The 2016 Pape Clement Bordeaux Blend is a highly regarded red wine from the Pessac Leognan sub-region of Bordeaux, France. Produced by Pape Clement, this vintage has received numerous accolades from professional reviewers and stands out for its complexity, balance, and aging potential.
James Suckling awarded this wine an impressive 98 points, praising its "stunning concentration of perfectly ripe blackcurrants" and "extremely fine tannins." He highlighted the wine's "super-long and very polished finish," recommending it be tried from 2022 (jamessuckling.com).
Vinous reviewer Antonio Galloni gave the wine 96 points, describing it as "fabulous" and "racy and sumptuous in the glass." Galloni noted the wine's depth and freshness, with flavors of "dark cherry, plum, smoke, scorched earth, grilled herb, leather, and menthol." He emphasized that the wine is "pliant, supple and super-expressive" (Vinous).
Wine Spectator also rated the 2016 Pape Clement 96 points, noting its reliance on "alluring toast, with mocha, anise, wood spice and black tea notes" rather than the typical bramble and tar of its Pessac peers. The publication highlighted its plush and suave finish, suggesting the wine will be best from 2023 through 2037 (Wine Spectator).
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, also scoring it 96 points, mentioned its "deep garnet-purple color" and "earthy nose with truffles, tilled soil, underbrush, and smoked meats." The review praised the wine's "muscular black fruit and earthy notions" and "very long and mineral-laced" finish (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate).
Wine Enthusiast gave the wine 95 points, appreciating its "rich, warm" nature and layers of black fruits. The review emphasized its dense structure and freshness, predicting it will become richer and more opulent with age, recommending drinking from 2025 (Wine Enthusiast).
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com also rated it 95 points, noting its "full-bodied, concentrated" profile with "dense, ripe, sweet, smoky blackberries," and a finish with energy and elegance (TheWineCellarInsider.com).
Other notable reviews include Jeb Dunnuck's score of 97, describing it as "huge, powerful, full-bodied" with "beautiful notes of cassis, graphite, high-class cigar tobacco, asphalt, and graphite" (jebdunnuck.com). Decanter's 95 points highlighted its "silky, seductive line of dark chocolate and tarry oak," noting its balance and aging potential (Decanter).
In summary, the 2016 Pape Clement is a standout Bordeaux blend with high scores across the board, praised for its complexity, balance, and potential for aging. It is composed of 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, with an alcohol content of 14.0%.
