers, sweet tannins, and enormous concentration as well as length. The good news is there will be 4,000 cases of this modern day legend in the making. It should drink well for 30-35 years. While it's hard to eclipse a 100-point wine (1989), the 2009 appears to be the finest Clinet has ever made. (Tasted four times.) Drink 2010-2045.
Robert Parker added an asterisk to this wine score to signify that it is a wine he considers has the finest potential of all the offerings he has ever tasted from this estate in nearly 32 years of barrel tasting samples in Bordeaux.
Tasted at Chateau Clinet. The harvest commenced on 11th September with the young Merlot with the older vines being picked on 25th September and then 1st-4th September. The Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon was picked on 7th October. The Cabernet Sauvignon is very important in 2009 lending the wine freshness and part of the originality of Clinet. The final blend is 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc cropped at 45hl/ha (the highest of the decade) the Clinet '09 has a rounded, supple, fruit-driven nose with cassis, black plum and small black cherries. The palate is full-bodied with a lot of fruit concentration supported by some sturdy, grainy tannins, good delineation with a savoury/smoky touch towards the finish. The oak is better integrated than in recent years and there is a lovely spicy touch on the aftertaste from the Cabernets. Clinet is returning to the heights of the late-1980s. Tasted April 2010.
Blackberry and mineral aromas, with flowers. Full-bodied, but reserved and supersilky and pretty. This is the bomb. Forget the 1989.
