| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Owner Bernard Magrez has made serious investments here since the late 1990s and recent vintages have been outstanding thanks to extremely low yields, labour-intensive sorting of grapes and modern wine-making techniques. Quality bears no relation to the weedy wines of the early 1980s and before. The 42 hectares are planted with 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 55% Merlot.
The 2024 is 45% Merlot, 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot
Deep garnet-purple colored. Prances out with showy notes of raspberry coulis, fresh black currants, and plums, plus suggestions of cinnamon stick, lilac, and fertile loam. The light to medium-bodied palate has great tension and fine-grained tannins supporting the vibrant black and red berry flavors, finishing long and fragrant. The intensity and black fruit on here with no form of must concentration is impressive!
53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Aging 70% in barrels (2/3 new), 15% in foudres, and 15% in ceramic/concrete. Yield was 42 hl/ha.
The 2024 Pape Clément now only comes from the original terroir in Pessac. It underwent a rigorous sorting such that 30% was deselected and the Grand Vin comprises half of the remainder. It is aged 70% in barrel (two-thirds new), 15% in foudres and 15% in concrete and stainless-steel/sandstone vessels. It has an elegant bouquet, certainly more restrained than recent vintages with crisp black fruit and veins of blueberry and iris flower. The palate is medium-bodied and powdery in texture with sappy blackberry and bilberry fruit, but the tannins just feel a bit sharp on the finish at the moment. Tasted four or five times, the 2024 is a Pape-Clément with good intentions but doesn't deliver on its promise. The same approach in a benevolent vintage would yield a far better wine. Drink: 2029-2048
A smoky, oaky bouquet of spices, incense and dark berries prefaces the 2024 Pape Clément, a moderately weighted, supple and open-knit palate built around tangy acids and brittle tannins.
Mid ruby colour in the glass. Violets, blackcurrant leaf and red cherry on the nose, there is wood smoke but it's fairly subtle. Gravelly tannins, brisk acidity and layered red fruits form the core of the palate. Lightly dusty and pithy in structure, with cranberry and just-ripe cherry fruit. The tannins build to have real bite on the finish, together with a hit of charred wood.
Sweet damson fruit, concentration through the mid palate that balances out the austerity on the opening. These are tannins with ageing ability. Harvest September 23 through to October 11. 50% new oak, with the rest between larger oak casks, one year old oak and amphora. Bernard Magrez owner, Julien Viaud consultant. 60ha today, did get as high as 90ha but they are back to focusing on the original Pauillac vineyards boht for the red and white wines.
The 2024 Pape Clément is unusual in that Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend. That is evident in the wine's strong savory profile and overall structural feel. A reduction in the oak imprint emphasizes fruit and overall vibrancy. The 2024 is not as showy or easy to taste as most vintages, but the style here has also undergone a pretty radical transformation. It was vinified in oak, steel and concrete. A significant portion of the wine saw malolactic fermentation in tank rather than oak, as had been the case in the past. That adds up to a vibrant, nervy Pape Clément that represents a new era here. 2034-2054.
A rich wine for this vintage, showing roasted spices and some dark chocolate to the blackcurrants, pine cones and berries. Sour cherries with sharp acidity and nicely chewy tannins on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Good structure and length.
