Chateau Pape Clement 2017

JAMES SUCKLING: "Beautiful spice, tobacco, wet earth and blackcurrants with some raspberries. Aromatic and complex. Full-bodied, refined and layered with wonderful length and power. Yet, there’s always class and pretty length here. Seamless. Drink after 2022."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Showing a good depth of color the wine offers a rich dose of chocolate covered plums and cherries with tobacco leaf, licorice, smoke, and coffee bean. Straddling the fence between opulence and freshness, the finish hangs in there with its dusty cherries, smoke and licorice notes. Give this a decade in the cellar before popping a cork, it will be worth the wait."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Very rich, featuring warm cassis and plum puree flavors, laced with singed wood spice, melted licorice and black tea notes. Reveals a tarry hint, but this stays decidedly modern and polished in feel, with the fruit cruising through the finish with authority. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Pape Clement is composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, with a nose that is slightly closed at this youthful stage—broody and earthy with baked plums, boysenberries and mulberries aromas plus touches of iron ore, tobacco, tapenade and charcuterie. The palate is medium-bodied and elegant with exquisitely ripe tannins, lovely energy and freshness and a long, mineral-laced finish."

WEINWISSER: "Undurchsichtiges Purpur mit schwarzer Mitte. Was für ein konzentrierter Duft nach reifen Brombeeren, eine volle Ladung Cassis, parfümierter Pfeifentabak, erblühte Bakkarat-Rose, exotische Hölzer und Kardamom. Im zweiten Ansatz Tahiti-Vanille, Zimt und frisch zerstossene schwarze Pfefferkörner. Am festen Gaumen zeigt das Powerpack seine ganze Klasse, sehr dichter, engmaschiger Körper, die Tannine sind massiv und sehr verlangend, aber dank dem Barriquefett in Balance. Im gebündelten Finale schwarzbeerige Konturen und Brazil-Tabak. Gefällt mir jetzt deutlich besser als das damalige Fassmuster und verdient damit zurecht die höhere Note."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This solid, densely textured wine has fine tannins that match richness in the blackberry fruits. It is classically structured, suggesting an elegant, ripe and impressive future. Drink from 2023."

DECANTER: "Among the deepest in colour, as is often the case with Pape Clement. The fruit feels well defined with blasts of blueberry and raspberry. It feels carefully worked, with toasted oak notes giving sweetness and finesse. An impressive wine and one of the successes of the appellation in this vintage, that has settled in to itself over ageing. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038"

JEB DUNNUCK: "Checking in as a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak, the 2017 Chateau Pape Clement is going to check in behind the brilliant 2015 and 2016, but it's nevertheless a brilliant wine from this estate worth having in the cellar. Great notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, gravelly earth, mocha, and hints of licorice all flow to a medium to full-bodied wine that has remarkable purity of fruit as well as polished tannins. It builds nicely with time in the glass and reminds me of a toned-down version of the 2016. This complex, elegant, flawlessly balanced Pessac can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, schwarze Beerenfrucht, ein Hauch von Edelholz und Oliven, Nuancen von Dörrpflaumen im Hintergrund. Saftig, gute Komplexität, schwarze Beerenfrucht, präsente, gut integrierte Tannine, mineralisch, viel versprechende Materie."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Deepest crimson. Rich, ripe and generously fruited on the nose. Blackcurrant and blackberry. Chewy, deep fruited but no lack of finesse thanks to the smoothness of the tannins even though they are compact. Seems more delicate and fresher than the Pape Clément norm – a good thing in my opinion. Long and should age well."