Château Pape Clément Cru Classé de Graves 1997

Lot presentation

Château Pape Clément Cru Classé de Graves 1997

The wine

Benefitting from a similar micro-climate to its neighbour Haut-Brion, Pape Clément produces highly aromatic, supple and incredibly refined red wines. A substantial proportion of Merlot gives the wines a remarkable silkiness, and makes them accessible for drinking young, although they also have an exceptional capacity to age in great vintages.

Pape-Clément's history dates back to the 13th century, when Bertrand de Goth, the archbishop of Bordeaux, received the land as a gift. Elected pope in 1306, he took the name of Clément V and renamed his property Pape Clément, subsequently leaving it to the Bordeaux clergy, who kept the production for their own consumption. After the French Revolution, the property passed through many hands, which seemed to result in a gradual decline. A disastrous hail storm in 1937 almost put an end to production. Fortunately, the vineyard was purchased in 1939 by an agricultural engineer named Paul Montagne, who revived the property, replanting the vines and renovating the winery, before passing the reins on to his son Léo. By 1953 the vintage wines were flourishing again, but from 1975 onwards, a lack of investment led to something of a decline over a period of about ten years. It was then that Bernard Magrez, now an iconic figure in Bordeaux, arrived on the scene as a co-owner and, from 1985 onwards, the wines regained their former quality, assisted by the talents of Michel Rolland the famous consultant oenologist. Rolland introduced plot-by-plot vinification, giving the wines more complexity and refinement as a result of different terroirs and grape varieties being able to express their individual characteristics before blending.