Château Pape-Clément: Tasting & Drinking
As I have outlined in my introduction, Bernard Magrez and the wines of Château Pape-Clément seem set to divide opinion. First, it would seem that, after a downturn in quality during the 1960s and 1970s, the huge level of investment put in place by Bernard Magrez seems to have been of broad benefit to the estate and the wines. The work in the vineyard, including analysis of the terroir and extensive replanting, I have already described. In addition, the château has been refurbished, and graced by a beautiful iron-framed tasting room, designed by Gustave Eiffel, which was discovered in Paris and duly dismantled before being transported to Bordeaux and erected anew in the grounds of Pape-Clément.
I would not wish to criticise solely on the use of technology or for modernisation, both features of the 21st-century Château Pape-Clément. Modern winemaking benefits greatly from appropriate use of new technologies, and it is clear on tasting recent vintages of Château Pape-Clément that the raw materials here are superlative.
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