Quelle gourmandise! Geen slecht woord om dit fruit en deze tannine te beschrijven. Wel integendeel! Zelfs als “tweede” wijn (weliswaar van l’Eglise Clinet) klopt deze Pomerol moeiteloos vele Grands Vins van de gemeente. Somber en intens, groots en succulent. Licht gementholeerde en getoaste zwarte bessen vertonen subtiele kruidigheid en indrukwekkende lengte. Dit is een 100% Merlot afkomstig van de lichtere, zanderige bodems van l’Eglise Clinet werd geplukt tussen 12 en 22 september. De productie is beperkt tot 7.600 flessen en rust voorlopig in de kelder van l’Eglise Clinet op 35% nieuwe eik.
IN DE PERS
90 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Februari 2020)
The 2017 La Petite Eglise was picked from 12 to 22 September and matured in 50% new oak. It has a floral bouquet with touches of incense and lavender infusing the black fruit, nicely defined and surprisingly open for the vintage. The palate is very smooth on the entry with blood orange and a tang of marmalade infusing the black fruit. It threatens to become exotic, but then it becomes more linear towards the finish with touches of graphite on the aftertaste. Drink 2023-2030.
90-92 Neal Martin – vinous.com (Mei 2018)
The 2016 La Petite Eglise is pure Merlot as usual that was picked on 5 October this year and matured in 50% new oak. It is a small production of just 700 cases. It has a pure and elegant bouquet with a hint of oyster shell infusing the red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, bright redcurrant and cranberry notes and fine acidity, tender and refined towards the finish. This is another beautiful La Petite Eglise from Denis Durantou. Drink: 2020-2034.
93 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (Maart 2020)
The 2017 La Petite Eglise is poweful and rich in the glass. Dark purplish berry fruit, charcoal, licorice, clove and lavender are some of the many nuances that infuse the 2017 with its distinctly somber personality. Unctuous and racy in feel, with superb density, the 2017 is a decidedly extroverted Pomerol. Tasting it from bottle, I have the same impression I did en primeur: it is easily better than many top bottlings. Drink 2022-2032.
90-93 Antonio Galloni – vinous.com (Mei 2018)
The 2016 La Petite Eglise is a delicious second wine from Denis Durantou's L'Eglise-Clinet. Succulent dark cherry, lavender, cloves and menthol are all fused together. Sexy and racy in the glass, with tons of aromatic nuance and mid-palate unctuousness, the Petite Eglise is a terrific introduction to the house style. Readers who can find it should not hesitate.
89 Jane Anson – decanter.com (April 2018)
A lighter expression of Durantou's work, partly because this is a sandier soil planted to 100% Merlot, and partly due to the vintage. It has a real freshness and florality and will make for great drinking over the next few years. It's worth knowing that Durantou is about to pull up these vines (they were planted in the 1980s), so this will be the last vintage before production goes right down for the next five years or so. Thankfully there was a good yield of 41hl/ha. 50% new oak, picked 12-22 September. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033
91 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW – robertparker.com (Maart 2020)
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 La Petite Eglise delivers expressive notions of baked plums, warm black cherries and mulberries with hints of forest floor and garrigue plus a waft of smoked meats. Medium-bodied, the palate has a great core of plummy flavors with soft tannins and a refreshing finish. Drink 2020-2032.
90-92 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW – robertparker.com (April 2018)
Composed of 52% Merlot and 48% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Le Petit Cheval comes strutting out of the glass with gregarious notions of red currant jelly, black raspberries, blackberries and dark chocolate with hints of lavender, allspice, fertile loam and potpourri. Medium-bodied and firmly textured with chewy tannins and seamless freshness, it has plenty of spice and earth layers and a long, mineral-tinged finish. 4,500 bottles are to be produced.
90-91 James Suckling – jamessuckling.com (Maart 2018)
An elegant second wine of L’Eglise Clinet with dark berries, spices and stones. Medium body and silky and polished tannins.
17/20 Julia Harding MW – jancisrobinson.com (April 2018)
Special plots, always the same each year. 100% Merlot picked 5 October (after Église-Clinet was picked). 50% new oak. 700 cases. Super-juicy and so much flesh it almost covers the structure. Sweet ink. Lovely stuff. Just falls away a little bit on the end. Drink: 2023-2031.
Eglise ClinetDenis Durantou maakt verbluffende wijnen. Zeker sinds zijn aantreden begin de jaren 1980, verdient het historisch vermaarde Eglise Clinet de talrijke accolades. Deze Pomerol behoort tot de meest succesvolle Bordeauxwijnen. Hij is herkenbaar, geparfumeerd, genuanceerd en bezit de structuur die essentieel is om over meerdere decennia plezier te verlenen. Blinde proeverijen van oudere jaargangen bewijzen dit ruimschoots. Grandioze wijnen ontbreken niet op Eglise Clinet en 1921, 1947 en 2005 ontvingen perfecte parkerscores.
Hij maakt de Grand Vin met 4,5 hectare Graves en klei naast de kerk van Pomerol. De druiven van deze veertig jaar oude wijnstokken (90% Merlot en 10% Cabernet Franc) doen hun werk. Denis mijdt overrijpheid en passeert nooit te laat. De vinificatie is traditioneel maar geïnspireerd.
Zijn tweede wijn "La Petite Eglise" bereikt eveneens een hoog kwaliteitsniveau. Deze 100% Merlot haalt hij voornamelijk op een zanderig perceel van 1,5 hectare naast La Grave.
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