Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I love this tiny Pomerol estate, which is brilliantly run by Jeremy Chasseuil. The vineyard covers just over six hectares situated between Trotanoy and Latour A Pomerol, in the Clinet sector of the Pomerol appellation. The 2017 Chateau Feytit-Clinet is mostly Merlot (there’s 7% Cabernet Franc) that spent 16 months in 65% new French oak. It’s never a shy wine, and the 2017 offers loads of ripe black fruits, lavender, orange blossom, and exotic floral and violet aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied Pomerol that has a mouth filling, expansive texture, ripe, sweet tannins, and a great finish. It offers more fruit, opulence, and sexiness than just about every wine in the vintage. It’s already hard to resist yet will benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and cruise for two decades. Rating: 95+
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Feytit Clinet sports a deep garnet-purple color. The nose boasts bold Black Forest cake, blackberry compote and plum preserves notes with nuances of chocolate box, violets and fallen leaves. The full-bodied palate has a gorgeous texture of plush, fine-grained tannins and plenty of zing lifting the decadent black fruit flavors, finishing long and savory. It is quite delicious now, but I'd give it another year or two in bottle to really impress.
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James Suckling
Aromas of plums and spice and light chili character. Full-bodied with rich, chewy tannins. The wood is a little predominant now, but this will show nicely with age, as it all comes together. Better after 2023.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
A source of exceptionally sensual and glamorous red wines, Pomerol is actually a rather small appellation in an unassuming countryside. It sits on a plateau immediately northeast of the city of Libourne on the right bank of the Dordogne River. Pomerol and St-Émilion are the stars of what is referred to as Right Bank Bordeaux: Merlot-dominant red blends completed by various amounts of Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon. While Pomerol has no official classification system, its best wines are some of the world’s most sought after.
Historically Pomerol attached itself to the larger and more picturesque neighboring region of St-Émilion until the late 1800s when discerning French consumers began to recognize the quality and distinction of Pomerol on its own. Its popularity spread to northern Europe in the early 1900s.
After some notable vintages of the 1940s, the Pomerol producer, Petrus, began to achieve great international attention and brought widespread recognition to the appellation. Its subsequent distribution by the successful Libourne merchant, Jean-Pierre Mouiex, magnified Pomerol's fame after the Second World War.
Perfect for Merlot, the soils of Pomerol—clay on top of well-drained subsoil—help to create wines capable of displaying an unprecedented concentration of color and flavor.
The best Pomerol wines will be intensely hued, with qualities of fresh wild berries, dried fig or concentrated black plum preserves. Aromas may be of forest floor, sifted cocoa powder, anise, exotic spice or toasted sugar and will have a silky, smooth but intense texture.