2014 Château Pape Clément Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

2014 Château Pape Clément Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

Product: 20148011521
 
2014 Château Pape Clément Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

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Description

There is a lovely saline edge to this tasty Graves. The eponymous gravel soil lends a crisp saline edge to the Sauvignon Blanc which is tempered by the roundness of Sémillon. Oak-aging exerts a pronounced, spicy, vanilla-laced complexity. Lovely and golden in colour, the nose is voluminous, with citrus, white peach and lychee in abundance. Nicely concentrated, there is a crisp and weighty complexity.

46% Sauvignon Blanc, 48% Sémillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris, 1% Muscadelle

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate90/100
The 2014 Pape Clement Blanc was tasted three times during my tastings. In all three occasions, I felt that it has not quite delivered on that initial promise from barrel, missing the mineral tension of the finest white Bordeaux such as Domaine de Chevalier or Malartic-Lagravire Blanc. The palate is quite rounded on the entry and the new oak is more evident here, lending the texture an attractive creaminess, but filing away some of the tension and nervosit on the finish. I can picture it having broad appeal, but I was hoping for more terroir expression.
Neal Martin - 31/03/2017 Read more
Decanter17.5+/20
As ever with this wine, ther is clear oak barrel influence from the first attack, giving a rich intensity to the stone fruits, majoring on peach and mango. Fairly high alcohol, staying true to the house style but with a very attractive acidity underneath. This is sweet, rich, but with a biting lift. Read more

About this WINE

Chateau Pape Clement

Chateau Pape Clement

Château Pape Clément is a Cru Classé Graves property that has one of the oldest documented histories of any Bordeaux vineyard, having been planted in 1300 by Bernard de Groth, the future Pope Clément V. In 1939 the estate was bought by the Montagne family and is now owned and run by Léo Montagne.

Pape Clément is located in the Bordeaux suburb of Pessac and consists of a chai and 32 hectares of vineyards, planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (40%) and small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle.

The quality of the wines at Pape Clément slipped in the 1960s and 70s, largely because of under-investment. Bernard Magrez was appointed as general manager in 1985 and he turned Pape Clément's fortunes around. He introduced more rigorous selection in the vineyards, as well as installing stainless steel vats and raising the percentage of new oak casks used in the maturation process.

Pape Clément now produces one of the finest clarets in Pessac-Léognan.

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Pessac-Leognan

Pessac-Leognan

In 1986 a new communal district was created within Graves, in Bordeaux,  based on the districts of Pessac and Léognan, the first of which lies within the suburbs of the city. Essentially this came about through pressure from Pessac-Léognan vignerons, who wished to disassociate themselves from growers with predominately sandy soils further south in Graves.

Pessac-Léognan has the best soils of the region, very similar to those of the Médoc, although the depth of gravel is more variable, and contains all the classed growths of the region. Some of its great names, including Ch. Haut-Brion, even sit serenely and resolutely in Bordeaux's southern urban sprawl.

The climate is milder than to the north of the city and the harvest can occur up to two weeks earlier. This gives the best wines a heady, rich and almost savoury character, laced with notes of tobacco, spice and leather. Further south, the soil is sandier with more clay, and the wines are lighter, fruity and suitable for earlier drinking.

Recommended Châteaux: Ch. Haut-Brion, Ch. la Mission Haut-Brion, Ch. Pape Clément, Ch Haut-Bailly, Domaine de Chevalier, Ch. Larrivet-Haut-Brion, Ch. Carmes Haut-Brion, Ch. La Garde, Villa Bel-Air.

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Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon

Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon

The blend used for White Graves and Sauternes and rarely encountered outside France. In the great dry whites of Graves, Sauvignon Blanc tends to predominate in the blend, although properties such as Smith Haut Lafite use 100% Sauvignon Blanc while others such as Laville Haut Brion have as much as 60% Sémillon in their final blends. Sauvignon Blanc wines can lose their freshness and fruit after a couple of years in bottle - if blended with Sémillon, then the latter bolsters the wine when the initial fruit from the Sauvignon fades. Ultimately Sauvignon Blanc gives the wine its aroma and raciness while Sémillon gives it backbone and longevity.

In Sauternes, Sémillon is dominant, with Sauvignon Blanc playing a supporting role - it is generally harvested about 10 days before Sémillon and the botrytis concentrates its sweetness and dampens Sauvignon Blanc`s naturally pungent aroma. It contributes acidity, zip and freshness to Sauternes and is an important component of the blend.

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