Chateau Feytit-Clinet 2023

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.

"Rocking levels of cassis and darker berry fruits, spicy wood, graphite, spring flowers, and chocolate emerge from the 2023 Château Feytit-Clinet, a plump, full-bodied, broad, incredibly sexy 2023 that has sweet tannins and a great finish. It plays in the more ethereal, supple, juicy style of the vintage while still bringing plenty of depth, richness, and length. This tiny château, which is run by Jeremy Chasseuil, continues to fashion brilliant wines that represent incredible values, and it deserves more attention in the market today." - Jeb Dunnuck, Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur, (05/08/2024), Ratings: 94-96+

"Medium plus to full intensity this is inky, with gorgeous violet reflections, grilled oak on the nose, intense but has good construction and a sense of reserve, Espresso and charred coffee bean, along with cassis and blueberry, silky, concentrated, appellation typicity, and a ton of personality." - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux, (05/06/2024), Ratings: 94

"The 2023 Feytit-Clinet is fabulous. Rich and sumptuous in the glass, the 2023 offers up a heady mix of blue/black fruit, gravel, chocolate, scorched earth, lavender and liquified rocks. Feytit-Clinet is often a rich, structured Pomerol, but in 2023, the tannins are totally woven into the wine's fabric, making for a wine that marries power with finesse. Clean mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly. The 2023 will see 14-15 months in oak—70% new and 30% once-used barrels. Yields were a healthy 42 hectoliters per hectare. Tasted two times" - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, (04/30/2024), Ratings: 93-95