Château Pape Clément 2010

Description

I certainly underrated the 2010 Pape Clement from barrel, rating it only 93-95+. (Thank God I put a 'plus' there!) Having tasted it four times in Bordeaux, and rating it perfect three times and 99 the fourth time, this final blend of 51% Merlot, 47.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1.5% Petit Verdot is perfection in a bottle. Tipping the scales at 14.5% natural alcohol, there are 8,000 cases of it. Its sublime elegance, the power, the medium to full-bodied texture, the silky tannins, the subtle notes of smoke, lead pencil shavings, black currants, charcoal, camphor, blueberry and cassis fruit are all remarkable. It is a rich, full-throttle wine, but the elegance and the great terroir of Pape Clement come through in abundance. It is slightly more developed and evolved than the 2005 was at a similar point in its evolution, but it certainly needs another 5-7 years to develop further nuances, which it surely will. This wine will last 30-40+ years. Drink date: 2013-2053. Score - 100. (Robert Parker Jr., robertparker.com, Feb. 27, 2013)

Tags

Medium-bodied & Fruity, Merlot Blend, Red Wine, Wine, XD - Extra Dry