As to the Grand Vin 2019 Château Pape Clement, it reveals a dense purple hue to go with stunning aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencils shavings, scorched earth, and tobacco. Beautifully balanced, with flawless tannins, this full-bodied Pessac has that rare mix of elegance and power, a great mid-palate, and again, perfect balance. It's one of the gems of the vintage and has some accessibility today given its purity and balance, yet deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will cruise for 20-25 years or more in cold cellars. The blend is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, brought up in two-thirds new French oak.

Crushed-stone and berry aromas with some blackberry and black-tea character. Just a touch of smokiness. Sweet fruit, too. This is so refined, subtle, and beautiful for Pape with full body, ultra-fine tannins and a succulent finish. The center-palate is dense and complete. Goes on for minutes. So subtle and refined, focused and classy. Try after 2026.

Almost opaque in color, the wine kicks off with an intense array of smoke, tobacco, cigar box, flowers, spice, dark plums and blackberry aromas. On the palate, the wine is rich, lush, polished, full-bodied, deep, long and fresh. The finish crosses the 50 second mark with ease, leaving you with opulently-textured, layers of perfectly ripe, sensuous, rich, dark fruits. Because the amount of oak has been decreased during the aging process, the fruit is allowed to shine front and center, allowing for more vibrancy and purity. This is a top vintage of Pape Clement that clearly merits your attention. Drink from 2030-2060.

This lays down a challenge to the other wines in Pessac-Léognan, with a little more power and definition, with slate tannins and a rasp of minerality all while delivering pure and concentrated raspberry, loganberry and black cherry fruits. The tannins are confident and are not about to let the fruit go anywhere soon. Great quality and potential, a little more severe and austere than the 2018 at this point, needs a good five years in bottle. Harvest September 17 to October 10, An upscore from En Primeur. Tasted twice, two months apart.

Density in all aspects here, quite a rich, broad and bold style but with precision, clarity and definition. It's big shouldered with plenty of heft and ripe fruit but well presented with great acidity that keeps the freshness from start to finish and this has a nice cooling minty aspect towards the finish. Tannins are firm, and still very present, needing to soften a little over time but this definitely has the weight, structure and fruit purity to have a long life ahead. Drinking Window 2027 - 2042

The 2019 Pape Clement is deep garnet-purple in color. It starts off closed and broody before offering fragrant scents of rose oil, cardamom, and fertile loam, over a core of plum preserves, blackberry pie, and cedar. The medium-bodied palate is taut, muscular, and intense, delivering firm, grainy tannins and fantastic tension, finishing long and mineral-laced.

Created by the 14th-century Pope, Clement V, this estate is now owned by Bernard Magrez. This latest release shows the quality of the property, a wine that is set for long aging. Ripe black fruits are matched by the wine's structure and density. Drink from 2026. ROGER VOSS

The 2019 Pape Clément has turned out well in bottle, delivering a rich bouquet of cherries, blackcurrants, plum liqueur and blackberries mingled with notions of burning embers, licorice and a nicely integrated framing of new oak. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's a layered, fleshy wine, with a deep core of ripe but lively fruit, plenty of powdery tannin and a long, expansive, discreetly heady finish. This is a powerful, dramatic Pessac with a transatlantic accent and will drink well with only a few years' bottle age. - William Kelley

The 2019 Pape Clément has a lot of intensity on the nose, although the new oak is more prominent here compared to the Domaine de Chevalier. Still, there is admirable delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet 'n sour entry, grainy tannins, black truffle and soy. Quite intense and assertive on the finish. This will require 3-5 years in bottle and will doubtless deserve a higher score. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. -- Neal Martin

Quite rich, with an exotic hint to the boysenberry, plum and mulberry fruit flavors, which are carried by a velvety structure. Features a very stylish backdrop of apple wood, anise and fruitcake notes that adds more bling. This doesn't have the drive for serious cellaring, but it's still pretty gorgeous. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2023 through 2035. — J.M.