Winemaker Notes
Château Pape Clément white is a brilliant pale yellow, speckled with silver. The nose is bright and aromatic, revealing notes of citrus, white fruits and tropical fruits, underpinned by aromas of chalk and delicate spices as it opens up. On the palate it is vibrant and lively, echoing the complexity of its aromas that linger to the finish, which displays beautiful mineral depth, a silky richness and a refreshing touch of salinity.
Blend: 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 43% Sémillon, 7% Sauvignon Gris
This wine does not include the blanket 10% tariff imposed in April 2025. When the wines are shippable in fall of 2027, customers will have the option to pay any tariff in place at the time or to keep their wines stored in a temperature-controlled facility free of charge in France.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Clean and crisp, ripe lemon, honeyed melon, mint, and crushed stone notes emerge from the light gold 2024 Château Pape Clément Blanc. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, concentrated, fresh, and focused, showing the vintage's more rounded, charming style. It has beautiful balance and a long finish.
Barrel Sample: 93-95 -
James Suckling
Spiced guava, lemon zest and meringue. Bright and lightly saline on the palate with medium body and a long, nicely phenolic finish. Bone-dry but flavorful.
Barrel Sample: 94-95 -
Decanter
A bit shy aromatically. Gorgeous lemon and creamy mango and pineapple on the palate. Assured and nicely textured with weight as well as acidity. A touch viscous and silky while having a lifted frame overall. Mouthwatering with nuances of orange zest, lemon juice, creamy vanilla and pear. Good quality - I like the structure.
Barrel Sample: 93 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2024 Pape Clément Blanc emerges from the glass with aromas of pear, confit citrus, lime and herbs, followed by a moderately weighted, supple and lively palate built around tangy acids that culminate in a fresh, fruity finish.
Barrel Sample: 90-92
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
Recognized for its superior reds as well as whites, Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank claims classified growths for both—making it quite unique in comparison to its neighboring Médoc properties.
Pessac’s Chateau Haut-Brion, the only first growth located outside of the Médoc, is said to have been the first to conceptualize fine red wine in Bordeaux back in the late 1600s. The estate, along with its high-esteemed neighbors, La Mission Haut-Brion, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pique-Caillou and Chateau Pape-Clément are today all but enveloped by the city of Bordeaux. The rest of the vineyards of Pessac-Léognan are in clearings of heavily forested area or abutting dense suburbs.
Arid sand and gravel on top of clay and limestone make the area unique and conducive to growing Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc as well as the grapes in the usual Left Bank red recipe: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and miniscule percentages of Petit Verdot and Malbec.
The best reds will show great force and finesse with inky blue and black fruit, mushroom, forest, tobacco, iodine and a smooth and intriguing texture.
Its best whites show complexity, longevity and no lack of exotic twists on citrus, tropical and stone fruit with pronounced floral and spice characteristics.