Château Pape Clément 2007

Notes of berries and smoke; rich in extract, firm and a bit angular, which comes somewhat at the expense of elegance, it does not have the optimal balance for a wine of this vintage. Nevertheless, very well made.

One of the stars of the vintage, this blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot reveals sweet burning ember, charcoal, barbecue smoke, black currant, plum, and graphite notes. This opulent, impressively endowed, medium to full-bodied 2007 possesses sweet tannin and a long finish. It can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15 years.

Blackberry and mineral aromas, with hints of dried flowers, truffle and tobacco. Full-bodied, with a wonderful balance of cool fruit and fine tannins. Classy for the vintage. Best after 2012. 8,335 cases made.

Pape-Clement, well inside the city limits of Bordeaux, is a prime example of a modern-style Graves, as fashioned by consultant Michel Rolland. The grapes were picked very ripe and ruthlessly sorted, then aged in a substantial proportion of new oak. This certainly paid off in 2007, which is a great success from an uninspiring vintage. The nose is opulent, with oaky blackcurrant and blackberry aromas, and this is mirrored on the palate. For the vintage it shows considerable depth and grip, if not much finesse. It has good acidity and length, and is far from tiring.

Medium ruby-red. Exotic aromas of currant, plum, tobacco, minerals, smoke and spices, complicated by hints of cherry-cola and pepper. At once generous and juicy, with lovely inner-mouth aromatic character and a strong impression of soil to the flavors of candied redcurrant, tobacco and spices. Finishes broad and long, with a fine dusting of sweet tannins. Very strong for the year.

Smoke, herbs, tobacco and cassis on the nose. Medium-bodied, soft, light in fruit but with lots of charm; this is fully mature and should be drunk over the next 4–6 years.

Extremely dark purple with violet-black highlights. Powerful bouquet of oriental spices, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, dried Sichuan peppercorns; despite the intensity it stays fresh, with notes of cassis and blackberry as well, a broad aromatic profile on the nose, supported by an intoxicating, subtly dry sweetness. On the palate, ample substance, dense extract, packed with blue to black berry flavors; despite fairly massive tannins, a certain Chambolle affinity, perfumed lilac and, again, cassis notes. Not a particularly elegant wine, more of a feat of strength, which doesn’t quite fit the vintage. But at Pape Clément, it’s customary for the limit to be treated as the minimum.

Extremely dark purple with violet-black highlights. The bouquet is massive, showing oriental spices, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, dried Sichuan peppercorns; despite this intensity, the wine remains fresh and also displays cassis notes and blackberry nuances, this wide-ranging nose being supported by an intoxicating, subtly dry sweetness. On the palate, substantial, with dense extract packed with blue to black-berry aromas; despite its fairly massive tannins, it also shows a certain Chambolle affinity, perfumed lilac and again cassis notes. Not a particularly elegant wine, but rather a feat of strength that doesn’t quite match general vintage expectations. But at the Pape-Clément team, they’re used to treating the limit as a minimum. (18/20). 14: Quite dark for a 2007. Lovely plummy scent on the ripe nose, mixed with very fine bitter almond notes (marzipan), nice oaky yet fitting sweetness. On the palate, pleasant, medium-weight and with a gastronomic flair. Somehow the Magrez team managed, in production, to find a compromise between intent and ability in this difficult vintage. A good eight years of enjoyment ahead. (17/20). 16: Surprisingly dark color for a 2007. Deep garnet with almost still violet highlights. Dark roasted notes, mocha, pralines, delicate smoky tones, licorice and a hint of cassis. Fleshy palate, extremely rich extract, which also shows this great concentration; it’s still a bit rough. It seems this charmingly bluff wine simply delivers mega-fun today—in its own way. (17/20). 18: Showing an illogically dark color for a 2007. Thus, at first glance, one is already surprised. Licorice, smoke and vanilla pod, extremely modern in its vinification style. Creamy, juicy-elegant palate. You clearly feel the generous roasted tones and also the sandy, compressed-grainy tannins. Overall, it has more than enough wood in stock. It could be fascinating to see how it develops with age. Can it somehow shed its exaggerated roasted notes? Something for wood lovers. (17/20).

Spicy, fresh, powerful bouquet, cassis, cherries, red licorice, tobacco. Firm, rather slender palate with fine sandy tannins, robust structure, good aromatics, bitter finish. 17/20 drink - 2024

The success of the 2007 is impressive, with a wine that combines charm, density, and silkiness, placing it among the best wines of the vintage.

Purple color. A vegetal nose with notes of green bell pepper. There are also hints of raspberry. On the palate, the wine is lively and fruity. It lacks a bit of density and is marked by its structure, which nonetheless gives it plenty of freshness.

Logo on the cork: LA Dark color, of normal intensity and slightly evolved. Moderately aromatic nose with vanilla-tinged fruit. Fruity, sappy, and flavorful palate with a normal body, tannins a touch marked on the finish, but with a good aromatic follow-through.

Expansive nose, with the oak still quite marked. The palate is generous, with richness, a lovely texture and barrel ageing that still needs to integrate. Modern and of good density for the vintage.