Chateau L'Eglise Clinet

Château L'Église-Clinet is a small, critically acclaimed producer in the Pomerol appellation of Bordeaux. Over recent vintages its average scores from critics have been some of the very highest in the region, and auction prices very much reflect this acclaim.

Its 4.2 hectares (10 acres) of vines produce around 1500 cases of wine per year. The vineyard has some of the highest concentrations of old vines in Pomerol, although the estate starting replanting in 2018 (and quantities of the corresponding – and subsequent – vintages are slightly lower). Merlot accounts for 85 percent of plantings, with 15 percent Cabernet Franc, although more recent vintages of the wines have a smaller percentage of the latter. Indeed, the blend is roughly 90-10 in favor of Merlot.

The wine is typically aged in 80 percent new oak.The estate was formed in the 1950s from vineyard parcels. L’Eglise Clinet was once part of a larger estate which comprised Château Clinet and Clos L’Eglise but the vines were split off in the 1950s and Denis Durantou took charge in 1983. His first steps were to improve vine quality and the equipment in the winery and he very quickly reduced yields and purchased new oak barrels and a new pressing machine. In 1986 he introduced the second wine, Petite Eglise. Today, the 5.5 hectares are fortunate to include old vine Cabernet Franc which imparts much of the wines unique depth and concentration, and Merlot.

Durantou died in 2020 and his daughters, Constance and Noëmie have taken over the running of the estate.