Arnaud Laszis, Maître de Chai of Château Pape-Clement, was supposed to be our host but dropped out on short notice as the harvest had to be advanced. Instead Daley Brennan, Business Development Manager, Eastern USA was our host. He showed us the impressive property, looked with us at the vineyard and toured the winemaking facilities with us. The visit ended with a tasting in the Pavillon du Prélat, which was built by Gustave Eiffel.
Château Pape-Clément
Château Pape-Clément is a Cru Classé de Graves. The winery and vineyards are located in the commune of Pessac, in the larger Bordeaux City area. Château Pape-Clément belongs to the wine imperium of Bernard Magrez, which now covers about 40 estates in Bordeaux and other parts of France as well as in the rest of the world.
Pape-Clément has one of the longest and best documented histories of all Bordeaux châteaux. The vineyards were planted in 1300 by Bernard de Groth, who later became Pope Clément V and moved the papacy to Avignon.
The noble de Groth family was based in Sauternes. In 1299, Bernard de Groth became Archbishop of Bordeaux. His brother (who was Archbishop of Lyon) gave him as a gift what later would become Château Pape Clement to be used as private residence as Archbishop of Bordeaux. Bernard de Groth lived there for 6 years. In 1305, Bernhard de Groth became Pope Clement V and felt that he should donate the property to the church.
In the hands of the church, the Pessac estate continued as a site of viticulture for many centuries, right up until the Revolution when it was confiscated and sold off as a bien national.
Today, Château Pape-Clement belongs to the wine imperium of Bernard Magrez, which now covers about 40 estates in Bordeaux and other parts of France as well as in the rest of the world. Château Pape-Clément is classified for its white and red wine according to the 1953 classification of the Graves.
The vineyard area consists of 32.5 hectares, 30 of which are planted with red grapes varieties (60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot). The remaining plots are cultivated with white varieties of 45% Sauvignon blanc, 45% Sémillon and 10% Muscadelle.
Production of the Grand Vin - Pape Clément – is: 7,000 cases of red wine and 350 cases of dry white wine. Additionally, there are 2 second wines - Le Clémentin du Pape Clément and Le Prélat du Pape Clément.
The red usually consists of 55% Cabernet-Sauvignon and 45% Merlot and is a full-bodied, presice wine with an incredible intensity.
Although I am a true German white wine fan I very much enjoy the Pape-Clément white wine. The blend usually is 55 % Sauvignon-Blanc and 45 % Sémillion. This mediun-bodied wine is fresh, clean and minerally. About 20% of the blend is aged in concrete eggs.
Château Pape-Clément and the City of Bordeaux
The outskirts of the city of Bordeaux are the birthplace of the phenomenal Bordeaux wine boom. It was here – in the Graves - that the region first gained its reputation, as early as the 14th century – hundreds of years before Dutch wine merchants and producers drained the marshes of the Medoc. In the Middle Ages, much of the Claret - as red Bordeaux is called in the United Kingdom - shipped to London was grown within in easy distance to the Quai de Chartrons in Bordeaux.
For centuries, Graves encompassed all the vineyards south of the border with the Medoc, in a great sweep around the city of Bordeaux with the exception of the sweet wine appellations of Sauternes, Cerons and Barsac, which are nestled within the boundaries of the Graves, but are independently recognized because of their outstanding noble-sweet white wines. But in 1987, the Pessac-Leognan appellation was carved out of the northern end of the Graves, encompassing Graves’ most respected producers. The four key producers in Pessac-Leognan are Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion (both in American hands), Laville Haut-Brion and Pape-Clement
Interestingly, these chateaux are within the city limits of Bordeaux and well within the Bordeaux beltway. This is the most urban wine area I have seen in Bordeaux and perhaps in the whole world. Indeed, the vineyards of Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Laville Haut-Brion and Pape Clement are surrounded by suburban development.
See also:
In the Wine Capital of the World: the City of Bordeaux, France
Tasting
The tasting took place in the Pavillon du Prélat, which was built by Gustave Eiffel.
We had 2 wines:
2015 Château Pape Clément Rouge Cru Classé de Graves Pessac-Léognan AOC
wine-searcher average price in US$: 111
96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - The 2015 Pape Clement is blended of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, matured in 80% new and 20% one-year-old French oak barrels for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple, it opens with profound notes of crushed red and black currants, black cherries and cassis with touches of mocha, baking spices, menthol and lavender plus a hint of new leather. Medium-bodied, firm and concentrated with tons of tightly wound black fruit and earth layers, it has a grainy frame and refreshing lift on the long finish. (LPB) (2/2018)
2015 Château Pape Clément Blanc Rouge Cru Classé de Graves Pessac-Léognan AOC
wine-searcher average price in US$: 182
95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - The 2015 Pape Clement Blanc is blended of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sémillon and 10% Sauvignon Gris, fermented in 55% new and 45% one-year-old oak barrels. It aged for 16 months in barrels, with the entire time spent on the fine lees. It has quite a closed, reticent nose featuring ripe peaches, musk perfume and struck flint notes with a suggestion of lemon curd and honeycomb plus a touch of coriander seed. Medium-bodied with a crisp backbone, the intense citrus and stone fruit flavors trail off beautifully into a lingering honeyed finish. (LPB) (2/2018)
Bernard Magrez
Bernard Magrez is a self-made man who made his fortune as the founder of the William Pitters spirits company and the low-cost red Bordeaux brand. But for the past 20 years or so, he has been involved in quite a different, more upmarket side of the business: he has acquired prestigious vineyards and wineries, first of all in Bordeaux, then in other parts of France and more recently around the world. The total count at the moment is about 40 wine estates.
See also:
Château Pape Clément in Pessac-Léognan and the World Wide Wine Empire of Bernard Magrez, France
Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France (Published and Forthcoming Postings)
Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy
Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics
Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux – A Short Introduction
How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Pape-Clément, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, with Daley Brennan, Business Development Manager, Eastern USA
An Afternoon at Château Pape-Clément (in 2013), Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux
Dinner at Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux
Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France - An Update
Tour and Tasting at Château Canon-La-Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, with Proprietor Count Stephan von Neipperg
A Morning at Château Canon La Gaffeliere in Saint Emilion with Owner Count Stefan von Neipperg, Bordeaux
Tour and Tasting at Château Belles-Graves, Appellation Lalande de Pomerol, with Winemaker Sylvain Garoste and Owner Xavier Piton
Lunch at Restaurant La Table de Catusseau in Pomerol
Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol, with Technical Director Marielle Cazaux
Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol, with General Manager/ Winemaker Marielle Cazaux - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château Troplong-Mondot, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B
Tour and Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Appellation Pomerol, with Dany Rolland and General Manager Benoit Prévot
Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland, GM Benoit Prévot and Chef Frédéric Bozzo - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Touring Saint-Emilion
Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Gazin, Appellation Pomerol, with Owner Nicolas de Bailliencourts
Tour and Lunch at Château Climens, Appellation Barsac-Sauternes, Première Grand Cru Classé, with Owner and Winemaker Bérénice Lurton
Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Climens, Appellation Barsac-Sauternes, Première Grand Cru Classé, with Owner/ Winemaker Bérénice Lurton and Chef Florence Camaly - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Reynier, Appellation Entre-Deux-Mers, with Owners/ Winemakers Marc Lurton and Agnès Lurton
Lunch at Restaurant La Marina in Blaye
Tour and Tasting at Château Bel-Air La Royère, Appellation Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux, with Owner/ Winemaker Corinne Loriaud
An Afternoon with Owner/Winemaker Corinne Chevrier-Loriaud at Chateau Bel Air La Royere in Blaye, Bordeaux, France
Tour and Tasting at Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm, with Oyster Farmer Ralph Doerfler
Oysters in Bordeaux: Visiting the Oyster Farmer Raphael Doerfler and his Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm in Grand Piquey/ Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France
Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret, Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Restaurants in Arcachon and Cap Ferret (Bassin d'Arcachon/ Bordeaux)
Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret
Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret, Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Tour and Blending Workshop at Château La Tour de Bessan, Appellation Margaux, Cru Bourgeois
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Blending Exercise at Château La Tour de Bessan, Margaux, Cru Bourgeois, with Owner/ Winemaker Marie-Laure Lurton - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France
What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France
Tour and Tasting at Château Lafite-Rothschild, Appellation Pauillac, 1ière Grand Cru Classé
Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owners Basile Tesseron and Michel Tesseron
Tour and Tasting (from Barrel and Bottle) at Château Lafon-Rochet, 4ème Grand Cru Classé St-Estèphe, with Owner Basile Tesseron - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2018, France
Tour and Lunch at Château Phélan-Ségur, with General Manager Véronique Dausse and Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey
Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Appellation Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Technical Director Jean-René Matignon
Wine-Pairing Lunch at Château Pichon Longueville Baron in Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017 France
Tour at Cooperage Berger & Fils with Simon Grelier, Managing Director
How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc
Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Tour and Dinner at Château Le Reysse, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc, with Stefan and Heike Paeffgen
Tour, Barrel Tasting and Family Dinner with Stefan and Heike Paeffgen, Château Le Reysse and Château Lassus, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France
Tour and Tasting at Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Philippe Blanc, Managing Director
Tour and Tasting at Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with General Manager Philippe Blanc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France
Tour and Lunch at Château Desmirail, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Denis Lurton
Tour and Tasting at Château Durfort-Vivens, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château Durfort-Vivens, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France
Winery Tour and Dinner at Château Bouscaut, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, with Owner Sophie Cogombles-Lurton and her Husband Laurent Cogombles
No comments:
Post a Comment