(62% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot and 1% cabernet franc; 14.4% alcohol) Deep ruby-purple. Perfumed aromas of strawberry, spicy plum and black cherry. Enters fresh, dense and juicy, with lovely balance to the sweet, syrupy black fruit flavors and lively acidity that extend the rich aftertaste. The long, clean finish features lingering notes of violet and blackcurrant and extremely polished tannins. A great wine and one of the stars of the vintage in 2010: I can't recall a better Pape Clement at a similar stage of development. I've taken issue with this wine in the past for overextraction, but this struck me as by far the most balanced Pape-Clement I've ever tasted. Michel Rolland consults here.

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