Learn everything about Clos de la Vieille Eglise Pomerol with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, a history of the property, information on vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Clos de la Vieille Eglise History, Overview
Clos de la Vieille Eglise gets an award for having the longest name in all of Pomerol. They have an even longer history in the Pomerol appellation and with Trocard family, as the Trocard family has owned Clos de la Vieille Eglise in Pomerol since 1830! Today, Benoit Trocard is fully in charge at Clos de la Vieille Eglise Benoit Trocard has had that responsibility since the 2010 vintage.
Clos de la Vieille Eglise Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The small, 1.5-hectare, Right Bank vineyard of Clos de la Vieille Eglise is planted to 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. The vines are situated not that far from Chateau Clinet, Chateau Rouget, and Chateau LEglise Clinet.
The current makeup of the vineyard shows an increase in Cabernet Franc plantings. It is the goal of the estate to slowly increase the percentage of Cabernet Franc in the vineyards.
The terroir is clay and gravel soils. On average, the vines are old, as they are close to 50 years of age. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 6,700 vines per hectare. When you are standing in the vineyards, you get a clear view of the church in Pomerol.
To produce the wine of Clos de la Vieille Eglise, vinification takes place in three temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats that range in size from 30 hectoliters to 40 hectoliters for 80% of the production. The remaining 20% is fermented in oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation takes place in new French oak barrels.
The wine is aged in 100% new, French oak barrels for between 18 to 20 months.
On average, the production is 500 cases of Clos de la Vieille Eglise per vintage. The Trocard family own numerous other Right Bank estates in a myriad of appellations including St. Emilion and Lalande de Pomerol, as well as wines that are classified as Bordeaux Superieur and of course their most famous property, Clos Dubreuil in Saint Emilion.
The best vintages of Clos de la Vieille Eglise are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2006, 2005, 2001 and 2000.
When to Drink Clos de la Vieille Eglise, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Clos de la Vieille Eglise can be enjoyed on the young side with decanting. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 1 hour or so. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Clos de la Vieille Eglise is usually better with at least 2-4 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Clos de la Vieille Eglise offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 3-12 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau Clos de la Vieille Eglise with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Chateau Clos de la Vieille Eglise is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
The wine is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Clos de la Vieille Eglise is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.
Clos de la Vieille Église Wine Tasting Notes
14 Vintages 44,174 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
2023
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Flowers, black raspberries, licorice, and earth in the nose lead the way to a bright, fresh, vibrant, medium-bodied wine loaded with cherries, raspberries, and chocolate-coated strawberries. Drink from 2026-2039. 90-92 Pts. 823 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
2021
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Round, plummy, floral, soft-textured, black cherry filled wine with silky-tannins and loads of freshness that comes in on the palate, continuing though to the spicy, cherry-tinted finish. Drink from 2024-2034. 700 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Medium-bodied, bright, floral and plummy, here the wine is a bit over-extracted for the vintage that creates a some chalky dryness in the red fruits on the palate. The wine blends 70% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2023-2034. 87-89 1,829 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
2020
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Espresso, dried flowers, black cherries, smoke and licorice scents get the wine noticed. Round, sweet and creamy with a finish packed with chocolate, ripe plums and oak that needs to be better integrated. Drink from 2024-2037. 1,846 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Deeply colored, the wine opens with black plums and cherries, oak, wet earth, anise and flowers. Medium-bodied, soft, silky and polished, with a nice sweetness to the elegant fruits and freshness in the finish. This will be even better with a few years of aging. 89-91 Pts 2,985 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
2019
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Black raspberries, herbs and spice with touches of espresso, wet earth and spices kick off the perfume. Medium-bodied, fresh, soft, vibrant and elegant, the sweet, ripe, red fruits really come through on the palate and in the finish. This is showing much nicer from the bottle than it did from the barrel. Drink from 2023-2034. 1,349 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022Bright, fresh and fruity with a citrus, plum and cherry core of fruits, soft textures and a plummy finish. 88-90 Pts 2,897 Views Tasted Jun 28, 2020 |
2018
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
A light touch of oak, soft, silky textures, and ripe, sweet plums with hints of cocoa fill out this wine on the palate. Medium-bodied and forward, give it a few years in the cellar for further development. 1,725 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Medium bodied, fruity and correct, you'll find more ripeness, form and fruit than usual. The wine starts off well but finishes a bit short. 87-89 Pts 2,381 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
2017
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Strawberries and cherries fashioned in a medium bodied, forward, uncomplicated, early drinking style, prepare for a pleasant bit of chocolate in the endnote. 1,929 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
2016
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Open, easy drinking, red cherry filled wine, this is a Pomerol for early drinking consumption. 3,235 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019Forward in style with a spicy, red cherry core, this wine is pleasant but lacking in depth and concentration. 2,690 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
2015
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Plum and mocha on the nose, this wine is medium-bodied, soft textured and ends with a newly-picked, piquant, herbal, cherry finish. This wine was made from a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. This could be the best wine yet from Clos de la Vieille Eglise. 88 - 90 Pts 2,637 Views Tasted Apr 27, 2016 |
2014
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
With dark chocolate and plum on the nose, this medium-bodied wine ends with a sweet, cherry tart of a finish. Made from a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. 85-87 Pts 2,743 Views Tasted Apr 24, 2015 |
2013
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Fresh, medium bodied, slightly tart red fruits and a lot of spice are found in the zippy finish. Drink this on the young side. 1,728 Views Tasted May 25, 201670% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc produced a smoky, bright, black raspberry-scented wine that finishes with sharp, crisp red berries. 85-87 Pts 1,837 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2014 |
2012
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Earthy, dusty cherries with a sweet and tart, raspberry and plum finish that will be best in its youth. 3,617 Views Tasted May 15, 2015 |
2010
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Fresh, sweet and tart fruits, licorice, earth and a hint of dark chocolate in a forward, plummy, open, early drinking style. This is slightly better and more interesting than the 2009. 2,813 Views Tasted May 13, 2015 |
2009
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Floral, thyme and sweet, black raspberry scents open to a soft, forward, easy drinking Pomerol that should be best in its youth. 2,061 Views Tasted May 13, 2015 |
2005
Clos de la Vieille Église (Pomerol)
Fresh herb, earth and mushroom aromas on the nose, medium bodied and soft, but firm textured, with a raspberry and bright cherry note in the ready to drink finish. 2,349 Views Tasted May 13, 2015 |