critic reviews
Well judged smoked and grilled vanilla bean and sandalwood, cedar and cherry pit, concentrated spice and roasted black fruits, softened, expanded and deepened over ageing. A luscious Pape Clement, aged in large oak casks, around 37% new oak, with the final blend taking place after ageing. 35hl/ha yield. Michel Rolland and Julien Viaud consultants. Single point upgrade.
The 2023 Pape Clément is raised in around 36% new oak with use of Clayver, foudres and concrete tanks. This has an attractive bouquet, admirable purity, raspberry and cranberry scents, a touch of mulberry and light Italian herb scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a keen line of acidity, quite sapid in style with a classically styled finish that would surprise those accustomed to the more hedonic wines produced in the past.
The 2023 Pape Clement has a deep garnet-purple color. The nose is very shut down to begin, needing a lot of shaking to wake up notes of stewed plums, crème de cassis, and blueberry preserves, plus suggestions of tar, licorice, dried herbs and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is bright and juicy, textured by fine-grained tannins, finishing with impressive tension and length.
The 2023 Pape Clement evokes aromas of dark wild berries, spices, licorice and mulberries, followed by a medium to full-bodied, round and ample palate with structuring tannins and a firm, concentrated mid-palate that segues into a long, fruity finish. Less oaky than the previous years, this is a more contemporary expression of this great terroir. It's a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.