2008 Clinet
By Chateau Clinet
2008 Clinet from Chateau Clinet, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
The 2008 vintage in Bordeaux stands as a testament to the resolve of vintners, as they grappled with a challenging climatic canvas to conjure some lovely surprises. Amid this kaleidoscope of meteorological caprice stands the 2008 Clinet from Chateau Clinet—a wine that demonstrates Pomerol's resilience and inherent quality even in less-celebrated years.
Unwrapping the 2008 Vintage’s Elegance
The season's trials began with a damp spring, easing into an uneventfully mild summer. But as if by a twist of fate, an Indian summer blessed the grapes with optimal ripening conditions, allowing the Merlot-based prowess of Pomerol to shine through. The scrupulous selection and precise viticulture at Chateau Clinet yielded a harvest that defied initial expectations.
Investing in a Sleeper Hit: Why 2008 Clinet Deserves Attention
Within its dark ruby embrace, the 2008 Clinet expresses an intriguing aromatic profile layered with dark cherries, truffles, and subtle woody notes hinting at its judicious sojourn in oak. As investors seek out wines that deliver both drinking pleasure and maturation potential, this vintage emerges as a sleeper hit; one whose nuance and structure bely its tough genesis—an attribute keenly eyed by enthusiasts looking to diversify their portfolios.
On the palate, there is a savory complexity balanced by fresh acidity and integrated tannins—a combination lending this wine a graceful ageing potential. Herein lies an attractive proposition for wine investment: a vintage characterful enough to mesmerize now but poised eloquently for future unfolding.
The 2008 Clinet from Chateau Clinet captures the essence of perseverance in viticulture—the triumph over challenging conditions to produce balanced wines that resonate with depth and finesse. For those invested in the narrative of Bordeaux’s illustrious Pomerol region and the stories vintages carry, this bottle represents more than a wine; it’s a historical chronicle corked and cellared, awaiting discerning appreciation.
A Connoisseur’s Summary
Delve into the layers of the 2008 Clinet from Chateau Clinet and discover a chapter in Bordeaux history rich with learnt patience and unexpected elegance. A worthy consideration for investors—and indeed any collector seeking to capture an articulate expression of time and terroir wrapped within the storied landscape of Bordeaux’s right bank.
Market price (USD)
$1,010.00
12x75cl
Highest score
94
POP score
59.29
Scores and tasting notes
Another resounding success for the vintage, the opaque purple-colored 2008 Clinet (14.4% alcohol) is composed of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare, while higher than in 2010, were still modest. Another powerful, big, large-scaled effort, the 2008 exhibits an inky/purple color as well as sweet creme de cassis, blackberry, plum, Asian spice, licorice and incense notes. Layered and full-bodied with stunning purity and a 40+ second finish, this beauty needs 3-5 years of bottle age and should keep for 25-30 years.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 1 May 2011
This is the first bottle of Clinet '98 to show a little reduction, although it improves with aeration and offers some lovely cassis and iodine scents that waft enticingly from the glass. The palate is very concentrated, more so than the VCC, though it does not possess quite the same poise and focus on the finish. This is a controlled Clinet, one with its harness and blinkers on, and it shows great potential however. Tasted June 2013.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Nov 2013
Smoky and fruity, with dark fruits and spices. Full body, chewy tannins, with an excellent core of fruit underneath it all. This needs time to mellow. Give it at least three or four years.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com, December 20th 2010