Wine Advocate
byRobert Parkerthe4/28/2010
A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and
5% Cabernet Franc, the 2009 Pape Clement is not as
dense or provocative as the 2005, but it is a worthy
competitor. Tighter and more muscular than the 2005,
the 2009 reveals an opaque purple color along with notes of graphite, blueberries, and blackberries,
stunning richness, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and
tremendous length and intensity. Some patience will
be required, and I do not believe this effort will achieve
the near perfection of the 2005, but it is another winner
in this extraordinary vintage. Yields were 43 hectoliters
per hectare, and the wine finished around 13.5%
alcohol. (Tasted four times.)
Historically one of the oldest vineyards in Bordeaux
(having once been owned by Pope Clement, who gets
more credit for what he did in Chateauneuf du Pape
than in Graves), this 700-year old Pessac vineyard has
turned out another profound wine under the
administration of proprietor Bernard Magrez. (95-97+) points