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Chateau L'Eglise-Clinet Vertical
Bentley Hotel, London
Tasted May 31, 2005 by Russell Faulkner with 1,675 views
Introduction
This promised to be a great night and didn't disapoint, 9 vintages, with an 'offline' afterwards in the great 1880 restaurant.
Flight 1 - The Main Event (10 notes)
Very interesting tasting, the young wines all showed a nice tannin profile I am not used to, I found it quite different from right bank wines of similar vintages, hard to describe, not astringent but low profile whilst still powerful. Very interesting. The sweetness on the older wines was great, hard to match to food, but so enjoyable. Great tasting, and the 1989 was over and above the call of duty!
Red
2000 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
Vibrant ruby
Toasty, smoky oak dominates the nose, fruit shut down tight, with time the nose developed to show some maple syrup and more coffee.
Despite the closed nose, the attack showed a lot of fruit, and violets, but quickly died to lead into a finish of strong, but sneaky tannins. Nice medium-full body.
Toasty, smoky oak dominates the nose, fruit shut down tight, with time the nose developed to show some maple syrup and more coffee.
Despite the closed nose, the attack showed a lot of fruit, and violets, but quickly died to lead into a finish of strong, but sneaky tannins. Nice medium-full body.
Red
1998 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
Noticably older looking than the 2000, but still very young.
More closed, a little spirit on nose.
The oak showing more subtly and less spicy, again those powerful, but sly tannins.
More closed, a little spirit on nose.
The oak showing more subtly and less spicy, again those powerful, but sly tannins.
Red
1995 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
Oak has dropped away, showing a vibrancy of fruit, damson and jammy plum.
The slight astringency to the tannin dropped away, shortish finish.
The slight astringency to the tannin dropped away, shortish finish.
Red
1990 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
This had a bit of bricking.
Initially I thought this might be faulty, with oxidation and VA both being present, but these died off to give some caramelised orange.
Nome nice cosy deep fruit, black cherry, but also some heat.
This wine is easily the lightest bodied of the younger wines.
Initially I thought this might be faulty, with oxidation and VA both being present, but these died off to give some caramelised orange.
Nome nice cosy deep fruit, black cherry, but also some heat.
This wine is easily the lightest bodied of the younger wines.
Red
1989 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
Seductive nose, balanced.
Very sweet on attack and midpalate, but more solid, grippy tannin and acid on the finish.
Very sweet on attack and midpalate, but more solid, grippy tannin and acid on the finish.
Red
1985 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
The tiniest bit of bricking,
A real bretty nose, a great combination of horse sweat and shit.
Very concentrated, deep vibrant fruit, lovely freshness, and supple tannin.
A real bretty nose, a great combination of horse sweat and shit.
Very concentrated, deep vibrant fruit, lovely freshness, and supple tannin.
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Red
1978 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
Noticeably older, real orange to the rim.
Fruit not noticeable on the nose, more meaty lamb and camembert.
Very sweet again, lacking in tannin to bring balance.
A delicious but uncomplicated finish.
Fruit not noticeable on the nose, more meaty lamb and camembert.
Very sweet again, lacking in tannin to bring balance.
A delicious but uncomplicated finish.
Red
1975 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
flawed
Corked, a shame as there was some fine fruit on the nose behind the stink.
Red
1961 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
This had no new oak, and this was really noticeable.
Fully mature colour
Very powerful nose of dried cherry and plum.
Some nice acid keeping the fruit fresh, and smooth seductive tannin, both of which were missing in the 1978.
Fully mature colour
Very powerful nose of dried cherry and plum.
Some nice acid keeping the fruit fresh, and smooth seductive tannin, both of which were missing in the 1978.
Red
1947 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
No more aged on the nose than the 1961 or 1978, but colour lighter.
Lovely nose, with nice savoury notes of dried leaves and spitting tobacco.
Very sweet seductive fruit, some rhubarb and again nice dried cherry.
Lovely nose, with nice savoury notes of dried leaves and spitting tobacco.
Very sweet seductive fruit, some rhubarb and again nice dried cherry.
Flight 2 - 'Offline' (7 notes)
White - Sparkling
1995 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Avize
Very gassy, needed a few minutes to get anything other than CO2.
Very bright, sparkling granny smith, some slatey savoryness behind.
Showing much more vintage than village character right now, needs a good few years.
Very bright, sparkling granny smith, some slatey savoryness behind.
Showing much more vintage than village character right now, needs a good few years.
White - Off-dry
2003 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Auslese
Very floral, sprtizy nose, lots of crunchy pear
Nice smooth acidity, very bright
Nice smooth acidity, very bright
White - Off-dry
1996 Bott-Geyl Pinot Gris Sonnenglanz Vendanges Tardives
Nice rose garden nose
Maturing, some fine acid, and almost a tannin on the finish.
Maturing, some fine acid, and almost a tannin on the finish.
Red
1989 Château Montrose
Very lively young
After all those Pomerols, the lack of sweetness took some getting used to, a very different, more solid, blockbuster tannins. Very good
After all those Pomerols, the lack of sweetness took some getting used to, a very different, more solid, blockbuster tannins. Very good
Red
1994 Château Mouton Rothschild
Nice violet-ruby rim.
Oak more prominent than the Montrose, light bodied, nicely balanced though. Not sure if this has a lot more to come?
Oak more prominent than the Montrose, light bodied, nicely balanced though. Not sure if this has a lot more to come?
Red
1986 Welgemeend Estate Reserve
I liked this, clearly not as fine as any of the Bordeaux, but really interesting and glad to have tried it.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1985 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Moelleux
Slightly bitter nose, nice paired down dry acid, very good.