Château L’Eglise-Clinet 2017 is the grand vin of this small, highly regarded Pomerol estate, long guided by Denis Durantou’s exacting approach. In a vintage marked by spring frosts across Bordeaux, Decanter’s Jane Anson notes that “there was no frost at this estate,” helping the château bring its fruit to full ripeness. The blend is about 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, with the Merlot picked September 12–22 and Cabernet Franc on September 22, and the wine aged in a reported 70% new oak. Jeff Leve (TheWineCellarInsider.com) cites 14% alcohol and a pH of 3.68, and relays Durantou’s wry summary of the year’s scarcity: “We produced just enough bottles for my friends.”

This is a concentrated, dark-fruited 2017 that still leans on freshness and structure. Lisa Perrotti-Brown awards an excellent 98 points in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, describing a wine that starts “a little closed and broody” before opening to “baked black plums, chocolate-covered cherries and blueberry preserves,” finishing “long and savory. Bravo!” James Suckling also gives an excellent 98 points, highlighting “extremely enticing aromas of blackberries… sweet tobacco… and mushrooms,” followed by “juicy fruit and a long, flavorful finish,” recommending to “try after 2024, but already a joyous glass.”

Antonio Galloni (Vinous) is close behind at 97 points, calling it “dark, sensual and wonderfully rich,” with “dried flowers, mocha, chocolate, spice and blackberry jam,” while cautioning it “is going to need a number of years to come into its own.” Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth (94 points) emphasizes the plush side—“very lush, with warmed fig, plum and blackberry preserve flavors”—and pegs a long window (best 2022–2038).

Overall, the critical consensus is that L’Eglise-Clinet delivered one of Pomerol’s standouts in 2017: ripe, layered, and built to reward patience without sacrificing immediate appeal.