2018 Pape Clement Blanc
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Tasting notes
A touch of reduction on the first nose, reflective of the increased sculpting and more pared-back architecture of the white wine in recent years. As it opens you get fleshy nectarine, citrus zest, fresh apple and lime blossom. A lovely wine, with presence and personalty. 14 months ageing, 15% in cement tanks, the rest in barrel. Harvest August 31 to September 18. Michel Rolland consultant.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Pape-Clément Blanc offers attractive scents of white flower, honeysuckle, tangerine and yellow plum that gently gains intensity with aeration. The palate is well balanced on the entry, displaying a waxy texture, but then it loses a little tension toward the finish. Nutty and smoky, quite forward and just missing the energy conveyed by the aromatics.
This estate has fashioned a pretty, elegant white in the vintage. Light gold-hued, with lots of pineapple, lemon curd, white flowers, and a touch of honeyed citrus and chalky minerality, the 2018 Château Pape Clement Blanc hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, solid depth of fruit, and a great finish. It doesn't match recent great vintages, but it's a balanced, layered, outstanding white to enjoy over the coming decade or so.
About the producer
Among the oldest estates in Bordeaux, Ch. Pape Clément has been guided into the modern era by Bernard Magrez, who has managed the estate since 1985. It makes some of the best reds in the region.