2018 La Petite Eglise

The 2018 La Petite Eglise is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. Readers will find a very serious second wine endowed with considerable heft and gravitas. Dark plum, graphite, new leather and menthol open with a bit of time, but the 2018 is a wine to put away in the cellar for at least a few years. La Petite Eglise is not going to be easy to find, as yields were down 60%. The blend is 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

- Antonio Galloni (03/2021)

Plenty of crushed berries, cherries and plums, as well as fresh-mushroom and walnut undertones. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Beautiful second wine of L’Eglise Clinet. Drink after 2025. (01/2021)

The second wine of Château L'Eglise Clinet, the 2018 La Petite Eglise offers a rich, plump, fruit-forward style offering textbook Pomerol notes of black cherry and blueberry fruits as well as leafy herbs, tobacco, and violets. With silky yet present tannins, medium to full body, and wonderful overall balance and purity, this beautiful second wine is ideal for drinking over the coming 10-15 years while you do your best to keep your hands off the Grand Vin! (03/2021)

Produced by the late Denis Durantou of Château L’Eglise Clinet, the 2018 La Petite Eglise is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with 35% new oak and 14.5% alcohol. This is the first time Cabernet Franc was used in the blend and the first time younger vines from L'Eglise Clinet were used. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes galloping out of the glass with scents of tilled soil, licorice and black truffles, opening out to a core of baked plums, boysenberries and kirsch, plus a touch of woodsmoke. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of juicy black fruits, supported by plush tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long with a spicy kick.

- Lisa Perrotti-Brown (03/2021)