2020 Château Pape Clément
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Tasting notes
All sourced from plots around the château, the 2020 Pape Clément is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot – and is particularly rich and concentrated this year. The nose is quite dominated by the oak at present, with cedar and spice notes, but underneath there is a wealth of scented pure bilberry and classic blackberry fruit, with a little graphite edge to it too. On the palate, it’s quite juicy and vibrant, packed tightly with layer upon layer of blackcurrant fruit. There is a density of fruit that needs time to evolve and relax – but there’s also juicy acidity that refreshes the palate. The tannins are almost easy to ignore here – they’re firm but supremely ripe, providing just the right framework for the fruit. Soft and supple textured, with a savoury twist on the long finish.
Critic scores
James Suckling
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Grassy Sauvignon nose. A touch floral. Rounded and generous in the mouth. Creamy, gentle. Subtle but long. (JH)
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.
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.
About the producer
Among the oldest estates in Bordeaux, Ch. Pape Clément has been guided into the modern era by Bernard Magrez, who has managed the estate since 1985. It makes some of the best reds in the region.