Clos l'Eglise 2021

Chocolatey oak, high extract, dry finish.

Rich and concentrated nose, really dark and seductive, smelling ripe and jammy. Beautiful florality on the nose too, beguiling. The palate shows real clarity, succulent – a lovely soft, mouthwatering acidity, perfectly in balance, with a stony minerality coming through straight away. There is still a touch of austerity, spiced and spiky edges giving a piquancy on the tongue. Supreme freshness though, with mintiness emerging on the finish, lifted and long. An iodine, saline note comes through as well, pure graphite – absolutely nothing is hiding here and I love it. Consultants Tomas Duclos, Valerie Lavigne and Axel Marshal. 100% Merlot for the first time ever, usually contains between 4–8% Cabernet Franc.

Smoky berries, plums, oranges and grilled tarragon, herbs and white pepper. Fine-grained tannins on the medium- to full-bodied palate before a lengthy finish. Drink or hold.

The 2021 Clos l'Église has a delightful bouquet that has gained some complexity since I tasted it from barrel, showing a mix of red and black fruit, graphite, touches of iris flower and fine minerality. The palate is medium-bodied with powdery tannins and a fine thread of acidity. It’s a little more harmonious toward the finish, where you find a hint of dark chocolate and mocha. This has the potential to be a fine Pomerol, so give it three to four years in bottle.

Vibrant, elegant, round, and supple, the wine is loaded with red and black plums, cherries, chocolate, spice, licorice, and a dash of citrus. There is ample richness, depth, and energy here, coupled with sensuous textures and vibrancy. While it can be enjoyed with just a modicum of aging, it has the ability to age and develop for up to two decades. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026–2045.

I loved the 2021 Clos L'Eglise, a deep purple-hued, medium-bodied, balanced, nicely concentrated Pomerol that has ample red plum and black cherry-driven fruits, some tobacco, earth, and leafy herb nuances, fine tannins, a supple, layered mouthfeel, and outstanding length. This classic, balanced, beautiful 2021 will drink nicely for 10-15 years.

Playful bouquet with red plum jam, licorice, fresh sour cherry juice, and an enchanting violet perfume. On the elegant palate, a silky texture, ripe extract richness, balanced verve, a tightly knit tannic framework, and a well-toned body. In the focused, finely aromatic finish, red and blue berries, light tobacco, graphite, and a delicately powdery astringency.

The 2021 Clos L’Eglise has a deep garnet-purple color. It is a little shy to begin, needing some swirling to bring out notes of cast-iron pan and wet slate, before opening out to a core of plum preserves, black raspberries, and lilacs, with touches of camphor and cracked black pepper. The palate is medium-bodied, with a firm frame of fine-grained tannins and a lively backbone supporting the impressive intensity of black fruits and mineral layers, finishing long and savory.

Pure fruit on the nose, with delectable notes of fur, sanguine like the noblest Pomerols. On the palate, the wine is energizing, linear and cool, with concentrated, mouthwatering fruit.

The maturation is clearly expressed on the bouquet, along with hints of spice and black berries, making for an overall harmonious profile. The attack is rather slender; the wine is silky and carried by fine-grained tannins. It is inviting and pleasant, and the tannins that seemed a bit austere during the en primeur tastings are now well integrated, even supportive. A great success!

Dark, deep color with purple highlights. Intense, refined nose with subtle, even noble fruit. Velvety on the attack, suave mid-palate, flavorful with an intricate tannic framework, the wine rises on the finish, aromatic, with distinguished hints of violet. Long and very good, with a more pronounced tannic structure than its peers. Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol: 13.5%. pH: 3.65. Yield: 33 hl/ha.

Cassis bud, black cherry, white pepper, clear persistency with a bitter chocolate finish. Should be ready to drink within 4 to 5 years and deliver for a further decade. Acidity a little higher than in normal years, accentuated by alcohol that is around 1% lower than usual. 3.6 pH. Harvest from September 15 to October 15, long and slow.

Aged in wood, the wine is spicy with gentle tannins. It has a light touch of acidity and black-currant freshness. Drink the wine from 2024.