Investment Recommendation: Château L’Église-Clinet
2006, Pomerol (12x75cl) RPJ: 96pts
Owner:
Denis Durantou
Production: approx. 1,800 cases P/A -Previously, one
of the least well known of its appellation due to
its miniscule production but in recent years has
ranked amongst the Finest Pomerols.
Chateau L’Eglise Clinet has found a place on the top
of the Pomerol pyramid with their Bordeaux wine.
Denis Durantou has been on a hot streak since 1998,
producing a conveyor belt of great vintages that
exhibit First Growth quality.
Tasting Notes
“One of the greatest wines of the vintage is, not
surprisingly, from proprietor Denis Durantou. A
remarkable effort in every sense, the 2006 l'Eglise
Clinet is not far off the quality of the prodigious
2005. Its inky/ruby/purple colour is accompanied by
a powerful nose of mocha, caramelized red and black
fruits, smoke, graphite, and truffle. Massive and
rich with full-bodied power, excellent focus and
definition, and moderately high tannin, this is an
"outlier" for the vintage (as Malcolm Gladwell would
say) with unbelievable length and richness.
Unfortunately, patience will be essential as it
needs a minimum of 5-6 years of cellaring. It will
age effortlessly for three decades.”
Score:
96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (181), February 2009
Below is a comparison table for recent L’Église
Clinet vintages in descending order of RPJ score
(left) and market value (right).
L’Église Clinet Comparable Vintage Table:
From the above table, the 2006 not only ranks as one
of the best vintages but looks great investment
value, especially when you consider that the
inferior 1995, 1998 & 2008 are trading at a higher
level.
It
is very apparent that the major movers over the past
weeks have been across the right bank. The increase
in demand for wines such as Angelus, Vieux Chateaux
Certan, Conseillante & l’Eglise Clinet suggests we
are beginning to see a shift of emphasis from the
Left Bank to the Right Bank. Until now, these wines
have very much been unaffected by the Bordeaux buzz
in the Far East, with the exception of Petrus,
Ausone and Cheval Blanc.
One of China’s largest retailers, Aussino Cellars*,
which has 200 stores in 100 cities across China,
cancelled a dinner with the Union des Grands Crus
and said it will promote the Right Bank instead of
Left Bank wines. This indicates that Far Eastern
buying habits are broadening and consumers are
becoming more and more educated about Bordeaux wine.
Aussino has stated that it is not intending to
abandon buying Left Bank, but its shift in emphasis
will have a strong impact on the pricing of a
handful of top Chateaux across the Right Bank, and
more specifically, Pomerol.
The success of the Right Bank has been relatively
muted over the past few years as wines from the Left
Bank of Bordeaux’s river Gironde have seen the
largest price rises. Sales figures for the last two
months suggest that this trend is changing.
Could wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank be coming
back into favour with top-end buyers?
With L’Eglise Clinet’s microscopic production levels
and renowned quality we expect this wine to be
leading the Right Bank resurgence.
*Aussino Owner Robert Chen was listed no. 17/50 on
The 2011 Decanter Power List- a list citing the most
influential people in the wine market.
The
scrolling trades below are brought to you in association with the
London International Vintners Exchange
It
is very apparent that the major movers over the past
weeks have been across the right bank. The increase
in demand for wines such as Angelus, Vieux Chateaux
Certan, Conseillante & l’Eglise Clinet suggests we
are beginning to see a shift of emphasis from the
Left Bank to the Right Bank. Until now, these wines
have very much been unaffected by the Bordeaux buzz
in the Far East, with the exception of Petrus,
Ausone and Cheval Blanc.
