Castle of the Church Clinet

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

byNeal Martinthe10/28/2016

The 2013 L'Eglise Clinet has a very precise, tightly wound bouquet with limestone-tinged, brambly red berry fruit, the Merlot still very expressive and imparting comely floral scents. There is something almost Burgundy-like about the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin surrounding a core of citrus-fresh, lively red fruit, silky smooth in texture, approachable in style, with an almost symmetrical finish. This was a great L'Eglise-Clinet in barrel in the context of the vintage and it remains a very persuasive wine in bottle. Bravo Denis Durantou - a winemaker that can overcome even the most deplorable of growing seasons!

Jamessuckling.com

95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/15/2016

This is a vivid wine with terrific clarity and vibrance aromas and flavors. Full body, ultra fine tannins and a long, long finish. Class. Really superb for the vintage. Needs two or three years of bottle age to soften.

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe8/29/2014

A 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc blend from the Plateau of Pomerol near the church, the wine has an inky/purple color, a sweet kiss of mulberry and black cherry liqueurs, interwoven with licorice, truffle, a hint of melted road tar and background spice and oak. The wine is opulent, medium to full-bodied and unquestionably a tour de force for this vintage. Kudos to Durantou. If you can find it, this is clearly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage and a real star. Drink from 2018-2027.

It-s no surprise that perfectionist/meticulous proprietor Denis Durantou has turned out one of the best wines of the vintage. Harvested September 27-October 6, only 10,000 bottles were produced in this tiny yielding vintage that also required a draconian-like selection process to keep the best fruit under the top label.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

89-92 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe5/16/2014

(90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc): Dark ruby. Very pure dark berry and floral aromas soar from the glass. Minerally and inky in the mouth, with blueberry and blackberry cocktail flavors lifted by lively acidity and nicely supported by smooth tannins. One of the better wines of 2013, it's devoid of green or astringent notes. It only lacks the depth of fruit of the better vintages but there's good concentration here.

timatkin.com

96 / 100

byTim Atkin MWthe5/7/2014

The wizard of Pomerol does it again. Denis Durantou’s top wine is first rate this year, seemingly in defiance of the vintage conditions. Poised, minerally and sweetly oaked, this plummy, brambly, Merlot-based blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Francis rich, fine and beautifully integrated. There’s not much of it, either, so hurry.

matthewjukes.com

17,5 / 20

byMatthew Jukesthe4/23/2014

(90 Merlot, 10 Cabernet Franc) 70% new oak. 10000 bottles made. As Denis Durantou says, ‘2013s are to enjoy without moderation’ (sic). This is a very intense wine, packed with fruit. He tried to extract gently but with yields of 28hl/ha there were always going to be dark, sooty notes creeping in and they work really well. This is an exotic wine on the start but it is quite harsh on the finish. There is surprising power here and it is intent on shocking and also bucking the trend. I always find Denis’s wines fascinating and this is no exception. It is a quandary, teetering on the edge of balance and I find it very exciting indeed.

Vinous

90-93 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/18/2014

The 2013 L'Eglise Clinet is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. A dark, sumptuous wine, the 2013 flows across the palate with remarkable depth and pure texture. Blue and black fruit, licorice, smoke and violets all flesh out on the voluptuous, racy finish. This is a terrific showing. The blend is predominantly Merlot, with a splash of Cabernet Franc and Malbec from the oldest parcels on the property, which were planted in 1930. New oak is around 60-70%, but it is barely perceptible. What a gorgeous wine this is

Decanter.com

17,5 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/15/2014

Unusual concentration for the year. Aromatic persistence with complex, exotic notes. Lovely suave texture. Ample fine-grained tannins. Good length

My Bettane + Desseauve

17,5 / 20

the4/15/2014

Superbe étoffe, allonge ample et soyeuse, tanin précis sachant s’imposer sans dureté, allonge et sève.

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/15/2014

The Grand Vin is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc picked between 27 September and 2 October. It delivers 13.5% alcohol, a degree less than last year. The Merlot comes through very strongly on the nose with pure scents of cranberry and wild strawberry, dried violet petals and a touch of sous-bois It is very well defined although not as complex as a top-flight l'Eglise-Clinet. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky entry that does not hesitate in caressing the palate, the oak succinct and deftly interwoven. There is not a huge depth here, but rather great tension and precision, a hint of citrus peel. This is already utterly seductive. One day, Denis might make a L'Eglise-Clinet that does not incite superlatives. I might be waiting a long time. If you do insist on buying one 2013 en primeur, then make it this one.

Jamessuckling.com

93-94 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/8/2014

One of the most naturally structured wines from the vintage. Full body with mineral character and intensity. The old-vine cabernet franc gives it the backbone. This will need aging.

René Gabriel

19 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe4/4/2014

85 % Merlot, 15 % Cabernet Franc. Produktion etwa 10'000 Flaschen. Tiefes Purpur. Ein wunderbares Bouquet. Waldhimbeeren, reife Pflaumen, Cassis, dunkle Edelhölzer und nobler Schwarztee, Bergamotte und Zitronenthymian feine dunkle Caramelnoten im zweiten Ansatz. Aromatischer Gaumenbeginn, die Adstringenz versteckt sich etwas mehr im fordernden Extrakt als an der Gaumenseite, zeigt eine gebundene Süsse an im langen, aromatischen, nach Brombeeren schmeckenden Finale.

Wine Spectator

89-92 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2014

Well-rendered, with sleek raspberry and blackberry coulis notes, presenting a backdrop of anise and warm fruitcake flavors and a fleshy, polished finish. Pure and lengthy. —J.M.