On the nose the 2009 is at first very elegant, mentholated with some prune. After some time more spices come out, rosemary and sandalwood can be detected. In the mouth the wine has a similar evolution. At first very smooth, showing firm, but already well integrated tannins. After a while the tannins become more gripping and drying.
Unfortunately, the closed up bouquet of the 2005 didn’t get unlocked even after decanting. Analogously, in the mouth the wine turned out to be very hard, from the aggressive beginning till the abrupt end.
Château Pape Clément is a grand cru classified wine estate in the Pessac-Léognan appellation of Graves. It is one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux, dating back to the 13th Century. As the famous first growth Château Haut-Brion, it is located only a few minutes drive from the city-centre of Bordeaux city and nowadays is surrounded by urban development. Château Pape Clément is currently part of the Bernard Magrez group of estates.
The chateau takes its name from its founder, the Archbishop of Bordeaux, who became Pope in 1305, with the name of Clément V. The same Pope that moved the papal court to Avignon.
The 2009 Bordeaux vintage is a good-quality vintage that required little effort on the part of both the grower and the winemaker. The problem is that it came out overpriced, mainly due to the demand of Chinese and investment funds. As a consequence, after release the prices have been falling. The first time since 1997. Château Pape Clément 2009 is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Merlot and can be purchased at Lucullus for 180 CHF.
In 2005 the conditions have been perfect from start to finish and 2005 is a contender to be considered Bordeaux’s best vintage of the century. Château Pape Clément 2005 is a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. According to Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, it is ”probably the greatest Pape-Clement ever made”. It can be bought at Lucullus for 210 CHF.
I received the 2005 as a Christmas’ present. The 2009 was brought to me by a dear friend, who joined the wine tasting I hosted at my home. At today stage of evolution, the 2009 has clearly been the winner over the 2005. Neither of them has been considered the best of the evening though.
The most appreciated wine has been the one that Fredy, Gialdi’s winemaker, brought to the tasting: Domaine A 2000. A wine made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes by HP & R Althaus in Tasmania and characterised by a strong eucalyptus note. Although it sells for 1/3 of the price of the two Château Pape Clément, it won the contest, mainly thanks to its drinkability.
The vintage 2000 of Domaine A has been made by Fredy himself, while working in Australia before joining Gialdi. This bottle proves the skills that Fredy developed already early on in his career as an outstanding winemaker. I personally own him a lot of what I know about wine: he coached me while tasting together directly at the most prestigious Chateaux of Bordeaux.
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Type: Red
Vintage: 2005, 2009
Producer: Bernard Magrez
Price range: Luxury (>100 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5