Château Clinet 2021

Captivating nose, profound, pure dark fruit, floral nuances, a poem. On the palate, powerful and concentrated, tannins of the highest quality, great balance; this is where power meets elegance. Perhaps the finest Clinet yet?

A frankly toasted style, with bittersweet cocoa notes draped over a core of black cherry and plum fruit. Reveals tobacco, licorice, roasted cedar and a tug of warm earth through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2034. 3,850 cases made, 600 cases imported.

Floral and lifted nose, clean, clear and fragrant. Soft yet grippy, chalky and intense, with drive and movement around textured strawberry and red cherry fruit. Almost fleshy but cool, giving roundness without any heaviness. This has character and something to get your teeth into. Nice persistence, well presented.

The 2021 Clinet has a relatively light nose compared to other vintages: blackberry, wild mint, touches of graphite and just a slight herbaceous note that becomes more accentuated with time. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins and fine acidity, quite spicy compared to its peers with, again, just a little greenness toward the finish (albeit less evident on a second bottle that shows more refinement). You feel that it's got something to offer a couple of years down the line, so give it some time in bottle.

One of the wines of the appellation offers a deep color before you get to flowers, tobacco leaves, espresso, truffle, mint, cedar, black cherries, incense, and chocolatey plums. Plush and supple, with plenty of fruit showing both sweet and tart characteristics. The wine delivers lift, energy, polish, length, and an edgy finish. The blend is 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2025–2045.

Vivid dark ruby with a purple tinge to the narrow rim. Fine wood savouriness, cloves and vanilla, dark cherries, a touch of plums, candied orange zest. Medium-bodied, plum fruit to the fore, integrated tannins, a touch of nougat and a mineral, dry finish; a somewhat static style.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38 hl/ha, 13% alc. vol., production 46,000 bottles) Fragrant, silky, finely floral, fresh, Burgundy-style bouquet, raspberries, vanilla powder, nougat, fine herbs. Delicate, tightly knit palate with fresh, sweet fruit, fine tannins, gently creamy, subtly muscular structure, powerful, sweet aromatics, long, refined finish. Has room to improve.

(75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38 hl/ha, 13% vol. alcohol, production 46,000 bottles) Fragrant, silky, finely floral, fresh, Burgundy-style bouquet, raspberries, vanilla powder, nougat, fine herbs. Delicate, tightly knit palate with fresh, sweet fruit, fine tannins, a lightly creamy texture, a subtly muscular structure, powerful sweet aromatics, and a long, refined finish. Can improve further. 18/20 2028 - 2048

The 2021 Clinet is deep garnet-purple in color. It is a little closed, with cedar and blueberry notes opening out to a core of chocolate-covered cherries and licorice, with a waft of violets. Medium-bodied, the palate is velvety and juicy, with just enough freshness and a savory finish.

A fairy’s whisper, the scent of flowers in a summer garden after dusk (iris and lilac), with berries so ripe they weigh down the stems. Impressive on the palate for its fruit richness, unexpected in this cool, gloomy vintage. The velvety texture caresses the mouth. The green freshness of floral sap teases the taste buds.

charm and freshness always make great companions! Cabernet Sauvignon emerges through classic nuances of eucalyptus, ivy, and blackcurrant, while Merlot lends a more inviting, smoother touch—more Merlot, in short! A wine of great finesse that combines freshness, charm, tension, and sapidity.

Deep color, of normal intensity and slightly evolved. Lovely, fine, fruity nose, pure, subtle and vanilla-scented. Silky, fruity palate with a medium, melt-in-the-mouth body, showing a slight evolution toward oak, with well-integrated tannins and a normal length. Blend: 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Alcohol content: 13°.

A small concentrate of fresh violet—that’s what the nose of this Clinet 2021 proclaims. With 25% Cabernet Sauvignon (a record, the rest Merlot), it asserts a perhaps more “serious” identity, less rounded than usual. The palate is robust, brimming with blue fruits, built on a tannic framework of fine firmness, finishing with a lovely mouthwatering salinity. Laser-precise.

Skilfully done, well put together, plenty of dark chocolate, smoked pepper and truffle, coming in waves alongside cassis fruits and enticing floral aromatics. This feels sculpted and extremely attractive, but does not entirely escape the vintage, unusually austere for Clinet – give it another four or five years in bottle to really soften. Tasted twice.