Chateau Pape Clement Pessac Leognan 2020
(Graves, Bordeaux, France) - [VM 98] [JS 98] [JD 97+] [JL 97] [OB 96] [DM 95] [WS 95]

About the Château:
Château Pape Clément is a grand cru wine estate in the Pessac-Léognan appellation in Graves. It is one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux, dating back to the 13th Century.

The Pape Clément vineyard is situated on a mix of gravel-sand and clay-limestone soils, with a chalky subsoil rich in iron. This is a good terroir for both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

About this Wine:
With their smoky and spicy bouquet, the red wines are of an admirable quality and a very characteristic softness. The wine is both concentrated, fine and harmonious, with an aromatic palette as wide as it is precise. The depth and length in the mouth are exceptional. Quality of the terroir, sustained efforts and dynamism have borne fruit bringing Pape Clément to a level very close to that of the premiers crus.

Tasting Notes:

• Colour: A dark hue.
• Nose: A wide array of aromas with floral, fruity notes.
• Palate: Elegant and refined with a good tannic structure. An intense, refined wine with a rich variety of flavours, structured tannins and the characteristic complexity of its appellation.

Ratings & Reviews

98 Points - Vinous Media:
"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. (Drink between 2030-2050)" -Antonio Galloni (Feb 2023)

98 Points - James Suckling:
"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." (Dec 2022)

97+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"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. (Drink between 2027-2057)" (Mar 2023)

97 Points - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider:
"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." (Mar 2023)

96 Points - Owen Bargreen:
"I adore the 2020 Chateau Pape Clement Rouge which is extremely powerful yet dazzles with its underlying tension. A blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, on the palate this classy wine reveals heady pencil lead, kirsch cordial and espresso grounds that combine with the seamless texture. Drinking Window: 2024-2050." (Feb 2023)

95 Points - Decanter:
"Tannic heft from the get-go, though this does have a lovely fresh, clean and precise core with a narrow, focused frame so the elements come across as quite tight and severe right now but well worked. It has class, no doubt, on the high-toned scale, potent and upfront but there's gorgeous detail and precision to the fruit, acidity and tannins. Slick and classy with lots of glamour that plays to the strengths of the vintage. Drinking Window: 2027-2048." -Georgina Hindle (Jan 2023)

95 Points - Wine Spectator:
"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." -James Molesworth (Nov 2022)