Learn everything about Chateau La Clemence Pomerol with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards, and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau La Clemence History, Overview
Chateau La Clemence was purchased by the Dauriac family in 1996. Christian Dauriac was already an experienced Bordeaux winemaker by that point, as he already owned property in St. Emilion.
Christopher Dauriac settled on Chateau La Clemence on the advice of his consultant, Michel Rolland. Chateau La Clemence was in a state of almost complete disrepair at the time of the purchase. In fact, the cellars were in such poor condition, they could not be used.
So, the first few vintages for the new owner had to be made at Chateau Bon Pasteur, which was the home estate of Michel Rolland at the time. The debut vintage produced completely at Chateau La Clemence in their renovated, thoroughly modern, circular cellars was 2002.
The cellars are on the border of Pomerol and St. Emilion, not far from Chateau La Tour Figeac. Today, the Dauriac family also owns Chateau Destieux and Chateau Montilisse. Both of those Right Bank estates are located in Saint Emilion.
Chateau La Clemence Vineyard, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The small vineyard of Chateau La Clemence has 2.8 hectares planted to 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. The terroir is sand, clay, and gravel soils. The vines are old, with an average age of more than 50 years. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 6,000 vines per hectare. The yields are some of the lowest in Pomerol. Often, they are close to 20 hectoliters per hectare.
While the style of wine at Chateau La Clemence is on the modern side of the style range, it is interesting to note that Chateau La Clemence is one of the few Bordeaux estates that still crushes grapes the old fashioned way, by people stomping on them! Vinification takes place in 6 small, temperature-controlled, wood vats, one for each parcel.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels. The wine of Chateau La Clemence is aged in 100% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. On average, Chateau La Clemence produces about 600 cases of wine per vintage.
The best vintages of Chateau La Clemence are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010 and 2009.
When to Drink Chateau La Clemence, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau La Clemence can be enjoyed on the young side with an hour or so decanting. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
However, I find the wine is usually better with 3-7 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. In the best years, Chateau La Clemence will be best between 5 and 14 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau La Clemence with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Chateau La Clemence is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. Chateau La Clemence is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes.
Chateau La Clemence is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.
Aside from his 3 estates in Bordeaux, Christopher Dauriac also consults the Marianne Wine Estate, located in the Stellenbosch appellation in South Africa.
Château La Clémence Wine Tasting Notes
18 Vintages 52,006 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
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2023
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Incense, licorice, spice, espresso, smoke, and red fruits work in concert here to produce a medium-bodied, round, creamy, fruity wine. Drink from 2026-2040. 89-91 Pts. 852 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
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2022
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Black fruits, chocolate, coffee bean, licorice, and spice notes create the character here. The wine is creamy, the fruits are ripe, but, there is a strong, smoky, oaky edge to the fruit on the palate that needs time to integrate. Drink from 2025-2037. 89-91 Pts. 1,736 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
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2021
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Red fruits, espresso, licorice and spice form the core of this round, polished, plummy wine. There is a nice hint of orange, cocoa and espresso on the backend that gives the wine freshness, and vitality. This will be tasty on release and over the next decade or so. Drink from 2024.2034. 563 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Coffee beans, wet earth, licorice, incense and cherries form the core of the round, forward, fruity, polished wine. The finish shows a strong oak influence. Drink from 2023-2029. 87-89 1,434 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
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2020
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Dark, plummy fruit, espresso, black cherries and licorice nuances open the wine. On the palate the wine is concentrated, round, polished and glossy, with an oaky edge to the ripe, showy fruits. Drink from 2023-2038. 626 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Deep in color, the wine is round, plump and fruity, with a liberal dose of oak, ripe, dark red fruits and espresso on the palate and in the finish. 89-91 Pts 2,481 Views Tasted Jun 3, 2021 |
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2019
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Showing quite a bit of oak at the moment, the wine is all about its chocolate, espresso, smoke, plum and spice character. Forward, easy to drink, but oaky and not overly complex, you can taste it on release, or age it for a few years hoping that the oak becomes more integrated. Drink from 2024-2035. 910 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022Forward, medium-bodied, round, straight-ahead plummy, fruity Pomerol that can be enjoyed early in its evolution. 88-90 Pts 2,949 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
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2018
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Dominated by oak, licorice and smoke, it takes effort and coaxing to find the fruits. On the palate, the wine is however quite tasty with round textures and sweet berries. The finish is drying on the end notes. 754 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Medium bodied, round and loaded with espresso and cherry notes, the red fruit is ripe but the oak at the moment is the dominant character. 85-87 Pts 1,305 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
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2017
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
A medium bodied, forward, fruity style of Pomerol with an earthy, cherry and espresso character, this wine is round textured and will be easy to drink on release. 1,620 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
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2016
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Fleshy, with a strong dose of ripe plums, dark chocolate, truffle and black raspberry, the wine is forward, plush and with time, which is needed for the oak to better integrate, this could be a better tasting experience. 1,802 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019Flowers and black raspberry combine to produce a forward, early drinker with black cherry and earth in the endnotes. 1,860 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
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2015
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Forward, medium bodied, soft, fruity, oaky style of modern Pomerol that can be enjoyed on the young side. 1,923 Views Tasted May 21, 2018A medium-bodied, forward, round, direct style of Pomerol, with a soft, fruity character for early drinking. 87 - 89 Pts 1,668 Views Tasted Apr 27, 2016 |
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2014
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Medium-bodied, uncomplicated, round, plummy, bright wine with notes of espresso, wet earth, smoke, licorice, and thyme. 1,728 Views Tasted Aug 25, 2021 |
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2013
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Light in color, this medium bodied, simple wine is focused on fresh red berries and herbs. 85-87 Pts 2,027 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2014 |
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2012
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Sweet, ripe cherries, with a touch too much oak on the palate for the plummy finish. 2,467 Views Tasted May 15, 2015Rich in color with spicy berries, licorice and wood scents open to a lush, silky and polished wine that ends with fat, ripe cherries and liqueur. 89-91 Pts 2,475 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2013 |
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2011
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Truffle, earth, minerality, flowers, ripe cherries and coffee with round textures and ripe tannins are followed by a ripe plum and cocoa finish. 88-90 Pts 2,380 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2012 |
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2010
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
La Clemence Plums, flowers, chocolate, licorice and ripe, sweet jammy boysenberry scents pair well with chocolate covered plums, fennel and rich, opulent textures. 91-93 Pts 3,334 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2011 |
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2009
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
With a blast of licorice, espresso, dark chocolate, black cherry and plum on the nose, the wine is round, plush and open. Produced in a modern style, it's already offering its fleshy, flashy charms. If the oak dissipates, this will be a better wine. The wine was made from a blend of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. 2,789 Views Tasted Feb 17, 2016 |
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2008
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Not for the oak averse. This example of a modern styled Bordeaux is round, fleshy and flashy. The dark plummy fruit is ripe. There is enough freshness and interesting aromatics, but the espresso notes are still quite noticeable. 1,957 Views Tasted Oct 25, 2016 |
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2005
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Rich, lush and plush, once past the oak, which is evident, the wine is filled with plums, licorice, earth and chocolate covered, black cherries. Hopefully, the oak will fade in a few years, making this a much better wine. 7,917 Views Tasted Jul 30, 2013 |
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2000
Château La Clémence (Pomerol)
Fully mature, the wine offers, polished, round textures and loads of ripe, dark, plums, cherry, truffle, coffee bean, and black licorice. The fruit is ripe, and full of flavor that is perfect for the finish. 2,449 Views Tasted Dec 13, 2017 |
