Chateau Clinet lies at the highest point of the Pomerol Plateau on the Gunz gravel terrace, origin of the appellation’s most prestigious crus. It’s a remarkable terroir of old gravel and deep clay over a subsoil of clinker. The vines sink roots 5 metres deep where they are gently warmed by naturally occurring volcanic stones.

The estate has been producing some of the world’s most prestigious wines for centuries. The Belleyme Map, published in 1785, shows the terroir of Chateau Clinet was already exclusively under vine.

Since the 1980s, Jean-Michel Arcaute has managed the vineyard. He has been instrumental in revolutionizing them, replanting with Merlot instead of Cabernet and introducing hand-harvesting, manual selection, and a longer cuvaison.

Merlot accounts for the vast majority of grape varieties (90%) with the remainder being made up of Cabernet-Sauvignon (9%) and Cabernet Franc (1%). The total area under vine is 11.3 hectares and the average age of the vines is 40 years.

The vines are grown with total respect for the environment, giving pride of place to tilling and grassing rather than using chemicals and the human hand over machines.

The vinification process for Chateau Clinet aims to maintain the freshness, finesse and character. Harvesting is always carried out manually, and following meticulous selection, gravity delivers the grapes to the vats. The cellar layout allows good traceability from the vineyard to the end of the aging period. The production of a well-defined parcel can be followed in each vat, then each barrel.

On average, fermentation and maceration lasts for one month, whereupon the wine is transferred into barrels. ‘Free run’ wines are separated from ‘pressed’ wines, and then aged separately. The wine is aged in French oak barrels. around 60 percent new with the remaining being one-year old.


The 2014 Clinet Bordeaux Blend, produced by Clinet in Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, is a red wine with an alcohol content of 13.5%. With a cork closure, this wine exemplifies the qualities of its vintage, offering a balanced and refined drinking experience.

Wine Spectator rated the 2014 Clinet with a score of 92, highlighting its "dark profile, featuring a steeped core of fig and blackberry fruit that melds with roasted apple wood and ganache notes through the finish" (Wine Spectator, 1/11/2017). This review suggests the wine's complex and well-integrated flavors, best enjoyed from 2020 to 2035.

James Suckling awarded the 2014 Clinet a score of 94, noting it as "a tight and subtle wine with very pretty ripe-fruit character and chocolate" (James Suckling, 2/13/2017). He emphasized the wine's medium to full body and suggested it needs time to open, recommending it be enjoyed after 2020.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave the wine a score of 91, with Neal Martin describing it as "medium-bodied and quite refined, certainly not as opulent as other vintages from the estate" (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 4/1/2017). Martin noted the improved fruit concentration in the bottle, with red plum, wild strawberry, and blueberry scents, but remarked on a lack of persistence on the angular finish.

Jeb Dunnuck rated the 2014 Clinet at 93, pointing out its "loads of plum, crème de cassis, spice-box, dried flowers, and graphite aromas and flavors" (Jeb Dunnuck, 11/30/2017). He described it as an elegant and balanced wine with full-bodied richness and a terrific minerality that develops with time in the glass, suggesting it will keep for over 20 years.

Jeff Leve, also scoring it 93, found the wine "much better in bottle" with added richness and weight. He praised its "supple, sensuous quality to the tannins and length in the finish" (Jeff Leve, 2/4/2017), recommending it for further aging of 3-5 years.

Jane Anson commended the 2014 Clinet with a score of 93, describing it as having "attractive fleshy damson and black cherry fruits, with crushed rose petal fragrance and salted cracker lift on the finish" (Jane Anson, 2/1/2024). She noted it as the first year in the new cellar at Clinet, aged with 60% new oak, and remarked on its promising evolution and readiness to drink.

In summary, the 2014 Clinet Bordeaux Blend is a well-regarded wine with high praise from multiple reviewers, showcasing a blend of ripe fruit, refined tannins, and a balance of richness and elegance. Ideal for aging, it is expected to improve further with time.