2019 Château Pape Clement Rouge Grand Cru Classé de Graves

The Château Pape Clement Rouge Grand Cru Classé de Graves has put a very nice wine on the map with its 2019 vintage and is now approaching the Premier Crus in terms of level (fortunately not yet in terms of price, but this will certainly happen). This flagship of Mr. Bernard Magrez is de-stemmed entirely by hand, berry by berry, and only the berries with intact skins are added to the wine. A gigantic cost of personnel (more than 20 people for the de-stressing), but with an extraordinary result.

The Pape Clement Rouge is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon & 50% Merloten and has matured for 18 months in oak barriques of which 60% is new and the other 2nd year oak. In the glass, the Pape Clement has a deep garnet red color with a purple tinge. The 2018 Pape Clement needs some oxygen but then slowly unfolds with notes of fragrant earth, crushed rocks, iron ore and tobacco before turning into red and black currant, cherry, rose and black tea. Full and wonderfully lively, it is medium to full bodied with firm and fine grained tannins and an amazing freshness, very long (mineral) finish.

With its smoky and spicy bouquet, the red Pape cCement is of an admirable quality and a very characteristic softness. The wine is concentrated, fine and harmonious, with an aromatic palette as broad as it is precise. The depth and length in the mouth are exceptional. The quality of the terroir, sustained efforts and dynamism have paid off, bringing Pape Clément to a level very close to that of the premiers crus. The recent assessment of the international wine press also confirms this

96-98/100 Parker
97/100 James Suckling
96-98/100 Wine Spectator