Château la Clémence

For lovers of terroir – and Christian Dauriac is one of them – there are must-haves in viticulture as in all other luxury sectors. As a man from the right bank of the Dordogne, after Saint-Émilion (Château Destieux and Château Montlisse), he was bound to set his sights on another prestigious A.O.C. – Pomerol, of course. Buying a property on the eve of the second millennium was already a financial challenge. Although it was possible, he preferred to design a terroir rather than take over an existing one. The idea was to bring together in a single property the different types of soil that exist in the commune. He therefore made a selection of plots, purchased one after the other in very different parts of the appellation. Once the cru had been built up with the help of his childhood friend Michel Rolland, he needed a winery, which in Pomerol is rarer than a five-legged sheep. So he had to pull up a few vines and build a wine-making and ageing cellar to match his ambitions. We’ve seen them all, and this one is a success. Aesthetically, the materials are combined with the greatest of pleasure; taste-wise, the wines do well here and in no way disappoint. More than that, in truth, it’s beautiful and good; some from across the Atlantic have already said very good, but we’re in no hurry, a bit like the good doctor who had the patience to wait in Saint-Émilion. La Clémence has the right ring to it, and should appeal to the palates of the great epicureans of our time.