| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan |
| Colour | White |
| Type | Still |
The rare dry white wine of Château Pape Clément is made from around 50:50 Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle. Made from an 18 hectare plot.
The 2021 Pape Clément Blanc shows the tension and cut that this vintage could bring to dry white Bordeaux. Exhibiting aromas of gooseberries, nectarine, confit citrus and pastry cream, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy but incisive, with a textural attack and a bright, saline finish. It's a blend of 72% Sauvignon Blanc, only 22% Sémillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 1% Muscadelle.
The 2021 Pape Clément Blanc was picked from 8-23 September and offers fragrant white flowers and peach skin on the nose, more minerality than the Clementin, gaining intensity with aeration. The palate is well balanced, perhaps tauter than recent vintages with a fine spine of acidity, a dab of stem ginger and lemongrass towards the finish. The 30% Sémillon just lends a bit of umami here, and it should age well in bottle.
Bright lemon colour in the glass. Oily and ripe on the nose, this shows citrus oil, passion fruit and grapefruit on the nose together with a healthy dose of toasty wood. The palate has a confit lemon character, together with mandarin and fruit curd. This is a fleshy wine, bolstered again with spicy, charred wood tones on the palate. A big, bold style, though with steely acid cut, it will appeal to those who enjoy the spiciness new French oak adds to the fruit character of ripe white Bordeaux.
Serious and refined with dried lemon, pineapple, green apple, almond, gun flint and some aniseed. Bright and tight. Medium to full body. Fresh and alluring. Wait and see.
The 2021 Pape Clement blanc is made from 97% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Semillon. Vibrant notions of white peaches, fresh pineapple, and pink grapefruit jump from the nose with hints of sea spray, honeysuckle, and dill seed. Light-bodied, the palate has wonderful tension and loads of tightly wound citrus and tropical layers, finishing long and minerally.
2024-2034
This is delicious, one to share, with ripe white peach and pear flavours with waves of gentle frangipane and soft almond adding complexity. Has concentration through the palate, fresh acidities that are harnessed for a mouthwatering finish, plenty to enjoy, impressive.
Exotic melon, subtle tropical fruits, spice, and some minty herb notes all emerge from the 2021 Château Pape Clément Blanc, a bright, lively, medium-bodied white hat has good overall concentration, integrated yet high acidity, and a great finish. I slightly overrated this from barrel, but this is nevertheless a beautiful Bordeaux Blanc. The blend is 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon.
70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Sémillon. Cask sample.
Bottle not so ridiculously heavy as the red. Grapefruit-peel sensation on the nose. Mouth-filling, fully ripe fruit. Long. Very much more of a success than the 2021 red from this estate. Sleek and lively. With an appetisingly dry finish.
Drink 2023 – 2030
