2016 Château du Domaine de l'Eglise

The 2016 Domaine de l’Eglise offers a mixture of red and black fruit on the nose, accompanied by traces of cedar, sage and light undergrowth aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, and quite structured for a Domaine de l’Eglise, leading to a grippy, lightly spiced but fresh finish. It needs three or four years in bottle, but there is good potential.

The blueberry aromas are very enticing and show subtle undertones of flowers, such as violets. Full body and round, polished tannins that are composed and compressed. Shows tension and focus. Better after 2022.

The 2016 Domaine de l'Eglise is a blend of 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc picked on 28 September and 13 October respectively at 40 hectoliters per hectare. There is plenty of ripeness on the nose, a little more exotic than previous vintages with kirsch infusing the red berry fruit, crème de cassis developing in the glass. The oak here is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin on the entry, nicely balanced with good substance, building nicely in the mouth. It might just miss the finesse of some of its neighbors, but the clay lends this Pomerol much more substance than the Castèja family's other property La Croix du Casse. The persistence here is very long and powerful.