The 2021 L'Eglise Clinet Bordeaux Blend is a red wine hailing from the Pomerol sub-region of Bordeaux, France. Produced by L'Eglise Clinet, this wine features a composition of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, and it is bottled with a cork closure. With an alcohol content of 14.5%, it has received high praise from multiple professional reviewers.
Described as muscular and powerful, the wine opens with aromas of dark berries, incense, licorice, spices, and toasty new oak, according to William Kelley from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. Kelley rated it 94 points, noting its "broad attack" and mid-palate framed by "ripe, powdery, richly extracted tannins." He highlighted its dense and youthfully introverted nature, largely defined by its terroir and winemaking.
Jane Anson awarded the wine an excellent 96 points, describing it as "carved, precise and energetic," with notes of cloves, licorice root, fine tannins, blueberry, redcurrant, tobacco, and slate minerality. Anson emphasized that the wine can be approached earlier than usual, around 7-8 years after harvest, but will continue to reveal new facets for up to 20 years.
Jeff Leve also gave the wine a 96-point score, praising its elegance, freshness, and complexity. He noted the presence of plums, black cherries, chocolate, flowers, wet earth, and a hint of espresso. Leve commended the Durantou family for their strong winemaking, calling this vintage one of the gems and recommending it for immediate acquisition.
Jeb Dunnuck, who rated the wine 94 points, highlighted its concentration and depth, with ripe red and black plum fruits, damp earth, tobacco leaf, graphite, and violets. Dunnuck noted the wine's rock-solid mid-palate density and sweet tannins, suggesting a 2-4 year wait before enjoying it over the next two decades.
James Suckling gave the highest score of 98 points, describing the wine as medium-bodied with fine-textured tannins and a seamless finish. He mentioned flavors of blackberries, violets, cloves, dark olives, and peaches, all in balance.
Antonio Galloni from Vinous rated the wine 96 points, admiring its dark, dense character with generous black fruit, gravel, spice, and new leather. He emphasized the wine's substance, textural resonance, and overall balance.
Decanter also awarded 96 points, noting a brooding nose of black fruits and a palate of succulent red fruits like sweet/sour strawberries and red cherries. They highlighted its racy acidity, fine tannins, and joyous personality.
Lastly, Lisa Perrotti-Brown from The Wine Independent rated it 95 points, praising its plush texture, freshness, and expressive berry flavors, concluding with a long, spicy finish.
Overall, the 2021 L'Eglise Clinet is a highly acclaimed Bordeaux Blend, noted for its balance, complexity, and potential for aging, making it a standout choice for wine enthusiasts.
