Wine Advisor
Pape Clement, Blanc 2019
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Description
Pape Clement, Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux, France, Still, White, 2012
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A blend of 46% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon and 14% Sauvignon Gris, the 2019 Blanc was harvested from the 30th of August to the 13th of September. It was vinified in various types of vessels. Sixty percent was fermented in French oak barrels of varying capacities ranging from 225 to 500 liters, 22% of which were new. Seven percent was fermented in concrete eggs. Seventeen percent was fermented in large, French oak foudres, with 44% new. And 16% was fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. The nose of this nascent beauty was locked up tight for the first few minutes, eventually unfurling to offer subtle scents of fresh pineapple, green guava, kumquat and lemon zest with an emerging core of honey-drizzled white peach, chopped almonds and oyster shells plus a waft of baker's yeast. Medium-bodied, the palate is beautifully nuanced and poised, delivering fantastic intensity with a racy backbone and gorgeous satiny texture, finishing with epic length. Stunning.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Bursting with aromas of grapefruit, gooseberry, tropical fruits and fresh bread, Pape Clément's 2019 Blanc is medium to full-bodied, bright and vibrant, its elegantly fleshy core of fruit animated by lively acids and chalky dry extract that lends pleasing grip to the finish. This is a seamless, refreshing Sauvignon-dominated (in percentage as well as personality) blend that is drinking well out of the gates. Though this derives from a warm terroir in a warm vintage, that's not especially evident, and this is far less unctuous and overtly oaky than was the case a decade ago. Equally, though it can't be faulted in terms of haut couture winemaking, the lack of yesteryear's pronounced signature reveals a wine that's just a little simple.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2019 Pape Clément Blanc is a hard wine to read. In 2019, the Blanc is rather airy and ethereal, which is to say quite different from the more unctuous style Bernard Magrez once favored here. At the same time, though, the wine also feels disjointed and a bit elusive. I admire its freshness and energy, and yet also wish it had a bit more depth.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2019 Pape Clément Blanc is rich and creamy, but also restrained. Jasmine, green pear and white pepper add pretty aromatic top notes. With good texture and depth, the 2019 is not as rich or heavy as it can be, and that is a good thing. Tasted two times.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Pape-Clément Blanc has an attractive and complex nose with yellow plum, lanolin and light smoky scents, very well-defined with neatly assimilated oak. Noticeable SO2 here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, lacking a bit of mid-weight density and thereafter it just seems to lose complexity with a tinned pineapple and Golden Delicious finish. This bottle may have suffered light strike. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Pape Clément Blanc is aged in French oak barrels and concrete eggs. The nose offers delicate scents of wild peach and Nashi pear, opening to reveal hints of apricot blossom; a light chamomile aroma emerges with time. The palate is very well balanced, taut and fresh, with a fine bead of acidity, good weight and a judicious touch of spice on the finish. Excellent.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Pape Clément Blanc has an attractive bouquet with scents of caramelised pear, peach skin and light waxy aromas. As usual, the oak is a little more prominent here compared to its peers. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, subtle guava and lychee notes on the entry, perhaps even a little Muscat towards the finish. I would have just liked more complexity and mineralité to be expressed on the aftertaste. Tasted twice.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Lots of tangy fruit and beautiful depth. It’s full-bodied, yet racy and very, very long. So much salty and sliced-apple character here. Excellent minerality and intensity.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Aromas of green apple, lime, kumquat, fresh thyme, flint, stone and oyster shell. It’s medium-bodied with tangy acidity and a saline, mineral and zesty palate. Vibrant and intense. So much energy and freshness. Lots of vivid acidity. Tight at the end. Give this another three to four years of bottle.
About the Producer
Chateau Pape Clement is located in the Pessac-Leognan appellation in Graves, Bordeaux, France. The Château has been selected as a Grand Cru Classe de Graves for its outstanding red wines, and also produces very good quality white wines. In 1299, Pope Boniface VIII appointed Bertrand de Goth as Archbishop of Bordeaux. In the same year, Bertrand de Goth received a vineyard called "Mothe" as a gift for his appointment. In 1305, Bertrand Guth was elected as the new Pope and renamed Pope Clement V, hence the name Château Clermont. Leaving Bordeaux, he chose to leave the estate in the hands of his successors as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Bordeaux. This succession of bishops continued until the eve of the French Revolution. In the late 18th century, the then Archbishop of Bordeaux was dispossessed of all his property and Château Clermont fell into private hands. After several changes of hands, the estate was purchased in 1858 by Jean-Baptiste Clerc, a Bordeaux wine merchant. In the second half of the 19th century, the château was ravaged by powdery mildew, fungus and phylloxera, but it still produced some of the most acclaimed wines in the world, winning prizes in various competitions. As the 20th century progressed, Château Clermont was affected by natural disasters, economic crises and wars, and its ownership was sold several times. It was not until the 1980s that Château Clermont received its current owner, Bernard Magrez, and the double key, a symbol of papal power, became the hallmark of Bernard Magrez's products. The vineyards of Château Clermont cover 63 hectares of soft and complex soils with a mixture of gravel, sand, clay and limestone, with a subsoil of iron-rich limestone. The vineyard is planted with 55 hectares of red grapes, including 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, and the average age of the vines is 40 years. The vineyard is planted with 8 hectares of white grapes, including 45% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Semillon and 10% Muscadelle, with an average age of 18 years. The vineyards are planted at a high density of 7,700 to 9,000 vines per hectare, thus creating competition between the vines and better ripening of the grapes. With a sustainable approach, Château Clermont Pope insists on pruning, leaf thinning and green harvesting of the vines, as well as managing the vineyards by animal farming and cover crops. Depending on the weather conditions each year, the winery arranges for a harvesting team of 30-100 people to pick the grapes separately from the different plots. In winemaking, Château Clermont Pope uses traditional techniques, supplemented by modern technology, to produce wines of the highest quality. The grapes are de-stemmed by hand in order to preserve the integrity of each grape. For white wines, the fruit is gently pressed using an airbag press before the juice is transferred by gravity to barrels for alcoholic fermentation. For the red wines, the winery controls the fermentation temperature between 29°C and 30°C and the maceration temperature between 27°C and 29°C to better extract tannins and colour, and the whole fermentation process usually lasts around 20-35 days. It is also worth noting that the grapes from different plots are fermented separately in small fermentation vessels to bring out the terroir of each plot and to provide more options for blending. The finished wines are transferred by gravity to carefully selected oak barrels for ageing. The red wines are aged in new oak barrels for 18-20 months, during which malolactic fermentation takes place, while the white wines are aged for 12-18 months, with the barrels kept at a low temperature during the ageing period. No chemical clarification is used during the bottling process. Both the red and white wines of Château Clermont are of excellent quality. The reds have great intensity and complexity, with a distinct smoky and spicy flavour, and are elegant, elegant and balanced.
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Package Size
12 x 75cl
