Chateau Pape Clement 2009

Professional Ratings

• 99 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pape Clement struts flamboyantly out of the glass, featuring beautifully opulent preserved black fruits, Morello cherries and Chinese five spice with underlying notions of truffles, iron ore and tobacco plus a waft of sandalwood. Full-bodied, the voluptuous fruit has a firm foundation of super ripe, grainy tannins and bags of freshness supporting layer upon layer of black fruit, exotic spices and earth-laced flavors, finishing very long.
• 98 James Suckling
  This is so structured and powerful with amazing depth of fruit and tannins. Blueberry and cherry aromas come through clear. The palate is full and powerful with chewy yet polished tannins and a long, long finish. Really impressive. Needs decanting, if you want to drink it now. One for the cellar.
• 95 Wine Spectator
  Rich and muscular, with exotic roasted spice, braised fig and warm raspberry confiture notes that are supported by a broad baseline of dark cocoa, tar and freshly brewed espresso. Not shy about its modernity, but everything is in place. Just needs to settle in with cellaring. Best from 2015 through 2030.
• 95 Jeb Dunnuck
  Drinking beautifully today, the 2009 Château Pape Clément (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest 5% Cabernet Franc) reveals a saturated ruby/purple color as well as an upfront, complex bouquet of blackcurrants, chocolate, lead pencil, earth, and graphite. It’s full-bodied and powerful, yet stays seamless and silky on the palate, with a beautiful sense of elegance. With ripe tannins, beautiful balance, and a great finish, it has the sexy, opulent style of the vintage front and center. You can safely drink this fabulous wine anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.
• 95 Decanter
  An early-ripening and generous wine in an early-ripening and generous year, this is full of the exuberance that it demonstrated when young. The terroir is starting to exert its influence now, with a lovely pull back on the finish as the tannins step up. It's still youthful and buttoned down but the fruit is exotically ripe and really starting to come into its prime, with traces of heavy black pepper spice. Extremely good quality, if vintage led.
• 94 Wine Enthusiast
  This is a finely balanced wine, combining an herbaceous flavor with apricot and sweet pear. The whole is a delicious wine that brings together notes of toast and fresh fruit, with a firm, dry structure. For long-term aging.
  Cellar Selection