Pape Clément rouge - Pessac-Léognan 2016

Vinous

95

byNeal Martinthe8/13/2020

The 2016 Pape-Clément has a more understated but quite compelling bouquet of blackberry, wild strawberry, crushed stone and orange pith aromas. With aeration, it reveals impressive delineation. The medium-bodied palate offers supple tannins. There is a core of licorice-tinged black fruit, but I detect just a soupçon of greenness on the finish, as if one lot did not quite achieve phenolic maturity. Hopefully that will be assimilated with bottle age. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 95+

Jancis Robinson

17

byJancis Robinsonthe2/5/2020

Yvesbeck.wine

97

byYves Beckthe3/20/2019

Rouge grenat dense aux reflets pourpres. Ce sont les fruits et les épices qui dominent le nez de Pape Clément 2016, avec beaucoup de finesse et nombreuses facettes. Agréables notes de bois de réglisse et de fruits noirs. Au palais, le vin est compact, ample et doté de tannins imposants, aux grains fins. Comme beaucoup de grands vins, Pape Clément sait combiner l'ampleur et la finesse. Finale fruitée, épicée, rafraîchissante et persistante. Un vin auquel il sera difficile de résister et pourtant il mérite un peu de garde pour encore mieux se révéler ! 2024-2041 97/100

Jeb DUNNUCK

97

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/1/2019

Tasted on two separate occasions, the 2016 Château Pape Clément never failed to impress, offering a huge, powerful, full-bodied personality as well as beautiful notes of cassis, graphite, high-class cigar tobacco, asphalt, and graphite. About as sexy as it gets in the vintage, with silky tannins and loads of fruit, it’s perfectly balanced and has a great finish. The 2016 is a blend of 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, all raised in 60% new barrels.

Wine Spectator

96

byJames Molesworththe2/5/2019

This takes a slightly different tack than many of its Pessac colleagues, relying less on bramble and tar and more on alluring toast, with mocha, anise, wood spice and black tea notes draped liberally over the core of sappy kirsch and cherry preserve flavors. Plush and suave through the finish, though this needs a bit of time for the wood elements to be fully integrated with the fruit. For fans of the flashier, cashmere-textured style. Best from 2023 through 2037. 12,500 cases made.  –JM

Jamessuckling.com

98

byJames Sucklingthe2/4/2019

Stunning concentration of perfectly ripe blackcurrants here with a delicate whiff of vanilla oak and extremely fine tannins that are almost perfectly integrated on the seductive and delicate palate, right through the almost literally breathtaking, super-long and very polished finish. Try from 2022.

Vinous

96

byNeal Martinthe1/24/2019

The 2016 Pape Clément bursts out of the glass, offering ripe blackberry, raspberry coulis, fresh mint and hints of licorice on the well-defined nose. It is perhaps a little more opulent than its peers, but unlike in the past, I don’t find it excessive. The palate is well balanced with supple tannin. There is a killer line of acidity and real panache toward a velvety, almost Pauillac-like finish armed with shimmering black fruit laced with graphite. Superb.

Vinous

96

byAntonio Gallonithe1/21/2019

The 2016 Pape Clément is fabulous. Racy and sumptuous in the glass, the 2016 captures the style that now characterizes Bernard Magrez's wines from his estate in Pessac. Specifically, the 2016 is wonderfully deep in the glass, and yet retains terrific freshness as well. A rush of dark cherry, plum, smoke, scorched earth, grilled herb, leather and menthol builds as the 2016 shows off its compelling, inviting personality. I would prefer to give the 2016 at least a few years in bottle to allow its full breadth of aromatics to develop. Even so, there is so much to like. Pliant, supple and super-expressive, Pape Clément is gorgeous in 2016. Tasted two times.

Wine Advocate

96

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe11/30/2018

Blended of 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Pape Clement has a deep garnet-purple color and quite a serious, earthy nose with truffles, tilled soil, underbrush and smoked meats over a cassis, baked plums and redcurrants core plus a touch of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy, the palate is built like a brick house, supporting muscular black fruit and earthy notions and finishing very long and mineral laced.

WeinWisser

19

byTjark Witzgallthe5/22/2017

50 % Merlot und 50 % Cabernet Sauvignon. Tiefes Granat mit violettem Rand. Dichtes, konzentriertes Bouquetmit viel schwarzem Bergpfeffer und dunklen Edelhölzern, dahinter Nelken, Malzbonbon und Schokopastillen. Am kräftigen Gaumen ein echtes Powerpack mit viel schwarzer Johannisbeere im Rückaroma, dahinter viel Mineralik und Pflaume im ewig langen Finale – hat nicht ganz die royale Grösse des 2015er, ist aber nicht sehr weit davon entfernt.

Bettane & Desseauve

97-98

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/3/2017

Moitié cabernet, moitié merlot comme ses voisins de Pessac, et une merveilleuse texture au service d’une expression de terroir marquante, elle aussi, par la précocité des notes fumées (créosote) liées au merlot sur les terres de cette commune. Grand vin plus harmonieux que le 2015 à sa naissance.

Wine Advocate

95-97

byNeal Martinthe5/2/2017

The 2016 Pape Clement is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon this year, picked from 30 September until 19 October at 48 hectoliters per hectare. The first bottle that I tasted with Bernard Magrez and his team felt a little overdone, but I had a strong suspicion that it was not a representative bottle. A second bottle was more restrained on the nose with blackberries, red plum, a touch of cloves and a light iodine influence. I love the delineation and detail here. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-infused entry, plenty of black fruit, saline in the mouth with great depth and cohesion on the long and tender finish. It continues Pape-Clement/Bernard Magrez' move towards a more classic style compared to the previous decade. Tasted four times, once as I mentioned, unnecessarily richer in style, but the other three consistent.

The Wine Cellar Insider

95-97

byJeff Levethe4/27/2017

Very dark ruby in color, the smoky blackberries, cigar box and licorice aromatics are singing. There is a lot of freshness to the fruit, and the lower alcohol levels make the wine feel lighter and refreshing on the palate, especially in the silky finish. This vintage shows elegance, complexity and restraint. The wine was produced from a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, reaching 13.5% alcohol. The wine is being aged in 60% new, French oak barrels. The harvest took place from September 13 to October 19. 

Vinous

93-96

byAntonio Gallonithe4/26/2017

The 2016 Pape Clément exudes class and is one of the raciest, silkiest wines I have ever tasted here. The purity and intensity of the flavors is striking. Dark cherry, chocolate, spice and leather open up first. The full range of aromatics has not developed yet - that will come with time. Today, it is the wine's balance that is most remarkable.

Decanter.com

94

byJane Ansonthe4/25/2017

Pape Clément retains its customary oak and black fruit impact on the nose in 2016, but without doubt they have sculpted the body. This has thrillingly bright dark berry fruits and a sharp shot of vitality that takes you through from beginning to end. Beautiful touches of minerality on the powerful palate, wrought into an elegant style without losing its texture and sense of depth. This is a step-change in many ways from the vintages where Pape Clément went all-out for power. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050

matthewjukes.com

18

byMatthew Jukesthe4/25/2017

(50 Merlot, 50 Cabernet Sauvignon) | 70% new oak Stunning and bold with delicious fruit and masses of sweet oak. The tannins are mouth-watering and the finish is stun- ning. This is a very flamboyant wine and it clearly loves the spotlight. 18+

Jancis Robinson

16,5

byJancis Robinsonthe4/21/2017

Very luscious nose with enormous opulence. Then on the palate there is no great sweetness but drying tannins on the finish. Something not quite fully ripe phenolically on the palate. Hint of greenness. Falls away on the end. It’s definitely front-loaded! 

Le Figaro

19,5

byBernard Burtschythe4/20/2017

Une matière somptueuse, une bouche tonique. Un grand vin, tout simplement.  

Wine Enthusiast

95-97

byRoger Vossthe4/19/2017

Barrel Sample. This is a serious, structured wine with fine tannins as well as acidity. There is a depth of flavor in this elegant wine, with black currant fruit and great structure. A wine for the long haul.

Wine Spectator

94-97

byJames Molesworththe4/10/2017

Intense, with vivacious cassis, blueberry and boysenberry confiture notes, while tar, anise and warm fruitcake flavors pulse underneath. Offers seriously flashy toast at the end, but has the density to soak it up. A big wine.—J.M.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

19

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/10/2017

Le meilleur jamais fait !Couleur rouge, sombre, intense, pourpre, belle. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité, pur, complexe, profond et très raffiné. Superbe entrée en bouche moelleuse, au toucher royal, puis le vin glisse, caresse, parfume, avec beaucoup de goût. Très lente évolution savoureuse, sans cesse charnue. Très longue finale sèveuse. C'est superbe ! Un Pape Clément très racé, tout en pulpe nuancée et très dense. Bravo !

Jamessuckling.com

97-98

byJames Sucklingthe4/5/2017

This is phenomenal with a density and finesse that are hard to remember for this wine. Full-bodied, tight and polished. Seamless texture and salty undertones. Goes on for minutes. Truly great. What a barrel sample.