Château Pape Clément
44°48′21″N 0°38′49″W / 44.80571°N 0.64683°W
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Ch%C3%A2teau_Pape_Cl%C3%A9ment_2002.jpg/220px-Ch%C3%A2teau_Pape_Cl%C3%A9ment_2002.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Ch%C3%A2teau_Pape_Cl%C3%A9ment_Cl%C3%A9mentin_de_Pape_Cl%C3%A9ment_1990.jpg/120px-Ch%C3%A2teau_Pape_Cl%C3%A9ment_Cl%C3%A9mentin_de_Pape_Cl%C3%A9ment_1990.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Cork_of_Ch%C3%A2teau_Pape_Cl%C3%A9ment.jpg/220px-Cork_of_Ch%C3%A2teau_Pape_Cl%C3%A9ment.jpg)
Château Pape Clément is a
History
Planted in 1300, the estate is the oldest planted vineyard in the region, when it was presented to
After the Revolution, a succession of owners oversaw the development of the property as a commercial enterprise, and by the middle of the 19th century the estate was widely regarded to be second only to Haut-Brion, though under the ownership and expansions of Jean-Baptiste Clerc from 1858 to his death just before 1880, the wines of Pape-Clément was selling at a price equivalent to a Médoc second growth.[6] Later owners, including an Englishman named Maxwell who neglected the estate, experienced difficult times, with hail devastation in 1937, the onset of World War II and the expansions of the suburbs of Bordeaux coming closer.[6]
The estate was eventually revitalised under the ownership of the
Following the death of Paul Montagne at 94, his son Léo Montagne has joint-ownership of the estate, partnered with Bernard Magrez, owner of Château La Tour Carnet.[6] The estate currently employs the flying winemaker Michel Rolland as a consultant.[7]
Production
The vineyard area consists of 32.5 hectares, 30 of which are planted with grape varieties of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The remaining plots are cultivated with white varieties of 45% Sauvignon blanc, 45% Sémillon and 10% Muscadelle.[6]
The Grand vin, Chateau Pape Clément, is produced annually in 7,000 cases of red wine and 350 cases of dry white wine. Additionally there are produced second wines Le Clémentin du Pape Clément and Le Prélat du Pape Clément.[6] The introduction of a second wine in the 1980s, was widely credited with allowing the estate to increase their focus on the quality of their Grand vin, by being more selective in which grapes were used. Today the Grand vin is typically composed of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot making up the remaining third. The wine is aged in oak barrels (almost half being new oak) for a minimum of fourteen months. The non-cru classé white wine will typically be composed of equal amounts of Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon, depending on the vintage.[8]
References
- ^ Lover, T, The Gothamist (June 5, 2006). "You Don't Look a Day Over 699 Archived 2012-02-14 at the Wayback Machine"
- ^ a b Lichine, Alexis (1967). Alexis Lichine's Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits. London: Cassell & Company Ltd. p. 395.
- ^ ISBN 1-84000-927-6.
- ^ Denton, J.H. "Pope Clement V's Early Career as a Royal Clerk" The English Historical Review 83 No. 327 (April 1968:303-314) pp308ff.
- ISBN 0-671-68702-6.
- ^ a b c d e f Kissack, Chris, thewinedoctor.com. "Chateau Pape-Clément".
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Suckling, James, Wine Spectator (June 30, 2006). "Consulting enologist Michel Rolland makes some of the world's best red wines" Archived 2008-07-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 0-7566-1324-8.
External links
- Château Pape Clément official site (in French and English)