Bordeaux 2012 Primeurs: Going to Church
It is perhaps a little cryptic to suggest that we are now heading up to Pomerol’s over-sized church for our next tasting report because I could, of course, be referring to one of any number of big names in the appellation, as well as one or two less famous. The name that was programmed into my sat-nav on this occasion, however, was Château L’Église-Clinet. This was in fact my final appointment of the morning; I had just finished tasting at Château Lafleur, and Denis Durantou telephoned to offer a tasting invitation. If you think it unlikely that I should be hounded by Pomerol proprietors asking me to come and visit, you would be right. No, I haven’t morphed into Neal Martin! The mobile that was ringing belonged to Baptiste Guinaudeau (of Lafleur), not me. Baptiste and I travelled up in near convoy from Lafleur (more on which later) to L’Église-Clinet.
Château L’Église-Clinet
Denis Durantou (pictured) was being as charming and entertaining as ever up at his little house, Château L’Église-Clinet, a building even less prepossessing than that at Lafleur, and something quite ordinary compared to the half-space age, half-industrial edifice at Le Pin. Denis always has a good range of wines to taste, and this year was no exception, as there were the usual wines from Castillon, St Emilion and Lalande de Pomerol which frequently offer such great value, before coming to the main attraction. As well as these there were also two wines, a white and a red, from Château Thénac, a property in Bergerac where Denis consults. More on these wines in later instalments; for the moment I will restrict myself to the main event here, L’Église-Clinet and the second wine, La Petite Église.
Please log in to continue reading: