La Petite Eglise 2020

L’Eglise Clinet is considered by many to be one of the truly great offerings from Pomerol.  The name of this producer is often brought up in conjunction with icons of the Right Bank like Château Pétrus and Château La Fleur.  Yet despite the greatness of this estate, the wine is still among the less exorbitantly priced Pomerol producers out there today.  Robert Parker Jr himself once referred to this estate as a, “sleeper château of the century.”

The history of this estate dates to 1803, when a gentleman named Jean Rouchut purchased some vines near a small cemetery.  In 1882, the family purchased some plots from a neighboring vineyard, Domaine de Clinet. They decided to partner, and thus L’Eglise Clinet was born.  The property’s rise to stardom began when it was inherited by one of the legends in the wine industry, Denis Durantou. 

The Durantou family was a family of farmers, and most of their income did not come from winemaking.  Denis Durantou took over operations in 1983 and he certainly had his work cut out for him. There were no cellar floors, only dirt.  The vats were old and unclean, and they were not temperature controlled.  He made sweeping changes to the vat room and relined cement tanks with epoxy and replanted much of the 5.5-hectare vineyard. It took him only two years before he began to see the fruits of his labor.  There’s a mixture of opulence, concentration, and body in each bottle of L’Eglise Clinet and these traits began to evolve and shine during his tenure.  During the 1990s, each vintage received mounting critical acclaim and today, this opulent and lush wine is now considered one of the true stars of Pomerol. 

Denis Durantou was known as, “a winemaker’s winemaker.” He valued precision when approaching his wines and was a master at handling the Merlot grape.  Durantou’s authenticity was refreshing, and he was the epitome of a humble vigneron who did most of his winemaking in the vineyard.  He was described by some as, “a man of the soil,” whose purposes and motivation for crafting wine was simple: bringing integrity to terroir.  There was no pretense or ego that came through in his winemaking.  This is especially rare in a region where exorbitant prices continue to inflate, and a great wine is more and more difficult to purchase.  Denis Durantou’s contributions were important ones because he devoted a significant portion of his time to creating value oriented Pomerol that leveled the playing field.  In an interview with Jane Anson, he said he wanted to translate terroir, “as honestly as possible.”  Unfortunately, he passed away in 2020 after a long illness.  It was truly a great loss for the wine industry in all of Bordeaux.

Denis Durantou’s legacy lives on in those thirty-seven vintages he produced.  One can still always experience his technique, his precision, and his unique style in these wines.  His daughters are now in charge of the property with the winemaking team headed by Olivier Gautrat who worked for Durantou family for the past 20 years.

''This is powerful and complex, fleshy damson and black cherry fruits, austere in all the right places, with amazing depth, better than many first wines in Pomerol and is an absolute buy. Jagged edges of crushed rocks, star-bright, luscious as it opens, unleashing waves of violet and peony. A shame just to taste this wine, hopefully you will be luckier and can enjoy a whole bottle. 50% new oak, harvest September 9 to 16. Noemie Durantou winemaker alongside Olivier Gautrat.'' - Jane Anson, Best Pomerol 2020 Wines Tasted En Primeur (01/16/2023), Ratings: 94, Drink: 2024-2038

"The 2020 La Petite Eglise is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The Merlot was picked on the 9th and the 16th of September, and the Cabernet Franc was picked on the 16th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.5% and is aging in French oak barrels, 50% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with bold notions of black raspberries, Black Forest cake and baked plums, plus hints of red roses, cardamom and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate possesses incredible poise at this youthful stage, delivering plush tannins and integrated freshness to support the generous black fruits, finishing long and full of energy. An anticipated 4,500 bottles will be made." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (05/20/2021), Ratings: 92-94, Drink: 2024-2039

''The 2020 La Petite Eglise reveals aromas of sweet cherries and berries mingled with petals and loamy soil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively and concentrated palate that's rather firm and serious this year. It will reward patience. Only 4,500 bottles were produced from dedicated parcels.'' - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, Ratings: 91+ Drink: 2027-2045

''The second wine of L'Eglise Clinet, the 2020 Château L'Eglise Clinet La Petite Eglise is charming, with an up-front, beautifully textured, supple style that already offers pleasure. Giving up lots of plum and darker berry fruits as well as some chocolate and damp earth notes, this sexy little Pomerol is perfect for drinking over the coming 7-8 years or more. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, raised in 50% new French oak.'' - Jeb Dunnuck, (03/29/2023), Ratings: 91 Drink: 2023-2031