France

Pape Clement

Chateau Pape Clement Cru Classe Pessac-Leognan

Bordeaux

Pessac-Léognan

Inky depths to the plum colour; as is often the case with Pape Clement even under the new regime of the past few vintages where new oak has been lowered. Delivers an exuberant, confident estate signature, supple texture, roasted black cherry and cherry pit, cocoa bean, espresso, a cushion of air helps give a lift on the finish to what is a fairly highly charged architecture. 35hl/ha yield.

Inside Bordeaux

Deep and intense, but not the full on ink colour that I might have expected. Cocoa bean, fig, rosemary, kirsch, cigar box, black pepper, mint leaf, this ripples with the exuberance of the vintage but the tannins are firm, musuclar and hold things firmly in place, ensuring a sense of proportion. This walks the line, it is a big wine that absolutely delivers estate signature, and has a clear sense of future potential, with plenty of complexity. Rises to meet the vintage, not overpowered by it. Will age well.

Expert

Muscular tannins that have grip and staying power, exuberant while staying on the right side of the line, giving punch and definition without drowning the fruit. Cassis, liqourice, slate, crayon, crushed rocks, very much on style for Pape Clement and an excellent wine with staying power. Harvest started September 10. Heavy bottle. 60% new oak.

Sommelier

The 2018 Pape Clement is deep garnet purple in color. It opens with pronounced notes of black olives and black truffles, with a core of prunes, blueberry pie, and camphor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a firm backbone of chewy tannins and just enough freshness to support the subtle, nuanced fruit, finishing long and savory. 

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

En duft av røde plommer, mørke jordbær, og lyse bjørnebær, kaffe, mokka, kakaopulver, krydder, lakris, og jordlige sopp- toner.

Smak av mørke bjørnebær, skogsbær, mørke røde bær, sjokolade og lakris. Tett-polerte tanniner, med fin kons. God lengde.

Smaking hos Chateau Pape Clement.

Still young, with flexed tannins and plenty of blackcurrant, blackberry puree and damson fruits. A little subdued right now, with the tannins exerting a strong grip, but in another few years it will open back up to fully reveal the spicy cedar and eucalyptus notes thtat come through on the finish. Mouthwatering freshness on the finish, impressive in what was a sunny vintage in a warm spot of Bordeaux. Michel Rolland consultant. Harvest September 25 to October 15.

Inky depths to the colour, this was the old school Pape Clement era, with big extraction, but the restrained character of the 2014 vintage has given a pared back wine that is totally charming at the ten year point, with smoky grilled oak notes alongside sweet damson, charred raspberry puree, a ton of grilled orange peel, balanced by satin tannins. Heavy bottle.

The grilled oak feels a touch intrusive on the nose, although it is melted away on the palate, and the tannic frame is still lending form and grip. Gentle black fruits, edges of liqourice, this is enjoyabe but falls away on the finish. So hard to maintain momentum in this vintage. 60% new oak, harvest October 3 to 5.

Tertiary notes of leather, earth, truffle, blueberry and raspberry fruits. Enjoyable, but more evolved than the last time I tasted this vintage ex-cellar. It's an enjoyable wine, soft and sappy, and easy to recommend. 100% new oak, Michel Rolland consultant.

Extremely closed, this has a wall of muscular tannins and maintains its monolithic expression even two years after I last tasted it. Keep checking in, because this is a stunning wine, with sweet liquorice, graphite, crayon, cassis, grilled herbs, , with the smoke and grilled herb quality Look to the 2009 if drinking soon, but this one will go the distance. 32hl/h yield, 100% new oak, Michel Rolland consultant.

Opulent mouthfeel, grilled sandalwood oak set against bitter chocolate, creamy damson fruits, pulses of cumin, marzipan and rosemary spice. A gourmet, rich example of the vintage, full of estate signature, and very enjoyable. 100% new oak for ageing, Michel Rolland consultant.

Presents a saturated, deep, intense ruby hue, accompanied by a lovely mixture of blackcurrant leaf, berries of the forest, shoe polish, smoke, graphite, freshly sharpened pencil, and a hint of smoke on the nose.⁠
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The palate echoes these aromatic notes, delivering a youthful, flinty, and refreshing wine with a mineral residue and lasting definition of black and blue berries, enhanced by minerals. The integration of tannins, acidity, and alcohol is commendable, offering plushness and depth alongside refreshing spiciness.

Fine wine advisor

Far younger and intense in colour than the 2000, this has black chocolate and slate flavours, balancing sweet, well-ripened cassis and raspberry fruits with fresher pulses of minerality. A lovely wine that is a great reflection of the finesse of the vintage. As it opens dried herbs of rosemary and garrigue come through, as does a cold ash character. 38hl/h yield. 100% new oak. Michel Rolland consultant.

Plum aromatics, soft ruby red heading to tawny around the edges. This has welcoming campfire smoke aromatics, with tar and earth, plenty of mint leaf freshness through the finish. You can find younger-feeling 2000 wines, as this was such a compact, tannic vintage that has proved stubborny slow ageing in many cases, but Pape Clement is located in a warm spot close to the city of Bordeaux, which means grapes reach full ripeness easily and may have contributed to it ageing a little more quickly. Yields were low (both naturally and through crop thinning) at 31.5hl/h, and the wine was aged in 100% new oak barrels. Harvest September 28 to October 10, 31.5hl/h, Michel Rolland consultant.

Great moment to drink this, with the structure fully softened, tannins integrated and the fruit gentle, edged by walnut, tobacco, cigar box, smoked cedar and grilled dried herbs. Bernard Magrez had owned Pape Clement for 10 years at this point, having arrived (through marriage) in 1985, and he was already making an impact in terms of its taste profile, building up concentration, but this remains a classically balanced Pessac Léognan, traditional in feel. Michel Rolland consultant. 47hl/h yield. Tasted in the same week as this vertical, but at my house, with food.

2023	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2022	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2021	kr 1 299,90Not available	Excellent
2020	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2019	kr 967,10Available	Outstanding

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Pape Clement
Vintages	2008
Country	France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan
Bottle	75 cl

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Sugar	g/l

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