Ch. Pape Clément, Pessac-Léognan 2018

99 points Jeb Dunnuck

 Coming from 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc brought up in 60% new French oak, the 2018 Château Pape Clement from Bernard Magrez is a gorgeous wine that's performing even better from bottle than barrel, which is always a good sign. Deep ruby/purple, with stunning crème de cassis and blackberry fruits as well as kaleidoscope-like notes of graphite, scorched earth, smoke, violets, and spring flowers, it offers full-bodied richness yet stays light on its feet, graceful, and almost ethereal on the palate, with integrated acidity and building yet seamless tannins. The Cabernet Sauvignon really sings at this point, and there's almost a Médoc-like regalness here. Reminding me of a slightly more elegant 2005 (it also has similarities to the 2016), it will benefit from 4-6 years in the cellar and keep for 30+ years.  (3/2021)

97 points James Suckling

 Aromas of wild blackberries, blueberries, dried lavender, cloves and eucalyptus with gravel and cocoa butter. It’s full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins. Polished and creamy with a core of ripe fruit that evolves to herbs, spices and chocolate. Fantastic concentration and seamless integration. 

THE PRODUCER:

from the traditional school career and foreign to the wine world, my story is that of a passionate autodidact who started from nothing and decided to “never give up”.

Holder of a CAP in sawing wood at 16 years old and without any Bordeaux family lineage, it was at 19 that I discovered the workings of the profession by committing myself to a wine house in Bordeaux.

​At only 23 years old, supported by a banker, I created my first company, William Pitters International, which took Porto to second place on the French market. This will be the first success in a long series with respectively three brands with impressive commercial spin-offs: Whiskey William Peel, Tequila San José and Malesan de Bordeaux wine.

​On the strength of these successes, I decided to make a major professional shift by selling these brands to embark on a new adventure: the Grands Crus Classés. Today, I am the only owner in Bordeaux of 4 Grands Crus Classés: Château Pape Clément (Graves), Château La Tour Carnet (Médoc), Château Fombrauge (Saint Emilion) and Clos Haut Peyraguey (Sauternes).

​Exceptional stays, oenological experiences and training, the Châteaux are an opportunity to open the doors of my legendary vineyards and to share the secrets of the Great Wines with as many people as possible.

My adventure also extends internationally with 42 vineyards in 9 countries around the world (Spain, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Italy) which represent as many different types of wine and as many intense and bewitching emotions as I want to share.