Chateau Pape Clement Rouge 2016

Château Pape Clément is among the oldest of Bordeaux’s Grand Crus, with harvests dating back to 1252! This ex-Chateau, pristine, and powerful beast is just starting to show its stuff...this is dramatic and finely-crafted wine any way you slice it, a must-have Bordeaux, from a monumentally epic vintage – all at a supremely tempting price!

The Château Pape Clément estate is the oldest planted vineyard in the region and has a wonderful history that includes its namesake, the Archbishop of Bordeaux, Bertrand de Got, who became Pope Clément V in 1305. Today, under the direction of the one and only Bernard Magrez, the wines of Pape Clément have never been better. 98 POINTS, plus 97, two 96s, double 95s, and more...clearly, the critics hate this wine. We’ll let the reviews below speak for themselves, but this should be on every serious Bordeaux drinkers list, no question.

With a blend of 60% merlot, 36% cabernet sauvignon, 3% petit verdot and 1% cabernet franc, Château Pape Clément’s grand vin is unique for the AOC of Pessac-Leognan. Like most of Graves, reds here are more typically based on cabernet sauvignon, with merlot in a supporting role. However, with the estate concentrating on lower yields and picking overall riper fruit than in years past, merlot has become the prize of these vineyards, ripening somewhat earlier than the long-hanging cabernet. Their distance from the Gironde estuary and the drained marshlands of Pauillac and the rest of Medoc also creates an environment ideally suited to merlot’s prowess here. Much of this is due to lower yields and then judiciously selecting only the best fruit for fermentation. After 30-40 days of maceration and 18 months of barrel aging, the wine is blended and bottled – and ready to surprise and delight the most discerning of Bordeaux enthusiasts.

Revel in delicately layered aromas of violets, graphite, and earthy tobacco, punctuated with notes of creme de cassis and shaved truffles. On the palate, this is expansive and rich, with beguiling flavors of orange peel, blackberry, kirsch, black tea, and red plums. An undercurrent of freshly crushed rocks adds to the length and focus of the long, dry finish. This is a polished and powerful red with a spicy headiness that reels the senses.

Just over 10 cases! Get a few for your collection while they last!!