Château Pape Clément Pessac-Léognan 2020
- v98
- jd97+
- ws95
Category | Red Wine |
Varietals | |
Brand | Château Pape Clément |
Origin | France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan |
Known to be one of the oldest Bordeaux Grand Crus, Château Pape Clément — located in Pessac-Léognan — celebrated its first harvest in 1252. The estate’s vineyard was established by Bertrand de Goth, who in 1305 became Pope Clément V, the name which was subsequently given to the Château. In 1980, Bernard Magrez acquired the estate and since he has dedicated himself to the advancement and glory of this property with a blend of traditional style and cutting-edge technology. The estate practices sustainable agriculture with multiple certifications (Terra Vitis, HVE and ISO 14001) along with stringent pruning, manual harvest and destemming and rigorous vinification and aging processes. Since 2013, the Château has utilized drones and robotics to enhance their vineyard monitoring and maintenance.
The Pape Clément — a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc — shows an opaque, deep purple emitting aromas of dark red and black berry fruit accented with notes of pencil shavings and crushed stone. The palate is well-balanced and structured with flavors of black cherry, blackberry and cassis complemented with hints of licorice, vanilla and spice. There is a beautiful minerality and energy to the wine that mingles seamlessly with its finely-textured tannins. This wine finishes long and seductively smooth. Pick any cut of steak and you will have a perfect match, but this can also be enjoyed with all types of wild game (pheasant, boar, venison).
Vinous
- v98
The 2020 Pape Clément is outrageously beautiful. Dark, virile and imposing, the 2020 is a rare vintage of Pape Clément that is vertical and statuesque in feel. Dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves infuse the palate with tremendous depth. In a word: magnificent.
Jeb Dunnuck
- jd97+
I loved the 2020 Château Pape Clément, and this beauty is up there with the top wines in Pessac. Checking in as equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged 18 months in 90% barrels and 10% in foudre, it offers a deep purple hue to go with a powerful, concentrated profile displaying both red and black fruits, lots of spicy, chocolate, flowery incense nuances, full-bodied richness, and an almost salty, bloody character on the finish. This beauty shows the concentrated yet utterly classic, focused, elegant style of the vintage and has so much to love. It's going to be even better with 4-6 years of bottle age and will see its 30th birthday in fine form.
Wine Spectator
- ws95
This is snazzed up with flashy toast, but there's ample mulberry, cassis and plum compote fruit to soak it up, while notes of licorice and sweet spice fill in the background. A late tug of warm earth keeps this grounded. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2028 through 2038.