Pape Clément rouge - Pessac-Léognan 2020

Vinous

95-95

byNeal Martinthe2/28/2025

The 2020 Pape Clément has a comparatively light, rather "aloof" bouquet that demands rigorous coaxing in the glass. This might be going through a dumb phase. The palate is very elegant and harmonious, exerting insistent grip and finely judged acidity with a vivacious, persistent finish. It's wonderful, but it needs time for the aromatics to fully open. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Alexandre Ma

96

byAlexandre Mathe4/18/2023

Wine Advocate

94.00

byWilliam Kelleythe4/6/2023

Aromas of rich cherries, cassis, burning embers, violets and dark chocolate introduce the 2020 Pape Clément, a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy wine that's ripe, layered and generously extracted but also a touch deeper and more reserved than the flashy 2019. While it would be an exaggeration to say that this estate's red wines are making much of a shift in the direction of restraint, the style is certainly less aspirational than it was a decade ago.

Wine Spectator

95

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2023

This is snazzed up with flashy toast, but there's ample mulberry, cassis and plum compote fruit to soak it up, while notes of licorice and sweet spice fill in the background. A late tug of warm earth keeps this grounded. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2028 through 2038.

Jeb DUNNUCK

97

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/30/2023

I loved the 2020 Château Pape Clément, and this beauty is up there with the top wines in Pessac. Checking in as equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged 18 months in 90% barrels and 10% in foudre, it offers a deep purple hue to go with a powerful, concentrated profile displaying both red and black fruits, lots of spicy, chocolate, flowery incense nuances, full-bodied richness, and an almost salty, bloody character on the finish. This beauty shows the concentrated yet utterly classic, focused, elegant style of the vintage and has so much to love. It's going to be even better with 4-6 years of bottle age and will see its 30th birthday in fine form.

The Wine Cellar Insider

97

byJeff Levethe3/22/2023

With a deep hue that is close to opaque, the wine exudes smoke, roasted espresso, cigar wrappers, blackberries, black cherries, licorice and chocolate. There is fabulous depth, purity, length and complexity here. The richly-textured finish is fleshy, powerful, intense and polished, with an endnote that keeps on going long after the wine has left the glass. This is the finest vintage of Pape Clement in years. Drink from 2026-2055.

Alexandre Ma

96

byAlexandre Mathe3/15/2023

Wines Critic

96

byRaffaele Vecchionethe3/10/2023

Shining on the nose giving immediate pleasure with its primary 'core' which is rich with wild strawberries, grape must, lemon rind, cut cedar, mandarin blossom and guaranà . Full bodied, soft tannins and an honest, genuine finish of remarkable beauty. Spicy and dark, it is a concentrated wine which has been made with modern vision. Better from 2026.

Vinous

98

byAntonio Gallonithe2/24/2023

The 2020 Pape Clément is outrageously beautiful. Dark, virile and imposing, the 2020 is a rare vintage of Pape Clément that is vertical and statuesque in feel. Dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves infuse the palate with tremendous depth. In a word: magnificent.

Vinous

95

byNeal Martinthe2/15/2023

The 2020 Pape Clément Rouge has an incredibly intense bouquet with multi-layered blackberry and bilberry fruit, cedar and black olive compote aromas. Hints of vanilla pod and black truffle emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with firm and quite assertive tannins that frame a huge weight of fruit (more than Domaine de Chevalier or Malartic-Lagravière tasted alongside). It's not a subtle Pessac-Léognan for sure, but there is adequate freshness and a sense of mineralité and tension on the finish. It will require at least a decade in bottle but long-term, this will be magnificent.

Jamessuckling.com

98

byJames Sucklingthe1/16/2023

Lots of blackberry, iodine and crushed stone here. Some black pepper and graphite, too. Full body and medium, fine tannins that have a powdery texture and open in the mouth. So much going on. Iodine and iron undertones with some raw mushroom bring you back for more. Muscular. This is for the cellar. Drink after 2027.

Wine Spectator

95

byJames Molesworththe11/30/2022

This is snazzed up with flashy toast, but there's ample mulberry, cassis and plum compote fruit to soak it up, while notes of licorice and sweet spice fill in the background. A late tug of warm earth keeps this grounded. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2028 through 2038.

TASTED

96

byAndreas Larssonthe7/6/2021

Pure and aromatic nose with bay leaf, sage blending red and dark fruit. The palate shows its usual concentration and depth with fine layers, refined tannin, a good dose of freshness underneath and a brilliantly long finish.

Vinous

95-97

byAntonio Gallonithe6/1/2021

The 2020 Pape Clément is so impressive. Red cherry, plum, cedar, mint, tobacco, blood orange and rose petal all build as the 2020 opens in the glass. Vibrant and beautifully delineated, the 2020 has a ton to offer. The 2020 exudes purity, energy and breathtaking balance. It is one of the finest recent vintages I can remember tasting.

Jeb DUNNUCK

97-99

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/28/2021

Ranking with the top wines of the vintage, the dense purple-hued 2020 Château Pape Clement offers a sensational bouquet of pure crème de cassis interwoven with notes of liquid violets and classy oak. Possessing flawless balance, full-bodied richness, and ultra-fine tannins, it excels in this vintage and has a pretty, elegant, yet also layered and concentrated profile. It will drink well with just short-term cellaring yet evolve gracefully for 20-30 years. I was able to taste this on multiple occasions, and it always checked in near the upper end of the scale. This is a gorgeous wine in the making.

Vinous

95-97

byNeal Martinthe5/27/2021

The 2020 Pape Clément, which I afforded an hour’s aeration, has a very precise bouquet of pure blackberry, cedar, mint and violet aromas, quite discreet but paradoxically intense; these aromas are very seductive. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, lithe tannins framing wonderfully pure black fruit laced with crushed stone and a judicious touch of white pepper. Seamless in texture, this is a sophisticated Pape Clément in the making, an outstanding wine that should age brilliantly in bottle.

Decanter.com

94

byJane Ansonthe5/25/2021

Powerful in colour, this has the glass staining red and purple colours that Pape Clément does so well. Touches of liquorice and cocoa beans, well handled, this gives power with one hand but takes it away with the other as the austerity and fresh mint leaf comes to the fore. Impressive, a really enjoyable, classically wrought but still full of concentration Pape Clément. Savoury, there is nothing too exuberant in the fruits but it exudes deft confidence.

The Wine Cellar Insider

87-89

byJeff Levethe5/21/2021

Medium-bodied, soft, silky and fresh, with refined, polished red fruits accompanied by touches of tobacco, espresso, spice and cocoa are found here. Forward, early drinking and already charming, you can enjoy this on release. 87-89

Wine Advocate

96-98

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/20/2021

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Pape Clement comes barreling out of the glass with bold notes of cassis, plum preserves and licorice, giving way to scents of cedar chest, crushed rocks, charcoal and pencil lead. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly coiled with beautiful tension and a firm, finely grained texture locking in the layers of black fruits and minerals, finishing with great length and energy. The blend this year is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot, aging mainly in French oak barriques, 66% new, with about 10% aging in large oak foudres. The wine will spend approximately 18 months in barrels.

Anthocyanes

94-96

byYohan Castaingthe5/11/2021

Changement de style radical pour cette propriété qui diminue son bois apparement. Le bouquet est frais, légèrement grillé, très fruits noirs bien murs avec des notes de cerise noire et de cassis. En bouche, c'est dense mais parfaitement équilibré avec une texture charnue et des tanins structurants mais qui ne sont plus dominés par le bois. Est-ce un changement stylistique ou le millésime ? Penchons pour la première solution, pour le plus grand bien de cette magnifique propriété.

Bernard Burtschy

94-95

byBernard Burtschythe5/10/2021

Falstaff

95-97

byPeter Moserthe5/10/2021

Dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarter Ockerrand. Attraktive frische Herzkirschenfrucht, dunkle Waldbeeren, Cassis, zart nach Edelholz, feine tabakige Nuancen, ein facettenreiches Bukett. Saftig, komplex, sehr elegant, verfügt über Frische und reife Tannine, mineralisch und sehr gut anhaftend, tolle Balance und Länge, bereits in der Jugend sehr verführerisch, sicheres Entwicklungspoten- zial.

My Bettane + Desseauve

94

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021

Jamessuckling.com

96-97

byJames Sucklingthe4/23/2021

Superb aromas of blackberries, crushed stones, iodine and graphite. Full-bodied with ultra fine tannins and a balanced finish. Such length and beauty. Very close to the 2019 in quality.