Château l'Eglise Clinet Winery

Since Denis Durantou took over his family's wine estate in 1982, it has developed into one of the best addresses in Pomerol. His two daughters, Constance and Noëmie, are now successfully continuing his style.

It came as a shock to many uninitiated people when they learnt of the death of the much-loved and generous Pomerol winemaker Denis Durantou at the beginning of 2020. Born in the Dordogne in 1957, the winemaker, who first studied politics in Paris and then oenology in Bordeaux, can certainly be described as a wine legend. The family vineyard Château L'Église-Clinet in Pomerol had been leased out in the meantime, so Durantou initially wanted to pursue a career in business. When the opportunity arose to take over the 4.5-hectare estate, he seized it. He changed almost everything. This initially concerned the vineyards, which he gradually replanted largely with selected rootstock vines and also with a mass selection, which he had selected from the oldest vines on the estate, planted in 1919. In the first seven years, he had hardly any yield. But later it was all the better. Denis Durantou died after a long illness. He had spent the last four years working with his daughter Noëmie. His wife, the artist Marie Reilhac, was already involved, and the long-standing cellar master Olivier Gautrat also remained at the winery. Finally, Constance, the second of the three daughters, decided to return from London to help lead the winery into the future. And the future looks bright: the small and very fine vineyard - 3.5 of the 4.5 hectares are under vines, the remaining hectare was newly planted with Cabernet Franc - produces outstandingly good, full and sensual wines with a Merlot content of around 90%.