Denis Durantou’s last Eglise Clinet vintage goes on sale

The 2019 vintage of Eglise Clinet, the last made by its revered former owner and winemaker, Denis Durantou, went on sale this morning at €204 per bottle.

Denis Dutantou’s final vintage has gone on sale

As reported by Liv-ex, the release price from the Pomerol estate is down just 2.9% on its 2018 price of €210, despite widespread 2019 discounts in Bordeaux this year from the likes of Cheval Blanc, Lafite, Mouton and Margaux.

That the wine has hardly dropped its price is testament to Durantou and the legacy he leaves behind. Durantou died in May aged 62, leaving the estate in the hands of his artist wife, Marie Reilhac, and their three daughters.

“Denis Durantou was one of the rare owners in Bordeaux who also made the wine and walked the vineyards every day.

“He felt very strongly that wine should be a reflection of the land that it came from, and could be searingly honest in his opinion of producers who fell short of that ideal.

“I feel genuinely gutted not to be able to taste a new Durantou wine again after this 2019 vintage,” Anson told db.

Given that the 2019 vintage is the last wine Durantou made, demand is likely to be very high. It is being offered at £2,590 per case, down 2.8% on the 2018 release price of £2,616.

The wine has been widely praised by critics. Neal Martin, a longtime friend of Denis, gave it a 97-99 point score, describing it as, “a fitting testament” to Durantou.

“It will give half a century of drinking pleasure and is the perfect way to remember and raise a toast to one of Pomerol’s finest vignerons,” he said.

Antonio Galloni was equally impressed by the 2019 vintage, giving it 97-99 points and calling it a wine “that dazzles from start to finish”.

“Eglise Clinet 2019 is a Pomerol of soaring, majestic intensity. Layers of dark fruit, gravel, spice and dried flowers unfold over time”, he said.

The Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW scored it 98-100 points. “This is a wine that will stop you in your tracks and demand you to think, contemplate and reflect. It is also fantastically delicious,” she said.

“Prices for Eglise Clinet 2019 show a 73% correlation to ‘Benchmark Critic’ scores. The wine is coming to the market bang on the ‘Fair Value’ line.

“Based on the critical appraisal and as the last Denis Durantou vintage, the wine is selling out fast. Buyers unable to secure an allocation might look back at the already physical 2016,” Liv-ex said.

Other wines to release today are Haut-Bailly 2019, which came out at €66 per bottle ex-negociant, down 21.4% on the 2018 release price of €84. Léoville Las Cases 2019 was also released at €138.00 ex-négociant per bottle, down 23% on the 2018 release price.

Summary

Eglise Clinet 2019 release price: €204 per bottle, down 2.9% on 2018

Haut-Bailly 2019 release price: €66 per bottle, down 21.4% on 2018

Léoville Las Cases 2019 release price: €138.00 per bottle, down 23% on 2018