2010 Clinet, Pomerol (Pre-Arrival)

SKU #1066824 97 points James Suckling

Gorgeous nose with lots of dark fruit like plum and blueberries. Crushed pepper and chalk with wild strawberries and vanilla. Dense and velvety on the palate with superbly polished tannins and great depth. It's absolutely gorgeous now but needs at least five to six years of bottle age to really shows its great quality. (2/ 2013)

96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The blend is largely dominated by 85% Merlot, with some Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Cabernet Franc also included. Inky/purple-colored, the wine has an exceptionally full-bodied, layered, moderately tannic mouthfeel and impressive power. Loads of melted chocolate/fudge and black fruits galore along with some coffee bean, mocha, as well as some background oak are all present in this big, formidably endowed, masculine style of Pomerol that will take longer to shed its tannin than the 2009. I would give this wine 5-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 30+ years. The 2010 is another fabulous effort from this estate of just over 20 acres located in the sector named the same as the chateau, Clinet. (96+) (2/ 2013)

95 points Wine Spectator

This showy, packed and well-endowed Pomerol pumps out notes of warm linzer torte, plum preserves and blackberry reduction, all supported by a broad, charcoal- and ganache-coated structure and deeply embedded acidity. Very muscular on the back end, this boasts a still-chewy feel. Among the most backward of the 2010 Pomerols, this requires significant cellaring. For those who enjoy more power than subtlety. Best from 2017 through 2035. (3/ 2013)

92-94 points Wine Enthusiast

New wood mint aromas give this wine its great polished feel. The tannins offer a counterpoint of richness here, firm and dense. The fruit takes a while to show through, then brings the fine plum skin flavors suffusing through the wine. (6/ 2011)

88-91 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Deep ruby-purple A strong element of superripeness dominates the aromas of plum, prune, coffee, and cocoa on the nose. Rich, plush and dense in the mouth, but with a sappy quality to leaven the wine's liqueur-like ripeness of plum, cocoa and underbrush flavors. Though I don't find the vibrancy or lift of the best wines of the appellation, I have to admit that this Clinet maintains very good balance for such a ripe, concentrated wine. The long finish features youthfully chewy tannins. Those who like their clarets big, rich and ripe will score this higher than I did. (5/ 2011)

K&L Notes

85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc.