2025 Chateau Pape Clement Cru Classe, Pessac-Leognan

Really floral on the nose, expressive with ripe red and black fruit, incense perfumed scents and a rich headiness with such aromatic purity. Supple and velvety, round and lively with quite a delicate style here where the focus is on the clarity of the blueberry fruit and the lifted aspects rather than fleshiness or power. Almost understated, a word not often used with Pape. A soft salty, wet stone and chalky aspect on the finish. Definitely fresh with lots of energy here. Elegant and precise with a soft chew on the finish and ripe fruit. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.68pH. A yield of 29hl/ha. Ageing 85% in barrels (1/3 new) and 15% in foudres. Harvest 3–25 September.

The 2025 Pape Clément is magnificent. The aromatics alone are captivating. Strong floral and savory notes soar from the glass. Lavender, rose petal, sage, mint and mocha lead into a core of wonderfully vibrant red/purplish fruit. Medium in body and deep, Pape Clément is positively stellar in 2025. The Cabernets and Petit Verdot add tons of aromatic presence. Élevage is 85% in barrique and 15% in foudre, with a relatively modest 33% new oak.

Dark ruby in color, cigar box, flowers, smoke, tobacco, blackberries, cocoa, and burning leaves create the aromatic profile. The palate is lushly textured, with layers of juicy, creamy fruits, dark chocolate, saffron, and a hint of tobacco leaves in the spicy finish. Aging takes place in 33% new, French oak, amphora, and other assorted, neutral vessels. The wine blends 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. 13.7% ABV, 3.68 pH. Harvesting took place September 3 - September 25. Yields were only 29 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2029-2060.

A linear and very tight red with black currant, blackberry and hazelnut undertones. It's medium- to full-bodied with firm and racy tannins and a savory finish. Lots of tannins, but they are very fine textured and show outstanding length. 60% merlot, 36% cabernet sauvignon, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.

Wide ranging and expansive, love the bright cherry pit and damson, a ton of expansion and character, luscious with dark berry fruits, espresso and cocoa bean. Julien Viaud consultant. A new group technical director has come over from Penfolds, Pablo Laborde, joined in early 2026 so for the blending and ageing of this vintage. Harvest September 3 to 25. Yield 23 hl/ha. 50% of the wine in barrels of which 25% is new. 55ha, with a recentering to the historical vineyard around the estate in Pessac. Indigenous yeast fermentation.

The 2025 Pape Clément was picked between September 3 and 25, fermented using their own yeast strains and matured in 85% barrel (one-third new) and the remainder in foudres. A large amount of the Cabernet Sauvignon was picked after the rain on September 20, using optical sorting, and underwent a gentle extraction with a shorter maceration up to 26°C. It has quite an opulent bouquet, with luxuriant black cherries, blueberry and blood orange scents, a touch of peppermint emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied and delivers quite a grip on the entry, with layered black fruit, quite compact on the mid-palate, a little hard-edged on the finish, though that should soften during the barrel maturation. Quite dense on the finish, this is an impressive Pape Clément but it needs to foment more charm by the time of bottling.