Pape Clément Blanc 2006

Arguably the dry white wine of the vintage along with Laville, this is an extraordinary wine with the texture of a grand cru white Burgundy, the so-called gout de petrol that one finds in Coche-Dury Meursault-Perrieres, or one of the top Montrachets from the likes of Domaine Leflaive or Romanee-Conti. Honeyed orange, sweet melons, subtle smoke, stunning concentration, and a full-bodied mouthfeel make for an extraordinary expression of white Graves that should age beautifully for 15-20 years. The final blend from the tiny 7.5-acre parcel of this historic vineyard was 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon, 5% each of Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle.

Tasted at a negotiant. A moderate intensity, quite oaky nose with good delineation. A little cream, minerals. Tropical fruits on the palate: passion fruits, a touch of mango and petrol with excellent acidity, Great length and complexity. Very fine. Tasted April 2007.

Honeyed, lanolin nose. Rich and round - very attractive indeed with a certain smokiness. Lovely wine by any standards! Fully ripe fruit with a strong grapefruit element. Oak imperceptible. No oiliness even if obviously quite a lot of alcohol. Really excellent - perhaps not the longest finish though it does hum fairly confidently. Definitely needs to be served pretty cool because of the alcohol though.

Bright yellow. Restrained but rich nose is currently showing its semillon side, with notes of soft citrus fruits and honey. Very sweet, ripe and broad; a bit lower-toned than the young 2007, with honey and earth dominating today and the fruit in the background. But this is fat, serious and long.

This is a strong vintage for Bordeaux’s dry white wines, probably as good or better than 2005. Crisp acidity combined with outstanding concentration and the fact that most of the white grapes were harvested before the rains began in mid-September resulted in an impressive group of wines.