Château Feytit-Clinet 2020

Château Feytit Clinet was considered an unremarkable estate in Pomerol for much of the 20th Century, yet it has experienced a phenomenal turnaround.  This property lies west of the prestigious Pomerol plateau, where the stars of the region like Le Pin, Château Pétrus and Château Trotanoy bask in the limelight.  Yet with all that in mind, the estate is an incredible Pomerol producer whose scores have been increasing since the talented Jeremy Chasseuil took over operations.  It is without a doubt a property that merits much distinction in one of the most prestigious wine regions in the world.
 
The earliest records of Château Feytit Clinet date all the way back to 1825 when it was owned by a member of the de Goumbalt family.  By 1964 the property entered a lease agreement with the Moueix family, owners of the incomparable Château Pétrus.  Château Feytit Clinet had some impressive neighbors, including L’Eglise Clinet and Latour à Pomerol and it was only a matter of time before it would attract attention from many interested buyers.  In 2000, a young and fiery gentleman named Jeremy Chasseuil set his sights on purchasing the property.  There was one problem, the city of Bordeaux owned 50% of the vineyards.  Jeremy not only needed to purchase those plots, but he had to prove he could manage such a property.  Thankfully, due to his skills, he was able to prove himself a worthy owner of Château Feytit Clinet.  A passion for wine runs in the bloodline of the Chasseuil family, and Jeremy’s father, Michel, has one of the largest, most interesting wine collections in the world.  He even wrote a book on this collection, titling it, “100 Vintage Treasures.” Prior to Jeremy’s ownership, Château Feytit Clinet was not taken seriously by the Parkers and Ansons of the world.  But all that would soon change. 
 
Jeremy Chasseuil made grand, sweeping changes at the estate.  He reduced the yields and switched the property over to green harvesting.  The tiny 7-hectare parcel of land, planted with 90% Merlot vines and 10% Cabernet Franc vines is now harvested entirely by hand.  These vines are 30 years old on average, and thrive in the heavily graveled, clay and sandy soils.  Jeremy also lowered the yields over at Château Feytit Clinet by over half, resulting in a richer and more concentrated wine.  In addition to making changes in the vineyard, Jeremy made plenty of changes in the vat room. The grapes are sorted twice before and after destemming and are now vinified in concrete to preserve freshness. The wine remains on its lees – which is a technique often used in Burgundy – for several months.  This yields a fuller-bodied wine, with a roundness, weight, and depth.  Jeremy Chasseuil also increased the percentage of new oak barriques from 25 to 75%, resulting in a wine with more structure, and greater aromas of dark chocolate and truffle.  For those who love powerful, rich wines, Château Feytit Clinet is an especially dense Pomerol, with complexity and nuance aplenty.

"The 2020 Feytit Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, coming in at 14.8% alcohol and a pH of 3.7. Harvest took place September 11–28 and yields were 42 hectoliters per hectare. The wine is being aged in French oak barrels, 70% new. Deep purple-black colored, it storms out of the glass, shouting bold notes of plum preserves, blueberry pie and stewed cherries, before giving way to quiet whispers of Indian spices, potpourri, licorice and rose oil. The full-bodied palate is packed with muscular black fruits and a firm texture of ripe, rounded tannins, contrasted by lovely freshness and loads of alluring exotic spice layers, lingering long into the layered finish. A beautifully constructed paradox, this is a very smart, stylish Feytit-Clinet!" Lisa Perotti-Brown, May 2021: The Wine Advocate (05/20/2021) Rating: 94-96 Drink: 2026-2046

"Another blockbuster in the making from this tiny estate in Pomerol, the 2020 Château Feytit-Clinet is based on a normal blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, hitting 14.8% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.7. The aging will span 18 months in 70% new French oak. It boasts a dense purple hue as well as a stunning nose of crème de cassis, currants, tobacco, and damp earth. About as ripe, sexy, and opulent as they come, it still shows the purity and freshness of this great vintage. It reveals more and more tannins with time in the glass, but given its mid-palate as well as its overall density, it’s going to benefit from just 3-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-30 years." Jeb Dunnuck, Bordeaux 2020 En Primeur - Part 1(05/23/2021) Rating: 95-98