This second wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon 45% Merlot with 2% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot cropped at 27hl/ha. There is a touch of greenness on the nose although it simply lends freshness and does not distract from the earthy black tertiary fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly chewy but weighty entry. This is very nicely composed not complex but demonstrates fine tannins and an elegant finish. This is a worthy second vin.

Pape Clement is one of the most brilliantly run estates in all of France, a fact that is reflected in the second wine, the 2011 Clementin de Pape Clement (which is better than many Pape Clements made in the late sixties and seventies). Consumers can thank proprietor Bernard Magrez for his commitment to quality in resurrecting this historic estate, which was once the residence of France’s first pope, Bertrand de Goth, who became Pope Clement V in 1305 A.D. From a vineyard on the outskirts of Bordeaux, only a few kilometers from Haut-Brion, La Mission-Haut-Brion and Les Carmes-Haut-Brion, this rich, layered, supple 2011 is an amazing achievement for a second wine. Drink this sleeper of the vintage over the next 10-15 years. - Robert Parker