The
Story

Watch the film

Clinet is not just a bottle of wine, it’s all a story. It began with a precious vineyard at the heart of Pomerol, and from there, Clinet has become a story that never ends. Every day welcomes a new adventure and with every vintage, a new exciting chapter is written. And each time we open a bottle of Clinet, it’s like a book you can’t put down. Clinet is a story that we continue to write and a story we continue to enjoy.

chapter I

Devotion
at the root

chapter II

Care for
the land

chapter III

Choosing
our future

chapter IV

Creating
an identity

chapter V

From us
to you

Mysterious but powerful

Harvest seen from behind gazing up at Pomerol church.

Pomerol has a unique air of mystery, silence but confidence. No turrets or tree-lined drives, but simply a small collection of estates surrounding an iconic church tower is all there is to show on the surface for a land filled with so much prestige and significance.

View of chateau Clinet through a gap in the vines.

Château Clinet

Modest but sure of its presence, Clinet lies at one of the highest points upon the renowned plateau at the heart of Pomerol - instantly recognisable by its red shutters and beautiful roses. It is home to one of the oldest vineyards in the appellation, with traces of the vineyard's existence, with the name Clinet, dating back to 1595. This vineyard is equally famed for offering wine with an incomparable character and quality.

11,5 hectares: 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon
Average age of vines: 40 years

Close-up of a vine with sun shining on leaves.

With so much prestige comes so much responsibility: to respect the centuries of work of those before us and to carry this onwards in the most considered way. Our philosophy is centered upon preserving the Clinet spirit: celebrating the relationship between man and nature, and the satisfaction of receiving such a wonderful gift from Mother Earth.

Ronan Laborde stands beside his car on a country lane between the vines.

Ronan Laborde

Once known as 'The Marathon Man' - Ronan is used to leading from the front. Talented and determined in everything he does, he began to manage the Clinet estate in 2004, which has been in his family since 1999. He along with the rest of the Clinet 'family' has been engaged in substantial transformations: replanting, developing environmentally-friendly practices, rebuilding the winemaking facilities and reorganising Clinet's distribution.

Clinet is not just a wine but a family - a family that represents not only those right at its core but equally every person that lends their hand to making our dreams a reality. The loyalty that unites us all is heart-warming, motivating, and everlasting.

By maintaining devotion in everything we do - efforts both large and small - we'll create desire right across the world.

A terroir to treasure

Horse seen from the front walking between rows of vines.

To achieve harmony in the wine you need harmony in the vines. The ecosystem that we strive to protect - from birds and trees right down to tiny insects in the depths of our soils - is an essential part of ensuring our terroir evolves and preserves itself.

Wide shot of the wooden stakes for new vines at sunset.

Natural purity

The power of nature is somewhat incredible, and the more we can align our efforts so as to allow nature express itself in its fullest and purest way, the more we feel like our duty is done to the earth and to our wines. We try not to interfere with nature but to coexist - using natural tools and methods every time we lay foot into the vines so as to minimise our disruption and leave little trace.

Close-up of morning dew on small green leaves.
Close-up on a roll of string lying on the ground.
Close-up of hand attaching stem of vine with small knot.

Care for the environment is not an afterthought but a belief that our continuous dedication will ensure that the Clinet legacy will thrive and be enjoyed for future generations.

Black and white macro of old vine showing textures.

A collection of charms

Clinet's vineyard is home to some fascinating treasures. A prized plot of Merlot 'La Grand Vigne' at the side of Pomerol's church reveals vines that date back 90 years, offering generations of maturity and depth. Soils rich with a fine balance of sand, clay and gravel have seen centuries of sun and rainfall, containing nutrients and minerals that yield an almost magical set of surprises. Assembling the individual characters of our various plots provides a complex patchwork of interwoven flavours and aromas.

Hands bending over a vine branch, blue sky in background.
A hand reaching out to a vine leaf, young grapes on the vine.

We tend to every leaf of every vine so that every time we harvest the grapes it's like we are given a gift from the Earth we've been waiting a whole year to receive.

Profile view of harvest walking through the vines in Pomerol

We treasure land that, with the right knowledge and care, gives wines with such a rare and fascinating character.

Selection the key to excellence

Sorting table with grapes rolling over it, a few grapes isolated.

Every single berry that gives its juice to Clinet will play its role for the rest of the life of the wine and therefore must be chosen with the utmost care.

Close-up of a stainless steel cuvon full of grapes.

Time is of the essence

Every grape that enters the winery passes a rigorous selection process before being allowed to make its way into the next vintage of Clinet. After initial selection on arrival, a further stage of delicate sorting by hand ensures that only the best grapes arrive into the vats.

The level of attention to detail at Clinet goes far beyond selecting the best grapes. The same care goes into selecting the best tools, the best materials, and the best people involved in transforming these precious grapes into an exquisite and delightful bottle of wine.

Portrait of a vineyard worker holding a shovel, sunset light on his face.

Our own set of tools

Part of the unique Clinet spirit is ensuring we have the perfect tool for the task, even if it means a custom-design or substantial investment. Screw-on bungs for barrels ensure a perfectly airtight seal. A state-of-the art press controls the extraction of a separate set of juice from the skins of our grapes with its own special character. Cone-shaped vessels enable grapes to be transferred gently by gravity into their corresponding custom-built vats.

Despite our constant innovations and real-time testing, the power of taste - one of our most basic but most reliable tools - is never underestimated. Tasting ultimately drives our decision of when to harvest, how we express the character of each plot and the blend which gives the final interpretation of a Clinet vintage.

Just a few seconds now can have an impact that is felt for generations.

A hidden art

View of chateau Clinet winery form outside, showing slit windows.

Clinet's exact winemaking practices are a closely-guarded secret, essential to ensuring our fascinating character remains unique and untainted. Behind solid, thermo-regulating stone walls and set underground, the cellar is where our expert winemakers work their magic.

Close-up of the Clinet logo showing condensation on a concrete globe vat.
Close-up on wine and foam as wine drains from stainless vat.

The work is sometimes vigorous and dirty, sometimes clinical and precise. But particular care is taken to balance the effects of nature, controlling and channeling them towards a wine of unmistakable Clinet identity with absolute harmony.

Close up of sunlight shining on stainless steel vat creating waves of texture.
Close up of a wine press, grapes deposit stuch in grill.

Separated right up until the blend

To match each plot of vines, our cellar contains a selection of small thermo-regulated stainless steel vats in which fermentation takes place. The juice from each plot is vinified separately to preserve its natural and unique characteristics, and are later aged separately in barrels. Only at the blending stage are they finally brought together in the exact proportions necessary, providing the delicate balance of complex flavours that playfully interact but are elegantly distinguishable.

Close up of the red bung on a Clinet wine barrel.
A woman tasting wine in front of a wooden Clinet barrel, projecting shadows onto the barrel.

The perfect pairing

The wines are aged for an average of 16 months in 60% new French oak barrels, and the type of barrel used to age each plot is selected carefully to correspond to the requirements of the grape. We house a selection of barrels from different coopers, different forests, toasted differently and of different sizes that enable us to balance the exact characteristics required to age each plot to perfection.

A vintage may be unpredictable, but Clinet's identity is unmistakable.

Blended and bottled

Close up on a wine cork, marked 2014
Several bottles lying down, unlabelled, showing 2014 cork
View through the necks of a group of bottles of wine waiting to be labelled.

Bottling is an extremely exciting time - we're saying: "we've done our bit and now we're leaving it to time to have the effect it deserves." From here the wine takes an incredible journey - Clinet delightfully ages for generations in the bottle, taking on new forms and releasing different aromas. The most patient and respectful owners are keeping closely-guarded bottles of Clinet in cellars around the world.

Clinet bottle amongst the vines, C logo visible between the leaves.

From the moment you pick up a bottle of Clinet, you know you are holding something rare and intriguing; something precious. The same level of care, precision and attention to detail goes into ensuring Clinet arrives in perfect, beautiful condition as goes into the making of the wine itself.

Presented with pride

Close-up of a Clinet bottle label, white paper surrounding it like a veil.

Clinet makes its presence felt, the bottle made from glass of the highest quality and with a shape that sits proudly in the hand as it is poured. A smoothly-engraved 'C' catches the light and adds gracefulness to its weight.

Bottle of Chateau Clinet sitting in a bucket of red paint, turned on its side.

An elegant, refined and uncluttered label, printed to micrometer-precision, symbolises Clinet's commitment to purity and honest expression. Designed by an architect, the harmonious disposition of only the essential elements means that Clinet naturally sets itself apart from the crowd.

Red filter photo showing girl's hand touching top of wooden crate of Clinet wine

Each bottle of Clinet is rolled individually by hand in tissue that offers protection as well as decoration. These are then carefully placed inside a specially-designed case, selected for its durability and faultless finish.

View from above of Chateau Clinet capsule showing red logo.

A mark of quality

Our signature red colour is religiously applied to Clinet capsules, labels, wrapping tissue and cases. Perfectly embodying Clinet's identity of elegance and audacity, this final touch is unmistakable across the world.

Every touch that each person brings, every little detail makes a difference.