Château L’Église-Clinet 2014 is a refined and powerful red wine from Pomerol, crafted by the late Denis Durantou, a legendary winemaker. It displays a deep ruby to purple color with a bouquet of pure blackberry, myrtle, iris, and garrigue, alongside wild strawberry, cranberry, truffle, and light cedar notes. The palate is medium to full-bodied, offering crisp, silky tannins, vibrant acidity, and concentrated flavors of black cherries, blackcurrants, violets, graphite, and espresso. This wine balances finesse and structure, with a long, precise, and mineral-driven finish, showcasing the estate’s exceptional terroir of clay and gravel.
Food Pairings
Château L’Église-Clinet 2014 pairs beautifully with rich, savory dishes. Ideal matches include red meats like grilled or roasted beef, lamb, or venison, especially with herb or pepper-based sauces to complement its spice notes. Game dishes, such as duck or pheasant, work well, as do hearty stews or braised meats. For vegetarian options, try mushroom risotto or grilled portobello with truffle oil to echo the wine’s earthy notes. Soft cheeses like Camembert or aged Gouda also pair nicely, balancing the wine’s tannins and acidity.
Critics’ Reviews
- James Suckling: “The purity of fruit is so alluring in this wine. Aromas of crushed berries, lemon rind, and flowers follow through to a full body, firm and silky tannins, and a long and flavorful finish. All in finesse and texture. So fine and persistent.” (97/100)
- Robert Parker (Wine Advocate): “It has a very pure bouquet with blackberry, myrtle, a touch of iris, and a touch of garrigue… The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, a silver bead of acidity, wonderful precision, and beguiling purity. This is an outstanding Pomerol for the vintage from Denis Durantou, sophisticated and classy, yet the bottom line is quintessentially Pomerol.” (95/100)
- Antonio Galloni (Vinous): “The 2014 L’Église-Clinet is a real head-turner. Gorgeous, super-expressive aromatics meld into a core of dark, sumptuous fruit. Lavender, mint, violets, graphite, and crème de cassis notes abound in a powerful, structured wine endowed with magnificent purity and a skyscraper-like sense of lift.” (94–97/100)
- Wine Cellar Insider: “Truffle, blackberry, espresso, and violet aromas ready your senses for more. Lush black cherry, boysenberry liqueur, and licorice saturate this bright, fresh, vibrant wine. Concentrated, structured, and long, leaving you with a supple, fresh, plumy finish.”
- Community Notes (CellarTracker): Average of 93.8 points from 20 reviews, with comments highlighting its elegance, dark fruit, and structure, noting it’s just entering its drinking window with potential for further development.
Drink Window
The 2014 Château L’Église-Clinet is recommended for drinking from 2023 to 2040, with its peak likely between 2025 and 2035. Critics suggest it benefits from 4–5 years of additional bottle age to soften its tannins and fully reveal its complexity, with a potential lifespan of 20–25 years under proper storage conditions.
