Impressive ruby-blue color. Flamboyant aromas of raspberry, kirsch, and chocolate, with a floral topnote from the cabernet franc. Pure crushed fruit in the mouth; dense, voluptuous, and very ripe. Finishes with substantial but very fine tannins. Really seamless wine that should give great pleasure reasonably early.

L'Eglise-Clinet is one of the best-situated vineyards in Pomerol, and proprietor/winemaker, Denis Durantou, is one of the most meticulous producers in Bordeaux. The vineyard is composed of tracts of very old vines (one planted in 1930). The wine, which is made from extremely small yields of two tons per acre, is normally a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, all of it aged in 60% new oak casks. The 1994 exhibits a saturated dark ruby/purple color, as well as a tight but promising nose of ripe cherries, mulberries, and currants, along with a vague notion of black truffles. Medium to full-bodied, with pure fruit, a layered impression, and stubborn tannin in the muscular finish, this wine is not as charming as the more forward 1993. A larger-scaled, richer wine, the 1994 requires 5-6 years of cellaring. An impressive 1994. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2022.

The 1994 l’Eglise-Clinet has never really shone. It has a very tertiary bouquet that leaves you yearning for more fruit, not that I suspect there was much there in the first place. The palate is medium-bodied, very straight-laced with dry tannins that frame simple black fruit, though it is marred by astringency on the finish. Drink up. Tasted at a private dinner in London.