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ProducerChâteau Pape Clement
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Vintage2009
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Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon Blend
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RegionBordeaux
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Sub RegionGraves
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SizeBottle
Château Pape Clément is a Cru Classé Graves property that has one of the oldest documented histories of any Bordeaux vineyard, having been planted in 1300 by Bernard de Groth, the future Pope Clément V. In 1939 the estate was bought by the Montagne family and is now owned and run by Léo Montagne. Pape Clément is located in the Bordeaux suburb of Pessac and consists of a chai and 32 hectares of vineyards, planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (40%) and small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle.
The quality of the wines at Pape Clément slipped in the 1960s and 70s, largely because of under-investment. Bernard Magrez was appointed as general manager in 1985 and he turned Pape Clément’s fortunes around. He introduced more rigorous selection in the vineyards, as well as installing stainless steel vats and raising the percentage of new oak casks used in the maturation process. Pape Clément now produces one of the finest clarets in Pessac-Léognan.
100 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The red wine flight was a colossal showing for the 2009s, with perfect wines from Cos d’Estournel, La Mission Haut-Brion, Smith Haut Lafitte, Pape Clément and Haut-Brion. These amazing wines are not only showing their individual, singular terroir characteristics at age six, but the luxurious, extravagant richness and body of this vintage. As I have written and said publically many times, 2009 is the modern-day version of 1982, except much more consistent, as many more properties ratcheted up the level of quality by making stricter selections not only in the vineyard, but also in the winery as well. The tour de force, and a sleeper of the vintage that I mentioned early on, was the 2009 Cos d’Estournel, a monumental wine that may well go down in history as this vintage’s 1947 Cheval Blanc. Also remarkable was the 2009 Smith Haut Lafitte. One expects the Mission Haut-Brion, Haut-Brion and Pape Clément to hit the highest points in a vintage like this – and they did.
99 Points Lisa Perotti-Brown MW
Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pape Clement struts flamboyantly out of the glass, featuring beautifully opulent preserved black fruits, Morello cherries and Chinese five spice with underlying notions of truffles, iron ore and tobacco plus a waft of sandalwood. Full-bodied, the voluptuous fruit has a firm foundation of super ripe, grainy tannins and bags of freshness supporting layer upon layer of black fruit, exotic spices and earth-laced flavors, finishing very long. Drink 2019-2055.