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The Château Clinet 2014 is a blend of 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc picked from 23 to 30 September, 3 October for the old Merlot vines and 8 October with respect Cabernets. It was cropped at 40 hectoliters per hectare and matured in 60% new barrels and 40% second fill. It has a well-defined bouquet, quite stony compared to more fruit-driven Pomerol 14's, scents of gravel percolating through the light blackberry and boysenberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm, slightly abrasive tannin at the moment that will hopefully be abraded during its barrel age. It feels a little attenuated on the finish and you feel taken aback by the lack of its usual concentration and flamboyance on the finish. Interestingly a second sample (at the UGC) showed more cohesion and weight on the finish vis to the sample at the château. Ronan Laborde has produced some truly wonderful wines at Clinet in recent years, but I need convincing that the 2014 will join their ranks. I will hopefully re-taste this later during its barrel maturation and report back.
The Château Clinet 2014 is a blend of 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc picked from 23 to 30 September, 3 October for the old Merlot vines and 8 October with respect Cabernets. It was cropped at 40 hectoliters per hectare and matured in 60% new barrels and 40% second fill. It has a well-defined bouquet, quite stony compared to more fruit-driven Pomerol 14's, scents of gravel percolating through the light blackberry and boysenberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm, slightly abrasive tannin at the moment that will hopefully be abraded during its barrel age. It feels a little attenuated on the finish and you feel taken aback by the lack of its usual concentration and flamboyance on the finish. Interestingly a second sample (at the UGC) showed more cohesion and weight on the finish vis to the sample at the château. Ronan Laborde has produced some truly wonderful wines at Clinet in recent years, but I need convincing that the 2014 will join their ranks. I will hopefully re-taste this later during its barrel maturation and report back.
The 2014 Clinet is striking. Energetic, tense and wiry, the 2014 jumps from the glass with notable intensity. The tannins are quite evident, as is the acidity, but there is a level of harmony here that is impossible to miss. Red currant, sweet red cherry, tobacco, smoke and white pepper add nuance on the pulsating finish. I imagine the 2014 is going to require quite a bit of time, but it is compelling, even at this early stage. The 2014 is 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc that saw 30+ days on the skins in small lot fermenters, with manual punch-downs. Malolactic fermentation took place in barrel. This is a fabulous showing from Clinet and proprietor Ronan Laborde.
This is layered and intense with mineral, chalk, berry and olive character. Full, very fine and refined. Tight. Let’s see.
(90 Merlot, 9 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1 Cabernet Franc) | 13.5% alc. A terrific nose of roses and strawberries explodes in the glass here and is followed by a lovely, smooth, voluptuous palate with no trace of harshness or astringency. The oak is balanced and the finish is particularly lively on account of the record high acid and feisty 13.5% alcohol. There is spice and char here, but it is completely embedded in the suave, juicy fruit and the full flavour takes an age to subside. I venture that this will be one of the most forward of the top level Pomerol wines, too.
The lush raspberry and plum fruit flavors are lined with an ample but velvety structure, leading to a long, spice-infused finish. Ripe but not overdone, this is sure to be a head-turner.
The small sub-region of Pomerol is situated north-east of the industrious city of Libourne. Pomerol's soils are predominately iron-rich clay with a smattering of gravel that produce wines with extraordinary power and depth. As a result of this clay-dominance, it has the highest percentage of Merlot planted in all of Bordeaux. Certain châteaux are produced exclusively from this grape, but most incorporate smaller quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc as well. Despite its hefty (if not exclusive) proportion of Merlot, many people think of wines from this region as separate entities. As one wine aficionado stated recently, "It's not Merlot. It's Pomerol." Despite the region's small size, Pomerol contains some of the world's most sought after (and expensive) wines including Pétrus, Le Pin, Lafleur, l'Evangile and Vieux Château Certan. Unlike other Bordelais subregions, there is no system of classification. The châteaux are traded on reputation alone.
