Search

   

Shop By:

Variety

Country

Region

Subregion

Wine Type

Beltramo's Wines & Spirits
1540 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Monday-Friday: 10:00am-7:30pm
Saturday: 9:30am-7:30pm
Sunday: 10:00am-6:30pm

(650) 325-2806
(888) 710-WINE(9463)
Fax (650) 323-8450

2009 Pape Clement Rouge Pessac-Leognan
Pape Clement Rouge Pessac-Leognan:

Chateau Pape Clement is located in Pessac, near Bordeaux, and was named after its most famous owner: Pope Clement V. Born in Villandraut in 1264, Bertrand de Goth was appointed Bishop of Comminges, in the Pyrenees, on March 28, 1295 and remained so until 1299, when he was appointed Archbishop of Bordeaux by the pope.

On that occasion, he received a Bordeaux vineyard as a gift, then known as the vineyard "de La Mothe" (a name referring to an elevated plot of land). The books of the archdiocese provide us with many details about Bertrand de Goth's ever-present concern and his strong involvement in always getting the most rational and efficient equipment for both the vineyard and in the vat-house. His work was continued by the Church whose efforts made the property of Pope Clement a model estate.

Over the long period during which Chateau Pape Clement was administered by the archdiocese, modernism and technological progress made it a pilot area, one of the peculiarities of which was its early harvest. We now know that this vineyard was one of the very first in France where it was decided to plant stocks in rows to facilitate ploughing. This was a major cultural revolution, as plants were previously scattered over the plots. In the late eighteenth century, the Archbishop of Bordeaux was dispossessed of his property, and the vines that the Pope had left him five hundred years before fell into the public domain.

Mention should be made of Jean Baptiste Clerc, a Bordeaux wine merchant, who acquired the property in 1858 and turned it into a model vineyard. He was the one who confirmed the reputation and the delicacy of Pape Clément's wines, which were rewarded at the 1878 World Fair by the Gold Medal of the Society of Agriculture of the Gironde and the Great Medal of the Ministry of Agriculture, two highly coveted awards. It was also he who built the Chateau that would then be remodelled by the heirs of the subsequent owner, Mr. Cinto, also a Bordeaux merchant, resulting in the building we now know.

The red vines are divided into 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon is mainly located on the gravelly and sandy-gravelly areas. It gives the blend the tannic backbone to guarantee aging potential once in the bottles. Better suited to clay soils, Merlot produces round, rich and velvety wines, where ripe fruit dominates. Note that more than 60% of the vines are over 25 years old, including a large proportion over 40 years old. The presence of old vines gives extra finesse and elegance. Chateau Pape Clement
95 points Wine Advocate:

Although the 2009 Pape Clement may not be as sublime as the 2005 or 2000, but it is very close to those two efforts, and it will be fascinating to compare them (as well as the 2008 and 2010) over the following three decades. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc with a modest 13.5% alcohol, the 2009 reveals considerable structure and tannin along with tell-tale notes of burning embers, scorched earth, graphite, blueberries, blackberries and toasty vanillin, and a full-bodied mouthfeel. This rich, full offering is surprisingly backward. This cuvee should drink well in 5-6 years as one rarely has to wait a decade or more to enjoy Pape Clement. It should age for three decades or more. #199Feb 2012

SKU: 06566
Your Price: $174.99
Order Quantity