Chateau Pape Clement - Pessac Leognan 2018

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99 Points, Jeb Dunnuck "The 2018 Château Pape Clement from Bernard Magrez is a gorgeous wine that's performing even better from bottle than barrel, which is always a good sign. Deep ruby/purple, with stunning crème de cassis and blackberry fruits as well as kaleidoscope-like notes of graphite, scorched earth, smoke, violets, and spring flowers, it offers full-bodied richness yet stays light on its feet, graceful, and almost ethereal on the palate, with integrated acidity and building yet seamless tannins."

Chateau Pape Clement Description

Château Pape Clément / PESSAC-LÉOGNAN / CRU CLASSÉ DE GRAVES

Few great wines can boast seven centuries of history and trace their origins back to a pope.
Elected supreme pontiff during the reign of King Philip the Handsome in 1305, Clement V gave his name to Château Pape Clément.

The present owner does his utmost to perpetuate the ancient tradition of quality. Among other innovations, this was the first estate in Bordeaux to destem the entire crop by hand. The grapes are transported by gravity flow into small oak fermentation vats adapted to the yield of each plot. The entire winemaking process is conducted with minute attention to detail. Combining traditional and state-of-the-art techniques, Pape Clément is made according to the highest standards.

Everything is done in the vineyard to let the terroir express itself fully. As part of an environmentally-friendly approach, chemical weed killers have been abandoned in favour of ploughing.

Production
Red wine: 110,000 bottles / White wine: 10,000 bottles

Grape varieties
Red wine:
49% Merlot / 46% Cabernet Sauvignon / 3% Cabernet franc / 2% Petit Verdot

White wine:
45% Sauvignon / 45% Sémillon / 5% Muscadelle / 5% Sauvignon gris

Jeb Dunnuck: 99 Points

Coming from 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new French oak, the 2018 Château Pape Clement from Bernard Magrez is a gorgeous wine that's performing even better from bottle than barrel, which is always a good sign. Deep ruby/purple, with stunning crème de cassis and blackberry fruits as well as kaleidoscope-like notes of graphite, scorched earth, smoke, violets, and spring flowers, it offers full-bodied richness yet stays light on its feet, graceful, and almost ethereal on the palate, with integrated acidity and building yet seamless tannins. The Cabernet Sauvignon really sings at this point, and there's almost a Médoc-like regalness here. Reminding me of a slightly more elegant 2005 (it also has similarities to the 2016), it will benefit from 4-6 years in the cellar and keep for 30+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck

James Suckling: 97 Points

Wine Spectator: 96 Points

Vinous: 96 Points

The 2018 Pape Clément is such a beautiful and inviting wine. Silky, perfumed and layered, the 2018 shows the more restrained, vibrant style that has become the norm here in recent years. Red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and spice are front and center, while the oak - in the past so strong here - is really dialed back. The 2018 is going to be a fascinating wine to follow in the cellar over the next several decades. The purity of the flavors is just striking.- Antonio Galloni