Château L'Eglise Clinet 2018

A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 L'Eglise Clinet has a pH of 3.63 and 14.5% alcohol. It was aged in 70% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with a stunning fragrant-earth perfume, accented by notes of wild mushrooms, mossy tree bark and crushed rocks, giving way to a core of black raspberries, plum preserves and fresh blueberries, plus wafts of lavender and clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate shimmers with energy, delivering slow-releasing black fruit and earthy layers, framed by very ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastic tension. It finishes with epic length and subtlety. It is already so evocative and beautifully expressed at this youthful stage that it is tempting to broach straight away, but give it another 5–6 years to really fan its feathers, and drink it over the next 40 or more years.

This is plush, with touches of chocolate shavings, olive paste, clove, rosemary and sage right from the opening beats. Blackberry and raspberry layer up flavours that lift out of the glass, then the aromatics take over with soft smoke and grilled almonds. Seductive, a reminder of Durantou's ability to tease layers and nuances out of even warm vintages. Austere on the finish, with chalky tannins at this stage - this is knitted down and will reward patience. Low temperature fermentation at around 22C. A yield of 45hl/ha.

Blue and black fruit with spices and licorice on the nose. Graphite, too. Full and dense, but compact on the palate, with a plush yet tight, velvety texture and a long, fantastic finish. Needs four to six years to start to open. Better after 2027.

The 2018 L’Eglise-Clinet was picked from September 18 to 26 for the Merlot and on September 28 for the Cabernet Franc, and matured in 70% new oak. I gave the bottle a precautionary four-hour decant, which was vital to appreciating this magnificent Pomerol. The aromatics are precocious, pure and finely chiseled, featuring copious black plum and blueberry plus heart-melting violet petal scents. The palate closely mirrors the barrel sample with its stunning precision and symmetry. Velvety-smooth from start to finish, this will turn into a fabulous wine from the late Denis Durantou, though be warned: I suspect it might shut down for a period after bottling.

With a serious depth of color, this hedonistic thrill ride opens with an aromatic display of truffle, flowers, dark chocolate, herbs, black cherries and plum. Plush, opulent, rich and with the texture of silk and velvet, the wine coats your palate with layers of fresh, sensuous, perfectly ripe fruits, chocolate and truffle. This full-bodied wine is only going to get better with age. If you can wait a decade, this will be even better. The wine blends 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc.

Deep dark ruby with purple reflections and a delicately bright rim. Fine oak nuances on the nose with black fruit and a savoury bouquet of delicate liquorice and tobacco. On the palate the wine shows some complexity with ripe cherries and nougat, taut, integrated tannin and a mineral touch on the finish. There is very good length, promising development and sure potential for ageing.

One of the blockbusters of the vintage is Denis Durantou's 2018 Château L'Eglise Clinet, a classic blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc aged in 70% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts an awesome, full-bodied, opulent personality along with classic Pomerol notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, damp earth, chocolate, tobacco, and flowers. Rich, concentrated, and sexy without being over the top, it expands on the palate, with sweet tannins, background oak, and a great, great finish. It already offers pleasure but won't hit its prime for another 7–8 years and is going to evolve for 25–30 years or more, likely followed by a gradual decline.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% alc. by vol.) Concentrated, complex, fresh, deep bouquet: strawberries, raspberry seeds, mint, fine licorice, delicate graphite. Finely concentrated, multi-layered, aromatic palate with dense, fine fruit, plenty of fine tannin, concentrated, varied aromatics, a finely muscular, dense structure, and a very long, dense, full, fresh finish. (19/20). 20: Tasting by René Gabriel: purple-violet. Intense berry bouquet with a sweet radiance, almost massive in impression, elderberry, blackcurrant and blackberry, with Darjeeling notes and coffee beneath. It leaves the olfactory image of a majestic, grand Pomerol that is not inaccessible at the moment. Rich, very substantial palate. The tannins are abundant yet beautifully rounded, a very persistent finish with a repeating, seemingly unending parade of berries. Here, Denis Durantou has achieved a quantum leap. The wine will reach its first drinking window relatively early without sacrificing aging potential. Normally, a freshly bottled vintage always experiences a “bottle shock.” That is absolutely not the case here. It sets off and aims to enter its gigantic future story as model “Immerschön.” (20/20).

Concentrated, complex, fresh, fruity, dense, creamy bouquet, raspberry jelly, herbs, mint. Concentrated, multi-layered, elegant, fresh palate with plenty of fine tannins, creamy, dense, full of fruit, varied sweet aromatics, concentrated, creamy structure, very long, fresh, full finish. 20/20 2027 - 2070

An unmissable wine from the late Denis Durantou, the kind of wine that reminds you why it is still sometimes worth buying En Primeur to be sure you get your allocation. This is always a serious Pomerol that rewards patience, and here wraps up its hedonistic chocolate-dipped blueberry and blackberry fruits in poised, carefully chiselled tannins. Olives, tar, liquorice and campfire smoke curl out of the glass after a few moments. 70% new oak, harvest September 18 to 28. Low and slow fermentation at around 22°C, ensuring that even once the grapes were off the vines they were still unhurried. 45 hl/ha yield.

L’Eglise-Clinet 2018 has a deep garnet-purple color. It opens with notes of violets and chocolate box, giving way to prunes, baked black cherries, and dried mulberries, plus hints of incense and dusty soil, with a waft of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it is tightly wound, very mineral on the palate with impressively interwoven freshness, finishing long and quietly intense.

The bouquet of Eglise-Clinet 2018 first shows its élevage, then a few floral notes. With aeration, the fruity and floral expression takes the lead, followed by chalky nuances. From the outset, the wine indicates it will need time. The freshness of the bouquet is delightful and precise. Inviting notes of cherries and raspberries are followed by a touch of licorice. On the palate, the generous side appears from the attack. The tannins are fine, suave, and lend breadth to the whole palate, while the acidic structure defines the mid-palate and finish. The wine ends up perfectly balanced