2017 Château Pape Clément Rouge

Description

96    James Suckling
“Beautiful spice, tobacco, wet earth and blackcurrants with some raspberries. Aromatic and complex. Full-bodied, refined and layered with wonderful length and power. Yet, there’s always class and pretty length here. Seamless.” (1/2020)

96    Antonio Galloni for Vinous
“The 2017 Pape Clément is outrageously beautiful. Rich, deep and luscious on the palate, the 2017 possesses tremendous energy and richness from start to finish. Sweet red cherry, red plum, blood orange, spice and herb notes abound in an unctuous, racy wine of the highest level. The 2017 is deep, explosive and wonderfully persistent. It has been terrific on the three occasions I have tasted it so far.” (3/2020)

94+    Lisa Perrotti-Brown for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Pape Clement is composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, with a nose that is slightly closed at this youthful stage—broody and earthy with baked plums, boysenberries and mulberries aromas plus touches of iron ore, tobacco, tapenade and charcuterie. The palate is medium-bodied and elegant with exquisitely ripe tannins, lovely energy and freshness and a long, mineral-laced finish.” (3/2020)

94    Neal Martin for Vinous
“The 2017 Pape-Clément was tasted twice, firstly in September when it showed a lot of new oak. Returning in December 2019, I was pleased that some of that new wood has been subsumed into the blackberry, cedar and tobacco scents, rendering it quite classic in style relative to the nascent 2018. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, well judged acidity, and gentle grip with a poised finish. This is clearly improving in bottle and is turning into a very fine Pessac-Léognan that will give 20 years of drinking pleasure. Excellent.” (02/2020)

93    Jeb Dunnuck
“Checking in as a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak, the 2017 Chateau Pape Clement is going to check in behind the brilliant 2015 and 2016, but it’s nevertheless a brilliant wine from this estate worth having in the cellar. Great notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, gravelly earth, mocha, and hints of licorice all flow to a medium to full-bodied wine that has remarkable purity of fruit as well as polished tannins. It builds nicely with time in the glass and reminds me of a toned-down version of the 2016. This complex, elegant, flawlessly balanced Pessac can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years.” (2/2020)