Chateau Clinet   Clinet

1990 Clinet

By Chateau Clinet

1990 Clinet from Chateau Clinet, Pomerol, Bordeaux

In the pantheon of Pomerol vintages, the 1990 Clinet from Chateau Clinet shines with a particular brilliance. This exquisite vintage emerged from a season of providential climatic conditions, yielding a harvest whose wines have stood the test of time with astonishing grace. As an arbiter of fine wines, my history with this vintage is fulsome; I have followed its evolution meticulously, each tasting revealing another layer of its complex tapestry.

 

A Vintage That Resonates With Timelessness

The year 1990 rewarded Bordeaux with an early spring and a summer of idyllic warmth, tempered by necessary rain. Such serendipitous weather patterns came together to create the perfect milieu for the Merlot grape, which in the hallowed soils of Pomerol, found perhaps its most profound expression in decades.

The 1990 Clinet exhibits a majestic structure and an aromatic profile that speaks of careful stewardship. Swirling in the glass, one is greeted by a bouquet that hypnotises: dark fruits entwined with truffles and an undercurrent of tobacco and leather - hallmarks of Pomerol complexity made more profound by age.

 

Investment Merits of a Storied Vintage

For collectors and investors alike, this remarkable offering has not only appreciated aesthetically but also holds formidable potential for continued maturation. The 1990 Clinet boasts a density and silkiness on the palate that suggests its peak lies ahead still. Its investment allure is heightened by its increasing scarcity and the sustained desire among connoisseurs to hold this emblematic vintage in their portfolios.

In closing, as one contemplates fine wine investment, it is essential to recognise both the tangibles and intangibles. Aged Pomerols such as this possess an ineffable quality; they defy mere enjoyment and venture into the realm of experience. The 1990 Clinet from Chateau Clinet is one such wine, offering investors not just a bottle but a venerated chapter in Bordeaux's vinous history.

Current market price

$6,130.00

12x75cl

Highest score

97

POP score

215.88

Scores and tasting notes

97

A sensational effort, and one of the two finest Clinets made before the 2008, this prodigious wine made by the late Jean-Michel Arcaute has always been a sprinter out of the gate. Even at age 19, it continues to strut its stuff. A dense blue/garnet/purple hue exhibits slight lightening at the edge, and the gorgeous nose offers up aromas of sweet blueberries, licorice, smoke, acacia flowers, and camphor. Full-bodied with silky tannins, low acidity, and terrific purity, this 1990 has hit its plateau of full maturity where it should remain for another decade.Release price: ($425.00/case)

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 29 June 2009

96

Tasted at Roberson's Pomerol tasting. The exquisite Clinet '90 has a lovely rounded, gourmand bouquet, quite meaty and savoury, a touch of garrigues going on here, a little oxtail and Bovril, vibrant and completely seductive. A quintessential Pomerol '90 bouquet. The palate is medium-bodied with a lovely rounded, quite voluptuous texture, tight at first but unwinding nicely. Very focused, very well defined with just a touch of spice and cloves on the finish. Drink now-2020. Tasted November 2010.

Neal Martin - Wine Journal Jan 2011

Vintage performance