Clinet has produced a blockbuster wine, even in the lighter, less consistent vintage of 2011. It reveals a dense purple color as well as an abundance of black cherry, black currant and blackberry fruit intermixed with licorice, incense and a touch of camphor. Full-bodied, opulent and fleshy with a substantial finish, this showy, dramatic 2011 should drink well for 15-20 years. Brilliant!

Tasted twice the second time at the property with Ronan Laborde. The Clinet 2011 is a blend of 85% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc picked from 7th September until 26th September. It has a ravishing bouquet with multi-layered, creamy dark fruit, blueberry, cassis and a touch of vanilla pod. It soars from the glass and takes no prisoners. The palate is full-bodied with rich saturated tannins, low acidity, rounded and sensual in the mouth with an intense, voluminous finish that leaves a touch of oyster shell as its calling card. A second sample at the chateau promoted the fine tannins, offering a much more delineated finish, much more precise but a little drier (possibly because of the more cloudy weather.) Excellent Mon. Laborde! Tasted April 2012.

– eRobertParker.com, May 2012

This is alluring, with lovely blackberry, boysenberry and fig pâte de fruit flavors gliding along, lined with subtle charcoal and black tea notes and carrying through to a lush yet defined finish. A hedonist's delight on the surface, offering inlaid grip for balance. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2015 through 2030. 4,580 cases made.

– James Molesworth (WineSpectator.com, March 2013)

A high proportion of Merlot, this majors on silky red and black fruits, with edges of tobacco and black truffle, crushed rose petal and saffran. A little more abrupt on the finish than the 2009 and 2010, relecting a dry year, with the amount of new oak for ageing brought down to 55%. Ronan Laborde owner.

Clinet 2011 absolutely rocks - there's no other way of putting it. Ronan and his team are on quite a roll and quite simply they have done it again; this is a wine of singular texture, being both silky and supple, yet firm and full of crunchy redcurrant, blackcurrant and plum fruits. Purity, finesse, tension, sweetness and what length! One taster described this as like the T1000 from Terminator 2, when it's in transition from solid to liquid we think we know what they mean. Feels like it has come literally from the ground and transformed into something as smooth as can be imagined. Top drawer.

This is a rich Pomerol for the vintage with plenty of berry, chocolate and toasted-oak character. Full body with round, soft tannins. Needs two or three years to come together.

– jamessuckling.com, February 2014

Ruby purple. Dark fruits and coffee on the musky, slightly reduced nose. Broad, ripe and dry, with a graceful texture to the deep flavors of cassis, black cherry and dark chocolate. Began rather monolithic but showed emerging sweetness and very good grip with aeration. Finishes with a firm spine of acidity and mouthcoating tannins, with lingering hints of ripe dark fruits and tobacco.

Black core with deep garnet rim. Coffee and dark fruit first impression, some graphite notes and sweet biscuit. Elegantly fragrant. Deep and dark and spicy but refined and cool on the palate. (JH)

Drink 2016-2024 Warm, spicy damsons on the nose. A bit dusty. Pretty ripe on the palate, the fruit more raisined. Dense, dry and quite juicy, thick in the mouth. (JH)