Clos du Clocher 2022

A picture-perfect Pomerol nose: deep, complex, ripe dark fruit, plums, violet blossoms, a hint of tea, dark chocolate; rounded on the attack, incredibly compact, powerful, gripping, almost wild, yet composed, intense fruit, a remarkable tannin structure; it straightens out on the mid-palate, shows bite, length, and a spicy echo. Blockbuster.

This is in a dark, toasty style, with a plush edge to its core of black currant and blackberry compote flavors. Offers a buried graphite spine and a long finish, with echoes of alder, bay and warm earth that emerge alongside the fruit. For the hedonist crowd. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2040. 1,600 cases made.

Generously textured, this is softly chewy, plush, chalky and grippy – the ripe, concentrated blackcurrants and cherries really fill the mouth, while the tannins provide the firm yet wide frame. Great finesse and detail on show, persistent and energetic with layers of freshness and finishing with a cool mint and liquorice tang. Lovely integration of wood – almost no overt oak spice or sense of alcohol. Definitely deserves its place as one of the best 2022 Pomerols.

The 2022 Clos du Clocher is superb. In fact, the 2022 is one of the best vintages of this wine I have tasted. Pliant and deep, the 2022 is all finesse. Dark red cherry, mocha, new leather, spice and licorice all meld together. The 2022 is substantial but not at all overdone.

Luscious, silky, cashmere-textured fruits with accents of espresso, chocolate, spice, and flowers are all over the place here. The lift, length, vibrancy, and sensuous textures carry through from the mid-palate through to the finish. There is no better deal in Pomerol today! The wine blends 70% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026-2050.

The 2022 Clos Du Clocher is a stunning effort, offering red and black fruits, iron, graphite, leafy herbs, and floral violet notes. Full-bodied and concentrated, it has a gorgeous mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and remarkable balance. Seamless and elegant, with very fine tannins, it’s one of the best examples I’ve tasted from this estate, which lies on the upper plateau, in the heart of the appellation, just beside the church. It will have 30 years of longevity.

70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, pH 3.65, 14.5% vol. Delicate bouquet with subtle violet perfume, fresh blueberry jelly, and dried lilac blossoms. On the elegant palate, a creamy texture, supporting backbone, magnificent extract richness, and medium body. In the focused aromatic finish, a basket of blue berries, iris flowers, and finely grained extract. A class performance from the Bourotte-Audy family.

Helped by old vine Cabernet Franc that dates back to 1957, this is full of wonderfully dark damson fruits, shot through with mint leaf cooling complexity. Velvety tannins, crushed rose petals, supple and enticing. This is a brilliant wine, really pulls away from many in the appellation. The tannins are very much present right at the front of the palate, and then they form an arch that allows the fruit underneath. Natural yeasts, very little oxygen, low sulphur additions, a wine for the ages. Once again Clos du Clocher shows why it deserves to be at the top table in Pomerol. 60% new barrels, 30% one-year-old barrels, 10% small vats (glass and concrete). Organic conversion. 2024 will be 100 years in the family, so this is the 98th anniversary.

What serenity, depth, sunshine and freshness in the bouquet of Clos du Clocher 2022! Notes of peony, peppermint, blackberry, licorice and cocoa beans create harmony and herald a great wine. On the palate, the wine crystallizes Pomerol’s precious assets—breadth, charm and depth. The wine is sharper, more focused than the bouquet. It is certainly charming, but above all ambitious and precise. Power is wisely managed in this rich, expansive context. Acidity, and even salinity, are welcome here, as they structure the finish and champion both the freshness and the fruity expression of the finale. A Clos du Clocher that brilliantly confirms the prospects projected during the en primeur tastings. What an anthem to harmony, pleasure, vigor, excellence and grandeur this wine already displays today, and will underline even more over the years.

Black color with purple highlights. Intense, precise, pure nose with ripe fruit. Meticulous on entry, very flavorful mid-palate and a velvety carriage; the wine unfolds on a fleshy, well-defined body toward a sappy, deep finish. It’s very good. Blend: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol: 14.5% – pH: 3.65 (slightly below average). IPT: 85. Yield: 38 hl/ha.