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La Petite Eglise (2nd label Eglise Clinet) 2016

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > Pomerol
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot/Cabernet Franc

Denis Durantou's "second wine" is a serious Pomerol in its own right, but at a fraction of the price of Eglise Clinet. Usually the best value wine in Pomerol. The 100% Merlot fruit is harvested on sandier soils and elevaged in 50% new oak barrels in the cellars of Eglise Clinet.

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château L'Église-Clinet

Label

Tasting Notes

Firm and linear wine with blackberry, violet and berry character. Medium-to full-bodied second wine of L'Église Clinet and it’s silky and refined while showing power and length. Beautiful tannins. Pure merlot.

94/95
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2017

La Petite Eglise 2016 is 100% Merlot and has a deep garnet color. It needs some coaxing to convince it to show off its nose of beautiful black cherry preserves and juicy plums, plus wafts of violets, dark chocolate, and black olives, with a hint of truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate is wonderfully refreshing and light on its feet, nonetheless offering a complex, well-structured experience, finishing long and plush.

93
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, December 2022

This has the power of Pomerol Merlot combined with an elegant flood of tannins. The stunning purity of Durantou wines is always striking, and they really do suit the freshness of the 2016 vintage. Here the tannins are making an impression on the close of play, but they never stand in the way of the freshness and juice of these cassis fruits. Just so elegant. 100% Merlot, picked on 5th October, aged in 50% new oak. 41hl/ha.

Drinking Window 2024 - 2040

94
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, April 2017

Super-juicy and so much flesh it almost covers the structure. Sweet ink. Lovely stuff. Just falls away a little bit on the end.
Drink 2023-2031

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2017

The second wine of the estate is the 2016 Petite Eglise, which is always 100% Merlot from the more gravelly parts of the vineyard. This is a beautiful 2016 that shows the house style in its ground herbs, tobacco, gravelly, earthy minerality, and sweet black cherry fruit. This medium to full-bodied, rounded, fleshy beauty is ideal for drinking over the coming 10-15 years. Drink 2019-2034.

92
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, February 2019

Succulent and ripe the nose has sweet black fruits the palate is fleshy and rich ripe black plums. There is some underlying freshness but it fills out at the back supple and ripe all very approachable. 2024-33

89/91
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, April 2017

This vineyard-based selection from Denis Durantou is a notable success in 2016, showing plum and damson flavours, rich, compact, concentrated tannins, serious oak and, wafting above the whole thing like a fluttering angel, scents of violet and liquorice. 2024-32

94
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2017
Read more tasting notes...

The 2016 La Petite Eglise is pure Merlot as usual that was picked on 5 October this year and matured in 50% new oak. It is a small production of just 700 cases. It has a pure and elegant bouquet with a hint of oyster shell infusing the red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, bright redcurrant and cranberry notes and fine acidity, tender and refined towards the finish. This is another beautiful La Petite Eglise from Denis Durantou.
Drink Date 2020 - 2034

90/92
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (230), April 2017

The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 La Petite Eglise features beautiful black cherries, mulberries and warm black plums scents with touches of underbrush, cigar box and fragrant soil. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with complex, intense black and red fruit layers with tons of savory sparks coming through on the long, plushly textured finish. Drink 2020-2033.

93
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (Interim En), November 2018
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.