Château Clinet 2021, Pomerol, Bordeaux Red

Château Clinet is a wine producer located in Pomerol, Bordeaux, on the Right Bank of the Gironde. The vineyards are planted predominantly to Merlot, alongside small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon.Ronan Laborde hopes to reach 50% Cabernet Sauvignon on his deep gravels. Unsurprisingly, Clinet tends to be more muscular, dark and brooding – particularly in recent hot vintages. But the ’21 has allowed contrasts to appear; with the ripe aromas of plum and Asian spice there are leavening notes of slate and tobacco. Enough of Clinet’s usual richer style remains, but there is also some subtlety and weave from the vintage that suits the wine very well indeed. Tasting Notes: [this vintage] was harvested late, picking into mid-October, to craft a medium to full-bodied, deep and impressively seamless wine evocative of dark berries, baking chocolate, violets and spices. Concentrated and nicely integrated, it is one of the vintages notable successes. - William Kelly, Wine Advocate 93-95 Points Food Pairings: beef, lamb, poultry, rich red pasta Merlot 75%, Cabernet Sauvignon 25%