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 2016 Clinet Bordeaux Blend from Pomerol, France, is a highly regarded red wine produced by Clinet. Composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has received excellent reviews from several professional wine critics. Aged in 70% new and 30% one-year-old barrels for 16 months, it boasts a 14.0% alcohol content and is sealed with a traditional cork closure.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, with Lisa Perrotti-Brown reviewing, awarded the wine an impressive score of 97. She describes its "deep garnet-purple color" with a nose of "cedar and smoked meats," transitioning into "black and red plums" and "earthy notions with wafts of cassis and pencil shavings." Perrotti-Brown commends its "medium to full-bodied, elegant, polished and vivacious" palate, with layers of red and black fruit and an earthy finish.

Wine Spectator's JM rated the wine 93, noting its "warm and fleshy" feel and flavors of "dark plum, boysenberry, and blackberry sauce" complemented by "mulling spice and black tea notes." The wine's finish reveals "singed alder and tobacco hints," adding texture and complexity. JM describes it as "seductive" with "sneaky length" and recommends it for consumption between 2021 and 2034.

James Suckling gave it a score of 95, highlighting its "beautiful blue fruit and earth with hints of black truffle" and a "violet and fragrant edge." He praises its "mouthwatering fruit flavor" and "terrific sense of fresh energy and cut on the finish."

Jeb Dunnuck awarded a near-perfect score of 99, calling it a "brilliant wine" with "saturated purple color" and "thrilling array of crème de cassis, graphite, and ground herbs." He lauds its "deep, full-bodied" character and "magical sense of purity and elegance," suggesting it needs short-term cellaring and will age well for three decades.

Jeff Leve's review on TheWineCellarInsider.com gave it a 96, noting its "elegance, grace, and concentration" with flavors of "silky, lush, chocolate-infused plums and black cherries." He advises allowing it at least a decade to age and develop.

Decanter also rated it 97, appreciating its "subdued" nature and "intense punch of dark, tight cassis fruits" with a "liquorice and dark chocolate finish." The wine's "floral, violet-stained edging" and "silky smooth tannic frame" were also highlighted.

Finally, Jane Anson rated it 98, praising its "grilled sandalwood, vanilla bean, charcoal, damson, and black cherry" notes. She lauds its "balance between concentration and lightness of touch" and predicts further aging potential over the next decade.

In summary, the 2016 Clinet Bordeaux Blend is a highly acclaimed wine known for its complexity, elegance, and aging potential, receiving high scores and praise from multiple reviewers.