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

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Its name alone speaks to the status this estate has enjoyed for the past thirty years. Here, everything borders on perfection: the white and red wines are elegant and sophisticated.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

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

About the estate:

Bernard Magrez, who also owns the châteaux La Tour Carnet (Haut-Médoc) and Fombrauge (Saint-Émilion), has made this estate his flagship. Nothing is left to chance in the quest to produce the greatest wine possible. The pursuit of optimal ripeness, hand-destemming, and luxurious aging… This is the archetype of a modern, luxury Bordeaux that captivates immediately and evolves with great charm. On the flip side, some vintages have occasionally veered into excess. Time, however, sets things right and tempers the wine’s fiery spirit, as the terroir eventually reasserts itself. Nevertheless, since the 2012 vintage, a shift in style has been evident, moving toward wines less marked by the sometimes excessive pursuit of ripeness and toward less aggressive aging—a trend clearly evident in our recent tastings, particularly with the 2015 vintage. The estate produces a small quantity of a white wine (aged partly in ovoid concrete tanks) that is delicately musky and possesses an elegance that places it at the forefront of Sauvignon-dominated Graves wines.

Vinous

About the wine:

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

James Suckling

About the wine:

Plenty of blackberry, iodine, and crushed stone. A hint of black pepper and graphite as well. Full-bodied with medium, fine tannins that have a powdery texture and open up on the palate. There’s so much going on. Hints of iodine and iron, with a touch of raw mushroom, bring you back to reality. Powerful. This wine is meant to be cellared. Drink after 2027.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

I absolutely loved the 2020 Château Pape Clément, and this gem ranks among the best wines of Pessac. Made from equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged for 18 months—90% in barrels and 10% in large oak casks— it boasts a deep purple color accompanied by a powerful and concentrated profile of red and black fruits, numerous nuances of spice, chocolate, and floral incense, full-bodied richness, and an almost salty, blood-like character on the finish. This gem exemplifies the vintage’s concentrated yet thoroughly classic, focused, and elegant style, and there is so much to love about it. It will be even better after 4 to 6 years of bottle aging and will be in top form when it celebrates its 30th anniversary. 2027–2057

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

The wine is still there, impressive. An expressive nose of raspberry and a hint of licorice, which carries through to the palate with that characteristic texture. But the juiciness and freshness are very much present and are equally appealing. The tannins are well-defined, and the extraction is clearly spot-on, attesting to great craftsmanship. This is a wine with breadth and body, finishing with a well-balanced licorice note that runs through the entire experience. It stays true to the estate’s style—and that’s a good thing. Once again, Pape Clément is a force to be reckoned with.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

One grows accustomed to Pape Clément’s refined and subtle character, which is, after all, more fitting than the exuberance we’ve seen in the past. Much like the bouquet, the attack shines with finesse and silkiness. The tannins are perfectly integrated, creamy, powerful, and poised to carry the wine through the decades to come. A brilliant wine, impressive in its precision, serenity, and length. 2027–2050

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

With a deep, almost opaque color, the wine exudes aromas of smoke, roasted espresso, cigar wrapper, blackberry, black cherry, licorice, and chocolate. It displays fabulous depth, purity, length, and complexity. The richly textured finish is full-bodied, powerful, intense, and refined, with a lingering note that persists long after the wine has left the glass. This is Pape Clément’s best vintage in years. Best enjoyed between 2026 and 2055.