History
This Hélène Garcin-Lévêque property is adjacent to Eglise Clinet and has a typical Pomerol plateau terroir of clay and gravel. Michel Rolland & Alain Raynaud are responsible for the winemaking. The style from this 6 hectare estate is big and modern, but there is something very impressive and muscular about these wines and it will be fascinating to see how they evolve. Aromatic and floral with notes of high toned berries, liquorice, cut herbs and minerals. The palate is packed with dark berry fruit, with notes of dark chocolate, raisins and decadent liqueur fruit. A heady, expansive and powerful Pomerol with a big tannic structure and refreshing acidity.
Belonging to the aristocracy of the Pomerol is not the result of a decision but a heritage of quality and tradition, as in case of Clos L’Eglise. Just over three quarters of a century ago, in 1925, Savinien Giraud, the owner of Ch Trotenoy and President of the viticultural and agricultural Union of Pomerol, submitted to the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce a “Classification” of the greatest wines of Pomerol, with Clos L’Eglise listed among the leading runners. This is why it is possible to date the reputation of Clos L’Eglise and the rank assigned to it by its peers, the members of the Union.
In the 18th century, Clos L’Eglise with its 14 hectares was considered to be a very big domaine for Pomerol, ahead of about a dozen great wines which formed – and still form –the heart of Pomerol .The estate subsequently took the name of Clos L’Eglise. However, following succession problems, it was split into two with, on the one side, the original Clos L’Eglise (Rouchut family) and on the other, Clos L’Eglise-Clinet (Mauléon family). Clos L’Eglise therefore has a continuous wine-producing tradition spread of several centuries.
It is the soil which gives a great wine its personality and it is the efforts of Sylviane Garcin-Cathiard that have developed it fully. She took over the property in January 1997, and using her experience at Château Haut-Bergey in Pessac-Léognan, she completely reorganized the chai.
The facade of the building, which dates back to the 18th century, now conceals a chai which has been entirely renovated. Every effort is made to respect the grape. The grapes are hand-picked and then carefully sorted out either on the vine or in the chai. They are then placed in small crates and sent to the sorting tables to avoid damage caused by large heaps. Here, they are pressed and de-stemmed over vats. Everything is based on gravity.