Chateau L´Eglise Clinet 2018

JAMES SUCKLING: "Incredible purity of fruit here with blackberry, black olive, concrete, stone and violet in the nose. It’s full-bodied with a powerful palate of fruit that shows a wet-earth and black-truffle undertone. The tannins are intense and chewy, yet wonderfully polished and poised. Superb length in the finish. One built for long cellaring. Try after 2027."

JEB DUNNUCK: "With a serious depth of color, this hedonistic thrill ride opens with an aromatic display of truffle, flowers, dark chocolate, herbs, black cherries and plum. Plush, opulent, rich and with the texture of silk and velvet, the wine coats your palate with layers of fresh, sensuous, perfectly ripe fruits, chocolate and truffle. This full-bodied wine is only going to get better with age. If you can wait a decade, this will be even better. The wine blends 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc"

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 L'Eglise Clinet has a 3.63 pH and 14.5% alcohol. It was aged in 70% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with a stunning fragrant-earth perfume, accented by notions of wild mushrooms, mossy tree bark and crushed rocks, giving way to a core of black raspberries, plum preserves and fresh blueberries, plus wafts of lavender and clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate shimmers with energy, delivering slow-releasing black fruit and earthy layers, framed by very ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastic tension. It finishes with epic length and subtlety. It is already so evocative and beautifully expressed at this youthful stage that is tempting to broach straight away, but give it another 5-6 years to really fan its feathers, and drink it over the next 40 or more years."

WEINWISSER: "Tiefes Purpur mit opaker Mitte und zartem rubinrotem Rand. Dicht verwobenes Bouquet mit Holundersaft, Sandelholz und dunklen Schokotrüffeln. Im zweiten Ansatz Schlehengelee, zartes Veilchenparfüm und dominikanischer Tabak. Am sublimen Gaumen mit einer seidigen Textur, kakaoartigem Tanningerüst, herrlicher Extraktfülle und mächtigem Körper. Im kaskadenartigen Finale ein nicht enden wollendes Crescendo mit Wildkirsche, gerösteten Himbeerkernen und einer royalen Adstringenz. Ich verwende den Begriff Kaschmir(wein) sehr selten, aber hier trifft er zu! Danke Denis für deine langjährige Freundschaft, deinen herrlichen Wetteifer und deine großzügige Art. Dieses Monument wird in seiner perfekten Trinkreife die Traumnote erreichen! Reifen lassen!"

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "L’Eglise-Clinet 2018 has a deep garnet purple color. It leaps with notes of violets and chocolate box, giving way to prunes, baked black cherries, and dried mulberries, plus hints of incense and dusty soil, with a waft of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it is tightly wound, very minerally in the mouth with impressively intertwined freshness, finishing long and quietly intense."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "With a serious depth of color, this hedonistic thrill ride opens with an aromatic display of truffle, flowers, dark chocolate, herbs, black cherries and plum. Plush, opulent, rich and with the texture of silk and velvet, the wine coats your palate with layers of fresh, sensuous, perfectly ripe fruits, chocolate and truffle. This full-bodied wine is only going to get better with age. If you can wait a decade, this will be even better. The wine blends 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc"

DECANTER: "This is plush, with touches of chocolate shavings, olive paste, clove, rosemary and sage right from the opening beats. Blackberry and raspberry layer up flavours that lift out of the glass, then the aromatics take over with soft smoke and grilled almonds. Seductive, a reminder of Durantou's ability to tease layers and nuances out of even warm vintages. Austere on the finish, with chalky tannins at this stage - this is knitted down and will reward patience. Low temperature fermentation at around 22C. A yield of 45hl/ha. Drinking Window 2027 - 2044"

WINE SPECTATOR: "Lush in feel, with boysenberry reduction and crushed plum flavors, carried by a polished, solid structure. A mineral hint filters through on the finish, adding length and cut. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Score Range: 95-98"

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Edelholznuancen, schwarze Frucht, zart nach Lakritze und Tabak, würziges Bukett. Am Gaumen komplex, reife Kirschen, straffes, eingebundenes Tannin, mineralischer Touch im Abgang, etwas Nougat, sehr gute Länge, vielversprechendes Etwicklungspotenzial."