Château Pape Clément Pessac-Léognan rouge 2020 - Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Its name is enough to describe the status this estate has occupied for thirty years. Here, everything verges on perfection: whites and reds are racy and sophisticated.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

Bernard Magrez, who also owns Châteaux La Tour Carnet (Haut-Médoc) and Fombrauge (Saint-Émilion), has made this estate his flagship. Nothing is left to chance to produce the finest wine possible. The quest for optimum ripeness, hand de-stemming, luxurious ageing... This is the archetypal luxury Bordeaux, modern, immediately seductive and evolving with great charm. On the other side of the coin, some vintages have gone overboard. Time then sets things right and calms the wine's ardor, as the terroir eventually takes over. However, since the 2012 vintage, we've noticed a change in style, moving towards wines less marked by the sometimes excessive quest for ripeness, and towards less intense ageing, which is clearly evident in our latest tastings, particularly with the 2015 vintage. In small quantities, the estate produces a white (aged partly in ovoid concrete vats) with a delicate muskiness and elegance that place it at the top of the Sauvignon-dominated Graves.

Vinous

About the wine:

Pape Clément 2020 is outrageously beautiful. Dark, virile and imposing, the 2020 is a rare vintage of Pape Clément that is vertical and sculptural. Dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and clove infuse the palate with exceptional depth. In a word: magnificent. 2030-2050

James Suckling

About the wine:

Lots of blackberry, iodine and crushed stone. Some black pepper and graphite too. Full body and medium-fine tannins that have a powdery texture and open up on the palate. So much going on. Nuances of iodine and iron with a bit of raw mushroom bring you back to reality. Muscular. This wine is intended for cellaring. Drink after 2027.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

I loved Château Pape Clément 2020, and this beauty ranks among Pessac's finest wines. With an equal proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged 18 months at 90% in barrels and 10% in foudre, it has a deep purple color that is accompanied by a powerful, concentrated profile of red and black fruits, plenty of spice, chocolate and floral incense nuances, full-bodied richness and an almost salty, sanguine character on the finish. This beauty shows the concentrated, yet utterly classic, focused and elegant style of the vintage and there's so much to love about it. It will be even better with 4-6 years of bottle age and will celebrate its 30th birthday in top form. 2027-2057

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

The monument is still there, impressive. An expressive nose of raspberry and licorice, with a characteristic chewiness on the palate. But the juiciness and freshness are also present and seductive. The tannins are well defined, and the extraction is clearly just right, attesting to great mastery. A wine with amplitude and volume, ending on a well-balanced liquorice finish. In keeping with the house style, and so much the better. Once again, Pape Clément is a force to be reckoned with.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

We've become accustomed to Pape Clément's fine, subtle character, and it's even more relevant than the exuberance we've come to know. Like the bouquet, the attack shines with finesse and silkiness. The tannins are perfectly integrated, creamy, powerful and ready to carry the wine through the decades to come. A brilliant wine, impressive in its precision, serenity and persistence. 2027-2050

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

With its deep, almost opaque hue, the wine exudes aromas of smoke, roasted espresso, cigar wrapper, blackberry, black cherry, licorice and chocolate. Fabulous depth, purity, length and complexity. The richly textured finish is fleshy, powerful, intense and polished, with a final note that lingers long after the wine has left the glass. This is the best vintage of Pape Clément in years. Drink between 2026 and 2055.