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Chateau Clinet 2012


This is a modern Pomerol with power and structure. Quite complex, it is dense and tastes long. The first vintage we tasted was a 1990, which was just great. Subsequent vintages testified to their brooding fruit and always a unique freshness to all of them, which found great expression in this 2012 vintage. Experts say that the ping-pong size gravel makes quite some difference to the fruit and phenolic maturity especially for 2012. The OW case is give striking orange-red colour. The grains are straight, with no knots. Just lovely.

Technicals are: 90% merlot, 9% CS and 1% CF, 60% new French oak (dash of high grade Austrians). Separate ageing of free run juice pressed juice; 16 months in oak. The whole team feels youthful.

Scores are impressive.

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Although hardly comparable to what Clinet achieved in both 2009 and 2010, the 2012 Clinet is another star of the vintage. A powerful, full-bodied, muscular Pomerol, it reveals a dense purple color in addition to lots of opulence, a layered, full-bodied richness (somewhat atypical for the vintage), beautiful density and plenty of mocha, black cherry, truffle and graphite notes. It is a surprisingly full yet accessible Clinet that will be drinkable long before the 2009 and 2010 hit their plateaus of maturity. Drink the 2012 over the next 15 years. (4/2013)

94 points Wine Spectator

Features a thick, ripe feel, with plum sauce and blackberry paste notes that drip slowly as licorice snap and roasted apple wood fill in the finish. A more overtly hedonistic style of Pomerol, retaining good balance. (4/2013)

92 points Wine Enthusiast

This firmly tannic wine is solid and potentially quite complex. The structure is paramount, exhibiting substantial weight, while still hinting at the juicy fruity acidity on the finish. (4/2013)


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