Wine Advocate (98)

The 2009 is one of the sexiest wines in Pomerol in this vintage, offering up notes of melted caramel, sweet mocha, blackberry and black cherry fruit, with hints of loamy soil and unsmoked cigar tobacco as well as a touch of white chocolate and some subtle toasty oak. Round, opulent and unctuously textured, with a full-bodied mouthfeel, fabulous purity, and no hard edges, this sumptuous, fleshy, lavishly rich Pomerol can be drunk now and over the next 25 years.

James Suckling (98)

Sweet berries with hints of incense and spices on the nose with black truffles. Very ripe but not over-the-top. This is full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a smoky wood and mushroom undertone. It's dense and impressive yet very balanced. I like it, slightly better quality than the 2009. Give the wine five or six years of bottle age to soften before opening.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2012 Clos L'Eglise is wonderfully lifted in the glass, with plenty of Cabernet Franc aromatics woven throughout a core juicy, layered fruit. Rose petal, mint, cinnamon and sweet red berries grace the palate. Exquisite and beautifully nuanced throughout, the 2012 offers exceptional balance, with polished, silky tannins that round out the creamy finish. The 2012 is quite open today, but it could use another few years to soften further. The 2012 is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Proprietor Hélène Garcin and her husband Patrice Leveque continue to raise the bar here and at their other properties in the region.

Wine Advocate (94)

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Clos l'Eglise has a very earthy nose of black soil, truffles and mossy bark over a core of kirsch, blackberry preserves and dried mulberries with wafts of rose hips and oolong tea. Full-bodied, richly fruited and packed with savory layers, it has a firm frame of grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and earthy.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2016 Clos l’Eglise has a delineated and very focused bouquet with rose petal and mint tinged red berry fruit, touches of truffle and chestnut emerging with time. The palate has improved since I last encountered it, gaining more precision and mineralité. It is finely poised with hints of dark chocolate and mint, less leafiness than I have noted in the past. The 2016 is finally coming into its own. Tasted at the Clos l’Eglise vertical.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2017 Clos L'Eglise has really developed nicely during its élevage. Blackberry jam, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice give the 2017 much of its rich flamboyant intensity and textural richness. Notes of red cherry, red plum, blood orange, sage and mint add complexity. Even with all of its richness, the 2017 preserves terrific energy and a real sense of vibrancy.

James Suckling (96-97)

Fantastic depth of fruit to this young wine with crushed-berry, tile and stone character. Full-bodied with superb structure. Polished yet intense tannins. Powerful finish. Best ever?

James Suckling (96-97)

Fantastic depth of fruit to this young wine with crushed-berry, tile and stone character. Full-bodied with superb structure. Polished yet intense tannins. Powerful finish. Best ever?

James Suckling (96-97)

Fantastic depth of fruit to this young wine with crushed-berry, tile and stone character. Full-bodied with superb structure. Polished yet intense tannins. Powerful finish. Best ever?

Jeb Dunnuck (96+)

The 2019 Clos L'Eglise is straight-up terrific, offering a deeper, richer, powerful style as well as the freshness and purity of the vintage. Giving up lots of ripe dark cherry, mulberries, graphite, spicy oak, and a kiss of minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe yet building, polished tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. It shows the more tight, compact style of the vintage, yet the purity is spot on, it has good concentration, and it’s just a brilliant wine. It needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will evolve for 30 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (96+)

The 2019 Clos L'Eglise is straight-up terrific, offering a deeper, richer, powerful style as well as the freshness and purity of the vintage. Giving up lots of ripe dark cherry, mulberries, graphite, spicy oak, and a kiss of minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe yet building, polished tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. It shows the more tight, compact style of the vintage, yet the purity is spot on, it has good concentration, and it’s just a brilliant wine. It needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will evolve for 30 years.

James Suckling (96-97)

A Pomerol with gorgeous crushed-berry, walnut, hazelnut and chocolate character, as well as a full body with ultra fine tannins that frame the wine beautifully. Extremely long finish. Three super wines in a row since 2018.

James Suckling (96-97)

A Pomerol with gorgeous crushed-berry, walnut, hazelnut and chocolate character, as well as a full body with ultra fine tannins that frame the wine beautifully. Extremely long finish. Three super wines in a row since 2018.

James Suckling (96-97)

A Pomerol with gorgeous crushed-berry, walnut, hazelnut and chocolate character, as well as a full body with ultra fine tannins that frame the wine beautifully. Extremely long finish. Three super wines in a row since 2018.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

Another beautifully textured, ripe, sexy wine from the Gracin family, the 2022 Clos L'Eglise comes from deeper clay soils on the upper plateau in Pomerol. Blue fruits, ripe black raspberries, leafy tobacco, chocolate, and truffly earth notes all shine here, and this beauty is full-bodied and has a layered, plush, sexy style that's already hard to resist. Nevertheless, it will evolve for 25+ years if well stored.

James Suckling (95-96)

A very tight and focused red with racy tannins and a linear, racy texture. It

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (89)

Good full red. Strawberry, mocha, earth and roasted oak on the nose. Surprisingly fresh and juicy in the mouth for the vintage, with lively fruit flavors that linger nicely on the aftertaste. This shows much less baby fat in bottle than it did from barrel last year, but more shape. The tannins are firm but not dry.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (91-93)

The 2020 Clos La Gaffelière is a super attractive second wine. It is a bit darker and more overt than the Grand Vin, both of which lend quite a bit of immediacy. Black cherry, plum, spice, chocolate and leather build nicely in the glass. This supple, juicy Saint-Émilion will drink well right out of the gate.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (92)

Love the bright fruit here, bright, zesty, real orange peel and tar, heavy spice but plenty of love. 45hl/ha, harvest September 7 to 29. 50% new oak, rest in stainless steel.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (92)

Love the bright fruit here, bright, zesty, real orange peel and tar, heavy spice but plenty of love. 45hl/ha, harvest September 7 to 29. 50% new oak, rest in stainless steel.

Savour the grandeur of the Bordeaux region with the exceptional Clos La Madeleine 2007. This striking red wine originates from the iconic Saint-Émilion sub-region, famed for its rich, diverse wine heritage. Produced in only small quantities, Clos La Madeleine 2007 truly is the epitome of substance over volume. Aged in French oak barrels and comprised of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, this stunning vintage preens with depth, layered with a tantalising bouquet of ripe red fruits and subtle spice.

The historic vineyard, overlooking the Dordogne, boasts an optimal terroir, bestowing a notable elegance upon the final product. Each bottle is a testament to the meticulous cultivation techniques implemented at the vineyard, ensuring a unique wine expression with each harvest. Succumbing to its profound allure, experts laud the Clos La Madeleine 2007 for its full-bodied richness, refined tannins, and long, seductive finish. For the discerning palate desiring a classical Bordeaux experience, this vintage is quite simply, incomparable.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2017 Clos La Madeleine is bold and racy in the glass. Super-ripe red cherry and plum fruit give the 2017 a real sense of lusciousness. Sweet tobacco, cedar, mint, dried flowers, herbs and small red berries develop later, adding lovely shades of intrigue. Clos La Madeleine is an especially ripe Saint-Émilion, just as it was en primeur, but it is also succulent, silky and incredibly delicious for what it is: a juicy Saint-Émilion to enjoy over the next decade or so with no pretense.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

Coming from the Moueix team, the 2018 Clos La Madeleine checks in as 76% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Franc from a tiny vineyard (2.3 hectares) on the hillsides of Saint-Emilion, near Belair-Monange. This vineyard was purchased by the Moueix family in 2017, and the 2018 saw malolactic fermentation in barrel and was raised in 40% new French oak. It has classic Saint-Emilion minerality as well as a great nose of blackcurrants, black cherries, chocolate, crushed stone, and graphite. This carries to a powerful, medium to full-bodied 2018 with chalky tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and a juicy, lively, complex style that keeps you coming back to the glass. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following 15-20 years. It's the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted, and I expect the best is still to come.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2019 Clos La Madeleine is deep, plush and super-expressive. Bright acids liven up a core of red berry and blood orange fruit. Floral and spice notes give the 2019 terrific aromatic presence as well. All the elements are so well balanced in this vibrant Saint-Émilion. The 2019 is beautifully done. It's a very elegant, poised Saint-Émilion to enjoy over the next decade or so.

Discover the Clos La Madeleine 2020, a masterpiece originating from Saint Emilion, perfect for the discerning wine connoisseur. Clos La Madeleine is a distinguished producer, renowned for the remarkable quality achieved from its small vineyard plots. With 2019 marking a shift towards entirely organic practices, they consistently achieve excellence in every bottle. Clos La Madeleine 2020, a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, exhibits exquisite structure and enticing bouquet. Its nuanced layers unfold with tantalising hints of ripe fruit, specifically black plum and blackberry, interlaced with subtle hints of cocoa and fine tobacco undertones grounded with classic forest floor notes.

This vintage offers a remarkable level of finesse that is undeniably spellbinding. The Clos La Madeleine 2020, with its expertly crafted balance and nuanced varietal expression, is a shining testament to the exceptional terroir of Saint Emilion. An absolute must for any connoisseur in search of an illustrious Bordeaux experience.