Chateau l'Eglise Clinet
Pomerol - Chateau l'Eglise Clinet
History
Chateau L’Eglise Clinet has a long history in the Pomerol appellation of Bordeaux. It dates all the way back to 1803, when Jean Rouchut purchased some of the vineyard land that later became L’Eglise Clinet.
Denis Durantou took over Chateau L’Eglise Clinet in 1983. In his early years, it was not easy managing the estate. Denis Durantou had to renovate the cellars as there was no floor, only dirt. It took just 2 years for Denis Durantou to start Chateau L’Eglise Clinet on the road to legendary status. 1985 Chateau L’Eglise Clinet was his first true success! Year after year, the wines of Chateau L’Eglise Clinet continue improving. The level of quality really kicked in starting with the 1998 vintage. There was no looking back after that. Chateau L’Eglise Clinet, slowly but surely keeps getting better and better. Today, it is one of the true stars of Pomerol!
Vineyards
Its 5.5 hectares of vineyards are located on the Pomerol plateau, where the soils are rich in gravel, clay, sand and iron. The vines have a high average age of around 45 years, with a proportion of them dating back to pre-1956, having escaped the brutal frosts of that year.
Wines
L'Eglise-Clinet's wine is typically a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The grapes are vinified in a combination of concrete vats and stainless steel vats. The wine is then aged in small oak barriques (50-70% new) for 18 months.