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
The
Story
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
chapter II
Care for
chapter III
Choosing
chapter IV
Creating
chapter V
From us
Mysterious but powerful
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We treasure land that, with the right knowledge and care, gives wines with such a rare and fascinating character.
Selection the key to excellence
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.