2010 Château Pape Clément

Extremely closed, this has a wall of muscular tannins and maintains its monolithic expression even two years after I last tasted it. Keep checking in, because this is a stunning wine, with sweet liquorice, graphite, crayon, cassis, grilled herbs, , with the smoke and grilled herb quality Look to the 2009 if drinking soon, but this one will go the distance. 32hl/h yield, 100% new oak, Michel Rolland consultant.

A blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that hit 13.5% natural alcohol, the 2010 Château Pape Clément is a powerful, concentrated, yet still incredibly refined and elegant Pessac. Still youthfully plum-hued with no signs of bricking, it offers a sensational nose of ripe currants, chocolate, scorched earth, and graphite that needs lots of air to show its full potential. Deep, full-bodied, and layered on the palate, it has ultra-fine, seamless tannins and perfectly integrated oak. The inherent elegance of this terroir is certainly here, but this is a concentrated, incredibly impressive Pessac in the early stages of its prime drinking window with another 20+ years of prime drinking ahead of it.

Inky depths to the colour, barely budging at 11 years old. This is excellent, showing the incredible potential of this site. Everything is delivered slowly and carefully, plenty of tannic grip, very little evolution in the expression, the whole thing inching forward. A ton of liqourice and slate, with the smoke and grilled herb quality that you find so often in Pape Clement, alongside layer upon complex layer of graphite, pencil lead, cassis and marzipan. 100% new oak. Michel Rolland consultant. Harvest September 24 to October 20, slow and steady with a yield of 32hl/h.