Château Pape Clément White 2019

AOC Pessac-Léognan

" Château Pape Clément Blanc 2019 has an attractive bouquet with aromas of caramelized pear, peach skin and light waxy notes. As usual, the oak is a little more pronounced here compared to its peers. The palate is well balanced with nice acidity, subtle guava and lychee notes on the entry, perhaps even a little muscat towards the finish. I would simply have liked more complexity and minerality on the finish. Tasted twice.

Neal Martin

Features

Location: Pessac
2019 blend: 39% Semillon, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Sauvignon Gris, 9% Muscadelle
Age of vines: 22 years
Planting density: 7,500 plants per hectare

Tasting

"The grand vin is composed of 46% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sémillon and 14% Sauvignon Gris, harvested between August 30 and September 12. Aromatically, it is dominated by citrus cream aromas, with a pithy character, and a sense of energy that is lacking in many other white wines of this vintage. It's clearly ahead of the second wine, full and textured, displaying deliciously bitter citrus fruits like those perceived on the nose, but also combining phenolic extraction and grip, with a more-than-decent core of acidity for the vintage, offering texture, energy and balance on the midpalate. Even the finish holds up well. A good result and certainly one of this year's best white wines."

Wine Doctor

Food & wine pairing

Fruits de Mers
Grilled or poached fish
Roast poultry
Refined cheeses
Asian dishes

Conservation

5-10 years

Product from a High Environmental Value farm

Ratings & Awards

97/100
James Suckling
96/100
Terre de Vins
96/100
Wine Advocate

97/100

James Suckling

"Aromas of green apple, lime, kumquat, fresh thyme, flint, stone and oyster shell. Medium-bodied, with lively acidity and a saline, mineral, zesty palate. Vibrant and intense. So much energy and freshness. Lots of lively acidity. Tight on the finish. Leave this wine another three to four years in bottle."

96/100

Terre de Vins

"A lordly Pape Clément, with a complex nose of small white flowers, lime blossom and citrus fruit. Majestic on the palate with
exotic notes. The style is imposing, but perfectly balanced, with a full, elegant, unctuous mouthfeel and graphite freshness. A delicious finish of white fruit jelly.

96/100

Wine Advocate

"The nose of this nascent beauty was initially closed for the first few minutes, eventually unfolding to offer subtle aromas of fresh pineapple, green guava, kumquat and lemon zest, with an emerging core of honey-slicked white peach, chopped almonds and oyster shells, as well as a hint of baker's yeast. Medium-bodied, the palate is beautifully nuanced and balanced, offering fantastic intensity with a lively backbone and gorgeous satin texture, finishing with epic length. Stunning."

Winegrowing singularities

Wine Singularities

Climate

Grape varieties: 76% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sémillon, 3% Sauvignon Gris, 1% Muscadelle
Age of vines: 22 years
Planting density: 7,500 plants per hectare
Soil type: Pyrenean clay gravel layer dating from the late Pliocene and early Quaternary periods
Vineyard management :
- Micro plot management
- Controlled weeding, cultivation of cavaillons by ploughing with animal traction
- Sustainable integrated pest management
- Pruning, leaf removal
- Hand-harvested in 2 selections
- Terra Vitis, HVE3 (High Environmental Value Level 3), EMS and Bee-Friendly certifications

Winemaking :
- Fully manual filling of the pneumatic press
- Whole-berry pressing with very slow pressure build-up under inert atmosphere to protect aromas
- Gravity-flowing juice from the press into barrels
- Settling and vinification in French oak barrels and foudres
- 15% of wine vinified in new-generation ovoid cement vats
- Aged on fine lees with regular stirring of the lees

The 2019 vintage in the prestigious Pessac-Léognan Vineyard was marked by exceptional weather conditions, offering remarkable potential for the production of quality white wines. In spring, mild temperatures and moderate rainfall favored early, even flowering of the white vines, ensuring promising fruit set.

During the summer that followed, warm temperatures contributed to optimal ripening of the white grapes, allowing full development of aromas and flavors. Cool nights maintained a balanced natural acidity in the berries, adding freshness and vivacity to the white wines. Despite the occasional heatwave, irrigation control and precise management kept the vines healthy right up to the harvest.

Overall, these ideal weather conditions have enabled Pessac-Léognan's white wines to reveal all their complexity and elegance. The 2019 vintage is characterized by exuberant fruit expression and refined structure, offering tasters an exceptional taste experience. This remarkable vintage testifies to the outstanding potential of the Pessac-Léognan terroir to produce white wines of exceptional quality, confirming its place among the world's great wine-growing regions.