2016 Château Pape Clément Pape Clément Rouge 2016 9000mL

98 POINTS

James Suckling

Stunning concentration of perfectly ripe blackcurrants here with a delicate whiff of vanilla oak and extremely fine tannins that are almost perfectly integrated on the seductive and delicate palate, right through the almost literally breathtaking, super-long and very polished finish. Try from 2022.

97 POINTS

Yves Beck - Yvesbeck.wine

Rouge grenat dense aux reflets pourpres. Ce sont les fruits et les épices qui dominent le nez de Pape Clément 2016, avec beaucoup de finesse et nombreuses facettes. Agréables notes de bois de réglisse et de fruits noirs. Au palais, le vin est compact, ample et doté de tannins imposants, aux grains fins. Comme beaucoup de grands vins, Pape Clément sait combiner l'ampleur et la finesse. Finale fruitée, épicée, rafraîchissante et persistante. Un vin auquel il sera difficile de résister et pourtant il mérite un peu de garde pour encore mieux se révéler ! 2024-2041 97/100

97 POINTS

Jeb Dunnuck

Tasted on two separate occasions, the 2016 Château Pape Clément never failed to impress, offering a huge, powerful, full-bodied personality as well as beautiful notes of cassis, graphite, high-class cigar tobacco, asphalt, and graphite. About as sexy as it gets in the vintage, with silky tannins and loads of fruit, it’s perfectly balanced and has a great finish. The 2016 is a blend of 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, all raised in 60% new barrels.

97 POINTS

Bettane & Desseauve - Bettane & Desseauve

Moitié cabernet, moitié merlot comme ses voisins de Pessac, et une merveilleuse texture au service d’une expression de terroir marquante, elle aussi, par la précocité des notes fumées (créosote) liées au merlot sur les terres de cette commune. Grand vin plus harmonieux que le 2015 à sa naissance.

96 POINTS

Neal Martin - Wine Advocate

The 2016 Pape Clement is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon this year, picked from 30 September until 19 October at 48 hectoliters per hectare. The first bottle that I tasted with Bernard Magrez and his team felt a little overdone, but I had a strong suspicion that it was not a representative bottle. A second bottle was more restrained on the nose with blackberries, red plum, a touch of cloves and a light iodine influence. I love the delineation and detail here. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-infused entry, plenty of black fruit, saline in the mouth with great depth and cohesion on the long and tender finish. It continues Pape-Clement/Bernard Magrez' move towards a more classic style compared to the previous decade. Tasted four times, once as I mentioned, unnecessarily richer in style, but the other three consistent.

96 POINTS

Neal Martin - Wine Advocate

The 2016 Pape Clement is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon this year, picked from 30 September until 19 October at 48 hectoliters per hectare. The first bottle that I tasted with Bernard Magrez and his team felt a little overdone, but I had a strong suspicion that it was not a representative bottle. A second bottle was more restrained on the nose with blackberries, red plum, a touch of cloves and a light iodine influence. I love the delineation and detail here. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-infused entry, plenty of black fruit, saline in the mouth with great depth and cohesion on the long and tender finish. It continues Pape-Clement/Bernard Magrez' move towards a more classic style compared to the previous decade. Tasted four times, once as I mentioned, unnecessarily richer in style, but the other three consistent.

96 POINTS

Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

Very dark ruby in color, the smoky blackberries, cigar box and licorice aromatics are singing. There is a lot of freshness to the fruit, and the lower alcohol levels make the wine feel lighter and refreshing on the palate, especially in the silky finish. This vintage shows elegance, complexity and restraint. The wine was produced from a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, reaching 13.5% alcohol. The wine is being aged in 60% new, French oak barrels. The harvest took place from September 13 to October 19.

96 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2016 Pape Clément is fabulous. Racy and sumptuous in the glass, the 2016 captures the style that now characterizes Bernard Magrez's wines from his estate in Pessac. Specifically, the 2016 is wonderfully deep in the glass, and yet retains terrific freshness as well. A rush of dark cherry, plum, smoke, scorched earth, grilled herb, leather and menthol builds as the 2016 shows off its compelling, inviting personality. I would prefer to give the 2016 at least a few years in bottle to allow its full breadth of aromatics to develop. Even so, there is so much to like. Pliant, supple and super-expressive, Pape Clément is gorgeous in 2016. Tasted two times.