1996 | Château Pape Clément | Pessac-Leognan

Full ruby-red. Superripe aromas of roasted plum, black raspberry, woodsmoke and humus. Dense and rather unevolved, but with sound acidity giving it excellent vinosity.

Reviews:

• John Gilman: In 1996, Pape Clément was still very much a classically styled claret and the wine shows very good potential to eventually blossom from behind the substantial tannins of the vintage and turn into a lovely wine. The nose is a youthfully complex blend of black cherries, dark berries, tobacco leaf, earth, smoke, dark chocolate and just a touch of spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish and still quite primary, with lovely focus, very good mid-palate depth, firm, but well-integrated tannins and lovely length and grip on the chocolaty finish. This should prove to be a lovely example of the vintage and it will be interesting to see if it always retains a bit of a firm edge from ‘96s massive tannins, or if this eventually blossoms into a classic example of Pape Clément.

• Wine Advocate: This is an elegant, complex, distinctive wine that depends on its aromatic complexity and harmonious display of fruit and structure for appeal. It will not knock over tasters with a display of power or muscle. The color is a healthy dark ruby. The wine offers up roasted herb, tobacco, sweet cranberry and black currant fruit aromas. It is medium-bodied, with a rich, layered, silky impression, excellent purity, and soft tannin in the finish.

Producer Information

Château Pape Clément is a grand cru wine estate in the Pessac-Léognan appellation in Graves. It is one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux, dating back to the 13th Century, and is now just 15 minutes from the center of Bordeaux city, and surrounded by urban development. The Pape Clément vineyard is situated on a mix of gravel-sand and clay-limestone soils, with a chalky subsoil rich in iron. This is a good terroir for both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Of the 30 hectares (74 acres) of red grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for about 60 percent, and Merlot around 40 percent. There are also tiny amounts of Petit Verdot and, Cabernet Franc. There are 2.5 hectares (6.2 acres) planted to white grapes. This comprises around 45 percent each of Semillon, and Sauvignon Blanc, and 10 percent Muscadelle. Château Pape Clément produces three pairs of red and white wines, including the grands vins. Le Clémentin du Pape Clément is the second label. Le Prélat de Pape Clément is not the third wine, but instead comes from a distinct 8.5 hectare (21-acre) plot. The grand vin red features about 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, nearly as much Merlot, and a dash of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Its white counterpart is based on Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. This also contains about five percent Sauvignon Gris, plus a dash of Muscadelle. Grapes undergo an initial sorting in the vineyard and are manually picked into small crates. Red grapes are removed from the stems by hand to keep grapes intact as long as possible. They are fermented in large, temperature controlled vats and then are aged in barrel. The grand vin sees 18 months in new French oak. The white grand vin is fermented in, then aged for 18 months, in oak barrels. The château takes its name from its founder, Betrand de Got, who was the Archbishop of Bordeaux and became Pope Clément V in 1305. It is currently part of the Bernard Magrez group of estates.

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