2023 Château Clinet, Pomerol, Bordeaux
Critics reviews
Deep rich plum in colour, great balance and careful extraction, you are held by steady hands here. Cloves, cocoa bean, liqourice, freshly cut dried herbs, thyme and fresh sage, slow-build and slow progress with slate-textured tannins. A great quality Clinet, well judged appellation typicity, and floral kick on the finish. 80% new oak, 42hl/ha yields.
Drink 2030 - 2048
Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux (April 2024)
The 2023 Clinet was picked from September 13 to 26 at 42hL/ha and aged in 80% new oak. It has a very appealing bouquet, quite pure with vivacious red cherries, crushed strawberry and violet scents. The oak is neatly integrated. This is almost Saint-Émilion in style. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and a fine bead of acidity, lightly spiced with a crisp and linear finish. This is a delightful, composed Clinet that should drink well after four to five years.
Drink 2027 - 2047
Neal Martin, Vinous.com (April 2024)
The 2023 Clinet is powerful and racy right out of the gate. Crushed flowers, spice, mocha and a kiss of French oak meld into a core of dark red- and black-toned fruit. This modern, stylish Pomerol is so expressive. Hints of graphite, lavender, crushed rocks and pencil shavings linger on the substantial finish. Tasted two times.
Drink 2030 - 2048
Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (April 2024)
The 2023 Clinet has a deep garnet-purple color. It slowly emerges from the glass with wonderfully fragrant scents of dark chocolate, violets, plum preserves, and blueberry compote, leading to hints of kirsch and rose oil. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers energetic black and blue fruit layers, with a velvety texture and lively backbone, finishing long and perfumed. Beautiful!
Drink 2029 - 2050
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent (May 2024)
75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cask sample.
Good, deep colour. Ripe and concentrated on the nose. Good depth of fruit on the palate. Fine tannins provide structure and persistence. Not the most concentrated Clinet but fresh and balanced. Shows some ageing potential.
Drink 2030 - 2043
James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson.com (April 2024)
Rich and layered, the 2023 Clinet wafts from the glass with aromas of dark berries, spices and licorice, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and complete, with a rich chassis of powdery tannin underpinning its sweet core of fruit, it concludes with a broad, vanillin-inflected finish. As is routinely the case at this address, it's a successfully rendered Pomerol in a more modern style.
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (April 2024)
This is full-bodied yet tight and poised, with a pretty, pure center-palate of ripe fruit and fine, integrated tannins. Classy presence. May be better than 2022.
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (April 2024)
With ripe red fruit and spicy aromatics, this wine gets off to a fine start, with a brisk attack packed with ripe red berry and plum fruit. I also like the freshness, tension and a long finish. But it shows rather firm tannins with some drying extraction. Conservative score, as we await the final result after the barrel ageing.
Drink 2026 - 2043
Panos Kakaviatos, Decanter (April 2024)
The 2023 Château Clinet is flat-out gorgeous, and it's certainly going to be up near the top end of the pyramid in the vintage. Based on Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a deep ruby/plum hue as well as ripe, darker red and black fruits, roasted herbs, graphite, chocolate, and spring flowers. These carry to a medium to full-bodied Pomerol with a round, seamless mouthfeel, present, ripe, polished tannins, and outstanding length. While it clearly plays in the lively, elegant style of the vintage, it packs plenty of muscle and depth.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (May 2024)
About this WINE
Château Clinet
Château Clinet is a wine estate in Pomerol on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. It is owned and run by Ronan Laborde and his partner, Monique Bailly. Ronan took the helm here in 2004.
The estate’s 11 hectares of vines sit atop the famed Pomerol plateau. The vineyard is planted to a majority of Merlot (75%), which Ronan feels is highly suited to the plateau’s iron-rich clay soils. There is also 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Though rare in Pomerol, Cabernet Sauvignon has long been an important aspect of Clinet’s character; it once made up 50% of the vineyard here, Ronan reports.
Clinet came to the attention of many collectors when its 1989 vintage received a 100-point score from the critic Robert Parker; it has remained one of Bordeaux’s most sought-after names ever since. Another perfect Parker score followed for the 2009 vintage.
Pomerol
Pomerol is the smallest of Bordeaux's major appellations, with about 150 producers and approximately 740 hectares of vineyards. It is home to many bijou domaines, many of which produce little more than 1,000 cases per annum.
Both the topography and architecture of the region is unremarkable, but the style of the wines is most individual. The finest vineyards are planted on a seam of rich clay which extends across the gently-elevated plateau of Pomerol, which runs from the north-eastern boundary of St Emilion. On the sides of the plateau, the soil becomes sandier and the wines lighter.
There is one satellite region to the immediate north, Lalande-de-Pomerol whose wines are stylistically very similar, if sometimes lacking the finesse of its neighbour. There has never been a classification of Pomerol wines.
Recommended Châteaux : Ch. Pétrus, Vieux Ch. Certan, Le Pin, Ch. L’Eglise-Clinet, Ch. La Conseillante, Ch. L’Evangile, Ch. Lafleur, Trotanoy, Ch. Nenin, Ch. Beauregard, Ch. Feytit-Clinet, Le Gay.
Merlot/Cabernet Franc
Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grape varieties commonly used in Bordeaux-style blends, particularly in the Bordeaux region of France. When these two grapes are blended, they can create a wine that combines the best characteristics of each variety.
Merlot is known for its smoothness, soft tannins, and ripe fruit flavours. It often contributes black cherry, plum, and chocolate flavours to the blend. The grapes are relatively easy to grow and ripen earlier than other Bordeaux varieties, making them versatile for blending.
Cabernet Franc, on the other hand, adds structure, depth, and complexity to the blend. It typically brings aromas of red fruits such as raspberry and strawberry, along with herbal notes like bell pepper and tobacco. These grapes have thinner skins and can be more challenging to cultivate, requiring specific growing conditions to reach their full potential.
When Merlot and Cabernet Franc are combined, the result is a well-balanced wine with various flavours and aromas. The blend often exhibits a Bordeaux wine's medium to full body, along with a smooth texture and moderate tannins. The specific flavour profile can vary depending on the proportions of each grape in the blend and the terroir and winemaking techniques employed.
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Description
Blend: 25% Cabernet Sauvignon; 75% Merlot.
The largest harvest on record at Clinet was 54hl/ha in 2016 and this year was 52 hl/ha. This means the blend’s Cabernet Sauvignon is restored to its usual percentage. It also means the 2023 has greater fluidity and immediate charm than 2022. Ronan Laborde suggests a comparison with 2021, but with greater intensity. This is especially aromatic from the glass and on the palate. While less voluminous and sumptuous than its predecessor, there is vibrancy and engagement. It engages on a wider spectrum of flavours and there is much to enjoy.
Drink 2029 - 2045
Our score: 17.5/20
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