2017 Clinet, Pomerol (Pre-Arrival)

This wine is stacked with tannins and concentrated fruits, with a dense texture. The wine’s future is assured and long term. (RV) (1/2020)

This is brimming with raspberry and boysenberry compote flavors, while mouthwatering anise and pain d’épices notes fill in the background. Reveals a flash of ganache, a streak of tar and an echo of bramble through the finish, adding range while the gorgeous fruit holds center stage. (JM) (3/2020)

Reminding me of the 2014, the 2017 Château Clinet is a beautiful, dense, concentrated wine that has terrific notes of blueberries, spring flowers, and chocolaty oak. It’s very much in the style of the vintage with its cool, perfumed aromatics and sensational purity of fruit, yet it also has richness and weight. It’s a brilliant Pomerol. (4/2018)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Clinet opens slowly to reveal vibrant red and black fruits: red currants, black cherries, plums and cassis with touches of roses, yeast extract, wood smoke and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannins and a taut, muscular palate of tightly wound fruits and compelling mineral accents, it finishes long with wonderful purity and fragrant earth accents. (LPB) (4/2018)

A fresh and fruity Clinet with tangy acidity highlighting the plum and cherry character. Reserved style. Medium body, creamy tannins and a delicious finish. Linear and focused in general. (1/2020)

The 2017 Clinet was bottled at the end of June 2019. It has a more understated bouquet than the 2015 or 2016. Tightly wound, brambly black fruit with traces of pressed violet and iodine, gradually open with orange rind notes. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. This is classic in style, firm grip and a little rigid in its youth, although it will flesh out with bottle age. I admire both the freshness and salinity in this Clinet, especially its linearity on the finish. Excellent. (NM) (2/2020)

High colour extraction with grilled damson on the nose, but the intensity through the palate is a few notches below the brilliant levels they have been achieving at Clinet over the past few vintages. They suffered around 15% frost to their vines, although did not use any second generation fruit in the first wine. Appreciate their extremely careful extraction, and lovely soft black fruits. (JA) (4/2018)

Black core. Lovely dense aroma of black fruit and graphite, really savoury/mineral, with graphite dominant at the moment. Much more juicy than I expected on the palate. Plenty of dark fruit but only just fresh enough. (JH) (4/2018)