Château Pape Clément, Cru Classé, Pessac Léognan, 2019
Extremely ferrous nose, rusty iron, graphite, very introverted. The palate packs a mighty punch with iron infused cassis, tremendous length and impressive large scale tannins, laced with black fruit, licorice, mocha, more iron. This is true to form. An impressive large scale Pape Clement.
critic reviews
The 2019 Pape Clement is deep garnet-purple in color. It starts off closed and broody before offering fragrant scents of rose oil, cardamom, and fertile loam, over a core of plum preserves, blackberry pie, and cedar. The medium-bodied palate is taut, muscular, and intense, delivering firm, grainy tannins and fantastic tension, finishing long and mineral-laced.
The 2019 Pape Clément has a lot of intensity on the nose, although the new oak is more prominent here compared to the Domaine de Chevalier. Still, there is admirable delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet 'n sour entry, grainy tannins, black truffle and soy. Quite intense and assertive on the finish. This will require 3-5 years in bottle and will doubtless deserve a higher score. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
The 2019 Pape Clement has turned out well in bottle, delivering a rich bouquet of cherries, blackcurrants, plum liqueur and blackberries mingled with notions of burning embers, licorice and a nicely integrated framing of new oak. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's a layered, fleshy wine, with a deep core of ripe but lively fruit, plenty of powdery tannin and a long, expansive, discreetly heady finish. This is a powerful, dramatic Pessac with a transatlantic accent and will drink well with only a few years' bottle age.
This lays down a challenge to the other wines in Pessac-Léognan, with a little more power and definition, with slate tannins and a rasp of minerality all while delivering pure and concentrated raspberry, loganberry and black cherry fruits. The tannins are confident and are not about to let the fruit go anywhere soon. Great quality and potential, a little more severe and austere than the 2018 at this point, needs a good five years in bottle. Harvest September 17 to October 10, An upscore from En Primeur. Tasted twice, two months apart.