Visits

Château Clinet
Pomerol (France)


 

The estate, although founded in the 18^th Century, is modern and classy, managed by a new generation, and produces an excellent Pomerol!

Along with the extremely friendly and courteous multilingual welcome, it offers a beautiful panoramic view on the surrounding vineyard from inside the new vinification cellar (built in 2004).  Clinet is a name worth noting.

 

TASTING
All these wines are blends of 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Château Clinet, 2006
Very good. Garnet colour with purple highlights, nose still a little closed but slightly fruity, tannins already silky smooth. (May 07)

Château Client, 2004
Excellent. Powerful fruit, toast and earthy aromas, mouth of finesse and elegance. (May 07)

Château Clinet, 2002
Excellent. Light garnet colour with light orange ring, fruity, slightly smoky and spicy nose, elegant and smooth in the mouth, silky tannins. Very pleasant to drink, long finish. (May 07)

Château Clinet, 2001
Excellent. Very expressive aromas of earth, truffle and red berries, long finish, a captivating wine. (May 07)
 

Ownership & Management
Laborde family (since 1998). Ronan Laborde (the 27 year old estate manager), Alain Gourdis (assistant general manager), Romain Ducolomb (the 26 year old cellar master).

Winemaker, Consultant
Michel Rolland
 

Vineyard
8.64 ha, 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Vines are about 40 years old. Gravel, clay, and iron-containing sand and gravel. The vineyard is farmed according to environmentally-friendly methods rather than through the use of chemicals, and increasingly so since 1998. Manual harvesting and sorting (in the vineyard and after harvesting). The grapes are handled with extreme care throughout the process.
 

Winemaking
The grapes are poured by gravity flow into the underground modern, wooden vinification vats where the parcel-specific alcoholic fermentation takes place (4-6 weeks). Malolactic fermentation takes place in French oak barrels (60% new, 40% one year barrels). The wine is aged 18-22 months in the French oak barrels then blended. (The vin de presse is extracted with a vertical press and aged separately.)

Wines
·  Château Clinet (40,000 bottles/year)
·  Fleur de Clinet