Château Clinet 2018

This is a young red that really grows on the palate with so much dark fruit and firm yet luscious tannins. Full-bodied, it grows and grows on the palate. Extremely long and vivid. Solid as a rock. 15 per cent cabernet sauvignon, the rest merlot.

(85 Merlot, 15 Cabernet Sauvignon) | 75% new oak, using around a quarter of 500l barrels | 14.5% alc | 38 hl/ha | 49000 bottles production | Merlot was harvested on the 19th, 20th, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and the 2nd October and the Cabernet Franc was harvested on the 5th October Dry and sour with a lot of skin and blunt tannin, this is a very backward Clinet and it is hard to see any fruit or tenderness here. The slightly sour notes are mouth-watering but they are also masked by the oak and this means that the fruit really struggles to make itself known. I am not sure whether this is a miss-step or simply that the wine is very closed right now, but there is a lot of tension and little flesh on display and so I am slightly confused as to when the fruit will emerge. I will be sure to taste this wine again as soon as possible to check its progress.