COMPARATIVE TASTING: LAFLEUR, L'EGLISE CLINET AND LE PIN FROM 1993 TO 1999

Jean-Marc QuarinCarnets de dégustationsAn independent buyer's guide to the wines of Bordeaux www.quarin.com Chronicle n° 1 (May 2nd, 2005) COMPARATIVE TASTING: LAFLEUR, L'EGLISE CLINET AND LE PIN FROM 1993 TO 1999The tasting took place in Switzerland in 2004, in the cellar of a wine collector. It gathered about fifteen people. The bottles were bought from the trade and kept in the same cellar. It was a blind tasting, vintage by vintage, in a random and unchronological order.The best wines of this tasting were : L’Eglise Clinet 1998, Lafleur 1995, Le Pin 1994. The most disappointing ones : Le Pin 1997, Le Pin 1996. Corked bottles: L’Eglise Clinet 1996 and Lafleur 1994; about 10% of the total number tasted, as so often. Bottles not at their best : L'Eglise Clinet 1995. Le Pin 1995: I had never tasted it before. This bottle is disappointing considering the reputation of the 1995 vintage. Its nose of cultivated mushroom is maybe the sign of a bottle which is not at its best.LAFLEUR Lafleur lies just across from Petrus. It differs from the latter by its blend, which consists of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot, and also by the significantly higher gravel content in the soil. The reputation of the growth rests on good, yet never excessive tannins (well balanced, as the professionals would say) in which substance is always dominated by taste and aromas, and a great ageing potential. In numerous vintages, the palate profile has a rather elongated style (very Cabernet Franc like) which makes it recognizable in a blind tasting. Nevertheless, Lafleur is often a rather reserved wine, even too much so sometimes. Since vintage 2000, I observe that the growth has gained exuberance and amplitude on the palate, making it an altogether much more hedonistic wine. L’EGLISE CLINET This growth underwent a deep qualitative turning point in 1995: the blend changed then to include the wine from the oldest Cabernet Franc vines while the percentage of new wood increased significantly. The style is a good illustration of the power of Pomerol wines: it can display more volume than even Le Pin or Lafleur. Today, its aim is to keep the freshness of its fruit. Denis Durantou advocates the idea that Merlot can only keep its flavors and its specific taste if it is not harvested too late. Tasted blind, this wine can be confused with Lafleur by the freshness of the fruit, but identifying it with certainty is not obvious. LE PIN This growth owes its success to its rarity (it barely covers 1 to 2 hectares) and to its unique expression due to Merlot growing on a gravely soil which does not have a clayey subsoil, differing in this respect from many other Pomerol wines. At its best, it offers a great nose of truffles with aromas of very ripe fruit but always less fresh and softer than L'Eglise Clinet and Lafleur. On the palate, its suave and mellow touch and its gentle tannins are so typical that you can easily recognize Le Pin in a blind tasting. The great benefit of this tender profile and the total absence of tannic stiffness is that the wine is very pleasant to drink even when young. 1999L’Eglise Clinet has the best color and the most complex nose. Le Pin is impressive by its magnificent smell of roses. Lafleur is obliterated by the other two wines.LAFLEUR 1999 / 87 - 88Average score of my previous tastings: 89. The nose is withdrawn, and the palate seems fluid. It lacks power. L’EGLISE CLINET 1999 / 87 - 88Average score of my previous tastings: 91. After a deep color and a fresh, delicate and complex nose, the palate does not seem up to level! It displays a lot of fruit and power at the start, but ends on rather austere tannins, which surprises me a lot since this is not at all typical of the growth. We are probably dealing with a bottle which is not at its best. LE PIN 1999 / 91Average score of my previous tastings: 90. The color is only moderately intense. The nose has a pleasant smell of roses and shades of more exotic notes of orange and violet. The smell of violet only appears after swirling the glass. On the palate, the wine is extremely gentle, with a taste corresponding to the description of the nose, along with a savory, very melting body. In the finish, the tannins are minutely adjusted and very sappy. A beautiful bottle that you can drink with pleasure now or keep another 5 to 10 years. 1998LAFLEUR 1998 / 92Average score of my previous tastings: 94. In this vintage which is so assertive in Pomerol, it is really a pity that Lafleur should prove so restrained. On the palate, the wine needs several seconds before taking off with amplitude, good taste and fat. Yet it ends crescendo on a very youthful finish with a subtle and refined tannic texture and a taste of liquorice and violet. The wine has a very classical construction which will need at least another ten years to come into its own. So you should wait until 2015 before drinking it. L’EGLISE CLINET 1998 / 95Average score of my previous tastings: 95. This wine presents the darkest and at the same time the youngest color. Its very fruity and delicate fresh and complex nose already smells of white truffle. The palate is ample and sappy, with cream, power, a good density and excellent length. It displays a refined tannic grain and a very deep taste. A truly great wine which towers over the next two wines of the tasting. You can drink it now or wait until 2015. LE PIN 1998 / 92Average score of my previous tastings: 92. All those present at the tasting are stunned by the nose with its extraordinary smell of truffles. The palate is full and mellow. A rare combination of ripe fruit and truffle conveys a unique taste to this wine. The very gentle tannins make you want to swallow the wine immediately. Yet the body slightly lacks power, which lowers the score a little. Of the three wines, this is the one which is most ready to drink now, although it will keep well until at least 2015. 1997L’Eglise Clinet and Lafleur both still have potential left, while Le Pin is already too evolved. LAFLEUR 1997 / 88Average score of my previous tastings: 87. A subdued nose. Curiously, this vintage offers an unusually ample entry for this growth and even presents some fat in the middle. However, it does not have the sappy finish of l’Eglise Clinet. You should start drink this wine now, and before 2010-2012. L’EGLISE CLINET 1997 / 88 - 89Average score of my previous tastings: 89. The color of the wine stayed young. The nose is modest. The palate pleases by its lovely sense of refinement. The body is moderate. Though not very deep, the finish displays smooth and pleasant savory tannins. You should start drink this wine now, and before 2008-2010. LE PIN 1997 / 84No average score. This wine lacks body and complexity and it is much too light. A bottle to sell. 1996This is an extremely disappointing series. The bottle of L'EGLISE CLINET is corked (average score: 92). LE PIN tastes diluted and gets a score of 84 (average score: 90). The bottle of LAFLEUR wins the round with a score of 88 (average score: 92). Its nose stays modest. The palate offers more aroma than it has substance. The finish has a beautiful taste of violet and liquorice. As often happens at Lafleur, the second half of the palate has much more to offer than the first half. You can drink this wine now and before 2012. 1995LAFLEUR 1995 / 94 - 95Average score of my previous tastings: 95. Here we have a great wine. The color is already a little evolved; the nose has a meaty smell with spices and fruit, which constitutes the beginning of a true bouquet. The ample palate is a delight. This wine is juicy, gentle and caressing, very full in the middle, fat and melting in the finish. It offers a great persistency on delicate tannins and a lot of aromas. It is delicious to drink now and will keep at least until 2030-2040. L’EGLISE CLINET 1995 / 88 ?Average score of my previous tastings: 95. I was hoping to find a dazzling Eglise Clinet since I had assessed this wine at 95 the last time I tasted it. But no, it was not to be! The wine proved modest. The palate was certainly refined, but without the taste, the complexity and the deep finish I have known this wine to have. LE PIN 1995 / 87 - 88 ?No average score. The nose has a slight smell of cultivated mushroom. The palate is similar to that of Cheval Blanc for the delicate tactile feeling it has on the palate. This wine is tender, caressing, savory and aromatic, but its body lacks amplitude. A delight to drink now. I recommend drinking it before 2010-2013. 1994LAFLEUR 1994 / ?Average score of my previous tastings: 92. The bottel is corked ! This is the second corked bottle from the same case within 6 months. I informed the owner of the estate who was quite upset. He offered me a half-bottle to taste the wine again, and I assessed it at 92. The wine is aromatic with an elongated style. It shows no tannic roughness, and presents a very fruity taste of cherry, violet, and liquorice in the finish. This half bottle shows no sign of premature ageing. L’EGLISE CLINET 1994 / 89Average score of my previous tastings: 88. The color shows some evolution. The wine is delicate but much less sophisticated than Le Pin. On the palate, it is absolutely ready to drink now. This is a charming wine without any discordant tannins. A pity it does not have a longer finish. To drink before 2010. LE PIN 1994 / 94 - 95No average score. What a good surprise! The nose is very complex; delicate and pure, with loads of fruit and a lovely hint of liquorice. The palate is silky and melting, with a stunning balance between power and refinement. The body is exactly as it should be. It does not sag even after midpalate, and ends with a persistency of delicate tannins tasting of violet and liquorice. It is impossible to resist swallowing this wine! To drink without interruption and until 2010. 1993LAFLEUR 1993 / 88Average score of my previous tastings: 89. The nose is a little subdued. The palate lacks a true attack. Only in mid-palate does the wine manifest its existence. It ends a little stiffly, without its usual elegance. To drink before 2008- 2010. I must say that in other tastings, I met better bottles of this wine, which did not present any final harshness. L’EGLISE CLINET 1993 / 88Average score of my previous tastings: 88. The nose smells of caramel with a touch of fig. The palate is all in tactile gentleness, with moderate body. A flavorsome finish with a slightly dry note in the texture of the tannins. This is one of the successful wines of vintage 1993. A wine to drink now and before 2008-2010. LE PIN 1993 / 87Average score of my previous tastings: 87. The color is evolved. A nice nose of coffee and toasted bread. However, I was disappointed to find a touch of alcohol in it. The palate does not have the anticipated general mellowness. The wine is tender at the entry, but it ends on a harsh note, unexpected in a 1993 wine. To drink before 2008-2010. 2004 FUTURES My advice on the best buy in futures now: LAFON ROCHET 2004, Saint-Estèphe Classified Growth. The bottle is around 15 Euros without taxes. Do not hesitate to let me know your opinions or suggestions.I will be back soon. Have pleasant tastings. Jean-Marc Quarin© Copyright : All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author: Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, BP 40, 33320 Le Taillan-Médoc. France. Tél. 00 33 (0)5 56 35 83 93. Fax 00 33 (0)5 56 35 86 50. E-mail : jmquarin@wanadoo.fr

2005 Chronicles

COMPARATIVE TASTING: LAFLEUR, L'EGLISE CLINET AND LE PIN FROM 1993 TO 1999

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