Chateau L’Eglise Clinet 1998 in 12er Holzkiste

Parker: The Château l'Eglise-Clinet 1998 has developed an absolutely stunning bouquet: precocious, glycerin-rich red cherries, cassis, violets and minerals all beautifully defined and so intense. The palate is full-bodied with ripe tannin, layers of sweet blackberry and wild strawberry fruit intermingling with white pepper, cumin, black truffle and tar. There is a crescendo towards the finish that just fans out across the mouth. After 17 years (which makes me feel old, as I remember tasting it from barrel), it is a Pomerol that will take on all comers in the appellation with the exception of the 1998 Petrus. It will give 40-50 years worth of drinking pleasure. 96/100 (2015)

Lobenberg: Enormes Fruchtkonzentrat mit Zedern, Trüffel, Minze in der intensiven Nase. Im Mund schwarze und blaue Beeren, explosiver Fruchteindruck, reifes Tannin, überaus homogen, Power, sagenhaft langes Finish. Einer der besten 98er überhaupt.

Suckling: I drank a bottle of 1998 L’Eglise Clinet Pomerol yesterday in Beverly Hills at the Italian restaurant Via Alloro with Hong Kong wine merchant Paulo Pong, who also blogs for my web site. The L’Eglise was still very young and in reserve. We decanted it before drinking, but it still was a little tight. I think it needs more bottle time. Nonetheless, it was soft and silky yet firm and gorgeous. It was full-bodied with a gorgeous core of raspberry and spices on the palate, with chocolate and mahogany notes. 97/100 (2016)