Ch.Pape Clement Blanc 2014 750ml

Wine Advocate Interim End of March 2017, 1st Apr 2017, Neal Martin
The 2014 Pape Clement Blanc was tasted three times during my tastings. In all three occasions, I felt that it has not quite delivered on that initial promise from barrel, missing the mineral tension of the finest white Bordeaux such as Domaine de Chevalier or Malartic-Lagravière Blanc. The palate is quite rounded on the entry and the new oak is more evident here, lending the texture an attractive creaminess, but filing away some of the tension and nervosité on the finish. I can picture it having broad appeal, but I was hoping for more terroir expression

Château Pape Clément is a Cru Classé Graves property that has one of the oldest documented histories of any Bordeaux vineyard, having been planted in 1300 by Bernard de Groth, the future Pope Clément V. In 1939 the estate was bought by the Montagne family and is now owned and run by Léo Montagne.
Pape Clément is located in the Bordeaux suburb of Pessac and consists of a chai and 32 hectares of vineyards, planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (40%) and small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle.
The quality of the wines at Pape Clément slipped in the 1960s and 70s, largely because of under-investment. Bernard Magrez was appointed as general manager in 1985 and he turned Pape Clément's fortunes around. He introduced more rigorous selection in the vineyards, as well as installing stainless steel vats and raising the percentage of new oak casks used in the maturation process.
Pape Clément now produces one of the finest clarets in Pessac-Léognan.