Château Pape Clément
Château Pape Clément
2021
From 37 EUR from 3 retailers
A Grand Cru Classé de Graves from Pessac-Léognan, combining Cabernet and Merlot structure with concentration, fine tannins, aromatic complexity and refined freshness.
Country
France
Region
Bordeaux - Pessac-Leognan
Number of retailers: 3
Chateaunet
France
Château Pape Clément
2021
Standard delivery 1-3 business days
XtraWine
European Union
Château Pape Clément
2021
Standard delivery 1-3 business days
You save up to 56 EUR, where 56 EUR is the difference between the highest price and the lowest price
bordeauxwines.se
Sweden
Château Pape Clément
2021
Standard delivery 1-3 business days
More information
Producer
Château Pape Clément
Château Pape Clément is one of Bordeaux's oldest wine estates, situated in Pessac, immediately southwest of the city of Bordeaux. Its first recorded harvest dates to 1252, giving the property more than seven centuries of viticultural history.
The château takes its name from Bertrand de Goth, who became Archbishop of Bordeaux before being elected Pope in 1305 as Clement V. Today, Château Pape Clément is owned by Bernard Magrez and produces both red and white wines from its Pessac-Léognan terroir. Its red Grand Vin is recognised as a Grand Cru Classé de Graves.
Quick Facts
- Producer: Château Pape Clément
- Location: Pessac, Bordeaux, France
- Appellation: Pessac-Léognan
- First recorded harvest: 1252
- Classification: Grand Cru Classé de Graves
- Owner: Bernard Magrez
History and Identity
The history of Château Pape Clément reaches back to the 13th century. The estate records its first harvest in 1252 and traces its origins to the de Goth family.
Bertrand de Goth became Archbishop of Bordeaux and, in 1305, was elected Pope under the name Clement V. His association with the vineyard ultimately gave Château Pape Clément the name it carries today.
The property continued through centuries of Bordeaux history and became one of the estates included in the 1959 Classification of Graves.
A major modern chapter began during the 1980s when Bernard Magrez acquired Château Pape Clément. It was his first vineyard and became the foundation of what subsequently developed into a much broader international wine portfolio.
This combination of medieval origins and continuing technical development is central to the producer's identity.
Estate, Vineyards and Terroir
Château Pape Clément lies within Pessac-Léognan, part of the historic Graves area south of Bordeaux.
Its terroir belongs to the gravel-dominated landscape from which Graves takes its name. The estate manages individual vineyard parcels according to their particular characteristics rather than treating the vineyard as a single homogeneous unit.
The red vineyards are associated principally with the traditional Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, alongside smaller contributions from other varieties depending on vineyard composition and vintage.
White wine production centres on Bordeaux's principal white varieties, particularly Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, with other varieties appearing in individual wines or vintages.
For SCI, estate plantings and individual wine blends must remain completely separate:
Estate vineyard composition ≠ Château Pape Clément Rouge blend ≠ Château Pape Clément Blanc blend.
Exact bottle blends belong at product and vintage level.
Viticulture
Viticulture at Château Pape Clément is highly parcel-focused.
The estate describes vineyard management that includes natural or managed grass cover, soil cultivation, integrated pest management, vigour control, debudding, removal of lateral shoots and green harvesting. Manual harvesting is used for the principal wines, with grapes collected in small crates.
Animal traction is also used for certain vineyard work, reducing soil compaction around the vines.
The estate's official material identifies both Terra Vitis and HVE Level 3 environmental certification.
For Sipfind, the key producer-level concept is:
micro-terroir → parcel management → precision viticulture → selective harvesting.
Production and Winemaking
The same parcel philosophy continues inside the winery.
Château Pape Clément's wooden vat room was redesigned in 2007 and contains 28 vats corresponding to vineyard parcels of different ages and grape varieties. The estate describes this approach as parcellisation: reproducing the structure of the vineyard inside the winery so individual micro-terroirs can be separated or combined as required.
For the red Grand Vin, official material describes manual sorting, gravity-fed transfer into wooden vats, pre-fermentation cold maceration, manual punching down and malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels.
White winemaking follows a different process, including whole-berry pressing, protection from oxidation, fermentation in French oak and lees ageing.
Exact fermentation, oak and maturation specifications should nevertheless remain attached to the relevant wine and vintage, rather than being hard-coded across the producer entity.
Style and Identity
Château Pape Clément produces both red and white expressions of Pessac-Léognan, and these need separate stylistic identities within SCI.
The red wines combine Cabernet and Merlot structure with the depth, texture and aromatic complexity associated with the gravel terroirs of Pessac-Léognan.
The white wines place greater emphasis on freshness, concentration, texture and aromatic definition, primarily through Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
At producer level, however, the strongest identity is broader:
Historic Graves terroir → parcel precision → red and white Bordeaux → concentration → structure → freshness → refinement.
Specific aromas and tasting notes should remain attached to individual wines and vintages.
Portfolio
The portfolio must be separated carefully because Château Pape Clément produces both red and white wines.
Château Pape Clément Rouge is the estate's principal red wine and carries its Grand Cru Classé de Graves identity.
Château Pape Clément Blanc is the estate's principal white wine.
Le Clémentin de Pape Clément Rouge and Le Clémentin de Pape Clément Blanc form separate product entities associated with the estate and must not be merged with their respective Grand Vins.
The estate also produces additional cuvées, which should remain separate product entities in SCI rather than being folded into the core Château Pape Clément record.
This gives us the basic hierarchy:
Château Pape Clément → Rouge / Blanc → individual wine → vintage
with each product maintaining its own blends, technical specifications, scores and merchant offers.
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Country
Region
Bordeaux - Pessac-Leognan
Pessac-Léognan is an AOC/AOP wine appellation in northern Graves, immediately south and south-west of the city of Bordeaux, France. Recognised as a separate appellation in 1987, it produces both red and dry white wines across ten communes. Its gravel-dominated terroir is home to all 14 estates in the current Graves Great Growth classification, including Château Haut-Brion, which also appears in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification.
Pessac-Léognan occupies the northern part of the Graves wine area. Its vineyards extend across Cadaujac, Canéjan, Gradignan, Léognan, Martillac, Mérignac, Pessac, Saint-Médard-d’Eyrans, Talence and Villenave-d’Ornon.
The appellation’s soils combine river pebbles, fine gravel, flint, sand and limestone-rich clay. Ancient gravel deposits form gently undulating outcrops with effective natural drainage. The nearby Garonne, the city of Bordeaux and the Landes Forest also influence local growing conditions.
Red Pessac-Léognan is principally associated with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot may also contribute to the blend.
The appellation’s red wines are generally structured and complex, combining ripe fruit with firm but polished tannins. Their balance, concentration and capacity for bottle ageing vary by estate, vineyard site and vintage.
Pessac-Léognan also produces dry white Bordeaux from Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Sémillon and Muscadelle. These wines can combine citrus and white-fruit character with freshness, texture and mineral or gently toasted notes.
The exact blend and ageing approach differ between producers. Sauvignon commonly contributes freshness and aromatic definition, while Sémillon can add breadth and texture.
All 14 estates in the current Graves Great Growth classification are situated within Pessac-Léognan. Estates may be classified for their red wine, their dry white wine or both.
Château Haut-Brion has a unique position: it belongs to the Graves classification and is also a Premier Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Other recognised estates in the appellation include Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Domaine de Chevalier, Château Haut-Bailly, Château Pape Clément and Château Smith Haut Lafitte.
Compare prices for Pessac-Léognan wines across retailers on Sipfind. Explore red and dry white wines by estate, vintage, bottle size and available offer.
Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most important and widely planted red wine grapes, renowned for its powerful structure, concentrated fruit and exceptional ageing potential. Originating in Bordeaux, France, the variety has become a defining grape of fine wine regions around the world, particularly Napa Valley, Tuscany, Chile, Australia and South Africa.
Classic Cabernet Sauvignon combines flavours and aromas of blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry and dark cherry with characteristic notes of cedar, graphite, tobacco and herbs. Naturally high tannins and fresh acidity provide structure and longevity, while maturation in oak can add layers of spice, vanilla and toast. Its character varies significantly with climate, soil and winemaking, ranging from elegant and savoury to rich, powerful and intensely concentrated.
In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is particularly associated with the Left Bank, where it forms the foundation of many prestigious blends alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other permitted varieties. In Napa Valley, it has become the region’s signature red grape, producing some of the world’s most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon’s ability to express terroir while retaining its distinctive structure and character has made it a global benchmark for premium red wine. Whether produced as the dominant variety in a blend or as a varietal wine, the finest examples combine concentration, complexity and the capacity to develop gracefully over decades
Merlot is one of the world’s most important red wine grapes, celebrated for its generous fruit, supple texture and ability to produce wines ranging from approachable and elegant to exceptionally complex and long-lived. Originating in Bordeaux, France, Merlot is particularly associated with the Right Bank, where it forms the foundation of many of the prestigious wines of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion.
Merlot typically expresses flavours and aromas of plum, black cherry, blackberry and red fruits, often developing notes of chocolate, tobacco, cedar, herbs and earthy complexity with maturation. Its naturally rounded texture and generally softer tannin profile distinguish it from Cabernet Sauvignon, although the finest examples can possess considerable structure, freshness and ageing potential.
In Pomerol, Merlot reaches some of its most celebrated expressions, particularly on the appellation’s clay-rich soils, producing wines of remarkable concentration, texture and complexity. In Saint-Émilion, it is commonly blended with Cabernet Franc and, to a lesser extent, Cabernet Sauvignon, creating wines that combine ripe fruit with structure, aromatic complexity and longevity.
Beyond Bordeaux, Merlot is widely cultivated in Italy, California, Washington State, Chile and other major wine regions. It can be produced as a varietal wine or used as a central component of blends, where its fruit and texture complement more structured grape varieties.
From the great Merlot-based wines of Bordeaux’s Right Bank to leading expressions around the world, Merlot’s combination of rich fruit, refined texture and capacity to express terroir has established it as one of the defining varieties of fine red wine.
History and Style
Château Pape Clément
Château Pape Clément is the red Grand Vin of the historic Pessac estate whose first recorded harvest dates to 1252. The wine carries the estate's status as a Grand Cru Classé de Graves and represents its principal red expression within the Pessac-Léognan appellation.
Built principally around Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Château Pape Clément reflects the gravel terroirs of the Graves through a combination of structure, concentration and aromatic complexity. Detailed parcel selection and separate vinification allow individual micro-terroirs to retain their identity before the final blend is assembled.
Quick Facts
- Producer: Château Pape Clément
- Wine: Château Pape Clément Rouge
- Category: Grand Vin / Classified Growth
- Appellation: Pessac-Léognan AOC
- Classification: Grand Cru Classé de Graves
- Principal varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
History and Identity
Château Pape Clément is among Bordeaux's oldest estates, with its first recorded harvest in 1252. Its name derives from Bertrand de Goth, a former owner of the property who became Pope Clement V in 1305.
The red Château Pape Clément subsequently became one of the wines recognised in the Classification of Graves, establishing the Grand Vin's classified identity. Today it remains the principal red wine of the estate.
For Sipfind, it is important to distinguish the product from the producer itself.
Producer: Château Pape Clément
Product: Château Pape Clément Rouge
Colour: Red
Classification: Grand Cru Classé de Graves
The white Château Pape Clément is a separate product entity and should never inherit the red wine's classification automatically. The estate itself distinguishes the red as Grand Cru Classé de Graves and the white as Grand Vin de Graves.
Vineyards and Terroir
Château Pape Clément lies in Pessac, within the Pessac-Léognan appellation and the historic Graves area of Bordeaux.
The identity of the red Grand Vin is closely connected to the estate's gravel-dominated terroir. These free-draining soils provide an important environment for Cabernet Sauvignon, while variations in soil composition and individual micro-terroirs allow different grape varieties and vineyard parcels to contribute distinct characteristics.
The estate places particular emphasis on parcellisation. Its wooden vat room contains 28 vats corresponding to vineyard parcels of different ages and grape varieties, enabling individual lots to be kept separate or combined according to their terroir.
For SCI:
Pessac-Léognan → Graves → micro-terroir → parcel → grape variety → selection → Château Pape Clément Rouge
This is more useful than treating the vineyard as one homogeneous source.
Blend
Château Pape Clément Rouge should not have a fixed numerical master blend.
The wine is principally based on:
Cabernet Sauvignon · Merlot
with exact proportions determined according to the characteristics of each vintage and final selection.
Other permitted varieties may appear in individual vintages where verified, but they should not automatically be incorporated into the master blend merely because they exist within the broader estate vineyard.
Therefore:
Master bottle → Cabernet Sauvignon + Merlot-led identity
Vintage page → exact verified blend
This distinction is particularly important for SCI because estate vineyard plantings and the final bottled blend are separate data points.
Production and Maturation
Parcel-level precision continues in the cellar.
The estate's wooden vat room was redesigned in 2007 around its parcellisation philosophy. Its 28 vats allow lots from vines of different ages, varieties and micro-terroirs to be vinified separately before blending.
The official château material describes manual sorting as part of the production process. The red wine is subsequently matured in French oak, with the estate's current technical overview specifying approximately 18 months of ageing with 70% new barrels.
There is, however, an important reason for keeping the SCI architecture flexible: other current pages on the estate website refer to 16 months in barrel in descriptions of château visits.
That inconsistency reinforces our Gold Standard rule:
Master product: French oak maturation and parcel-focused production.
Vintage entity: exact maturation period, percentage of new oak, alcohol, harvest dates and detailed vinification.
We should never overwrite vintage-specific technical sheets with a generic current specification.
Style and Tasting Profile
Château Pape Clément Rouge combines the structural character of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with the distinctive expression of Pessac-Léognan's Graves terroir.
The estate's current wine presentation emphasises a profile combining concentration, finesse, harmony, aromatic precision, depth and length, with smoky and spicy dimensions also associated with the red wine.
For the master bottle page, we should avoid copying the tasting profile of a particular vintage. Instead, the stable stylistic identity can be expressed as:
Graves terroir → Cabernet and Merlot → concentration → aromatic complexity → fine tannins → freshness → depth → length.
Specific notes such as cassis, blackberry, graphite, smoke, cedar, tobacco, violet or spice should be attached to the appropriate vintage only when supported by its tasting data.
Position within the Château Pape Clément Portfolio
The distinction between the principal wines is particularly important here.
Château Pape Clément Rouge
→ Red Grand Vin
→ Grand Cru Classé de Graves
Château Pape Clément Blanc
→ White Grand Vin
→ separate product entity
Clémentin de Pape Clément Rouge
→ separate red wine
Clémentin de Pape Clément Blanc
→ separate white wine
The château's official portfolio presents these wines separately.
For SCI, the red Grand Vin hierarchy becomes:
Château Pape Clément → Château Pape Clément Rouge → Vintage
and then:
Vintage → Blend → Alcohol → Harvest → Vinification → Maturation → New Oak → Tasting Profile → Critic Scores → Merchant Offers
Ageing and Serving
The concentration, tannic structure and barrel maturation of Château Pape Clément provide the red Grand Vin with the capacity for extended development in bottle.
However, the optimal drinking period can differ significantly according to vintage conditions, blend, structure and maturation.
We should therefore not give the master bottle one universal drinking window.
Drinking window · decanting · serving recommendations · ageing potential
should be assigned at vintage level whenever reliable vintage-specific information is available.
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