Chateau Clinet 2023

Ripe-fruited, deep, dark berries, noble roasted note; fruity attack, then turns taut, noticeable tannins, lots of freshness, shows drive and breed, long finish. Less monolithic, more elegant than in earlier years.

With ripe red fruit and spicy aromatics, this wine gets off to a fine start, with a brisk attack packed with ripe red berry and plum fruit. I also like the freshness, tension and a long finish. But it shows rather firm tannins with some drying extraction. Conservative score, as we await the final result after the barrel ageing.

75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cask sample. Good, deep colour. Ripe and concentrated on the nose. Good depth of fruit on the palate. Fine tannins provide structure and persistence. Not the most concentrated Clinet but fresh and balanced. Shows some ageing potential. (JL)

The 2023 Clinet was bottled in late June 2025, which includes half a hectare parsed away from Lécuyer since 2022, includes 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in 80% new oak for 16 months. This has a fragrant bouquet with bright red cherry and blueberry fruit, quite floral in style and well-defined, the oak well-integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with a creamier texture than its aforementioned stablemate, lovely texture, gentle grip, with a lightly spiced finish that conveys a sense of control. An excellent Pomerol from Ronan Laborde and his team.

Lilacs, violets, smoke, spice, cherries, plums, licorice, orange rind, and chocolate mint shape the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is energetic, vibrant, long, and upbeat. The fruit delivers purity, persistence, length, and breadth. It takes a few sips to find its heart, but once you do, it’s clear that the layers of vibrant red fruits, complicated by nuances of orange zest, are special. The refined, silky finish builds as it lingers. The keys to the vintage here were the combination of cloudy summer skies with heat spikes in September. In the cellars, this is the first vintage with a pre-fermentation cool-down, which helped protect the grapes from oxidation. The wine blends 75% Merlot with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% ABV, 3.7 pH. Harvest took place September 13–20 for the Merlot, and September 25–26 for the Cabernet. Drink from 2027–2060. 95–97 pts.

Dark ruby, deep core, purple reflections. Delicate wood savouriness, black cherries, candied violets, mandarin zest in the underlay. Medium body, some berry fruit, integrated tannins, fine acidity, salty finish, balanced, a refined food wine.

Deep, rich plum in colour, with great balance and careful extraction; you are in steady hands here. Cloves, cocoa bean, liquorice, freshly cut dried herbs, thyme and fresh sage; a slow build and gradual progression with slate-textured tannins. A great-quality Clinet, with well-judged appellation typicity and a floral kick on the finish. 80% new oak, 42 hl/ha yields.

Score: 93–95. On the nose, an icy freshness counterbalances the heady depth of ripe fruits (cherry, blackcurrant, raspberry, blueberry), like a prima ballerina playing both the White Swan and the Black Swan in Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet. On the palate, a cashmere-like texture of supreme softness flows into every nook and cranny of the mouth, while the fruit, sumptuous and sappy, soothes and comforts. A mouthwatering finish with hints of musk rose.

This is a rich wine with a dark chocolate aroma, dense black fruits and fine concentration. Its solid, opulent texture goes with a core of powerful tannins to allow it to age well. Drink from 2028.

Embraces the fruit-forward style, offering up mouthfilling raspberry, boysenberry and black cherry compote flavors that are round and silky in feel. Flashes of anise and black tea add range, and there’s a seductive coating of melted black licorice on the finish. A subtle tug of ink at the very end keeps this honest. A strong effort. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2027 through 2040. 4,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.