Château Pape Clément

Identity

Château Pape Clément is a winegrowing estate located in Pessac, in the Gironde. It is owned by Bernard Magrez and benefits from the consultancy of oenologist Michel Rolland. Frédéric Chabeaneau manages the estate, while Gilles Paquereau serves as cellar master and Sébastien Esquerre as vineyard manager.

History and philosophy

The history of Château Pape Clément dates back to 1252, marking its first documented harvest. Its name derives from Bertrand de Goth, its first recorded owner in 1299, who went on to become Pope Clément V in 1305. In 1309, he donated his vineyard to the Archbishop of Bordeaux. The estate remained the property of the archbishopric until the French Revolution, when it was confiscated as national property and auctioned off in 1791.

Following several changes of ownership, Jean-Baptiste Clerc, a Bordeaux shipowner, acquired the estate in 1858. He built the current château in 1864 and set about revitalising the vineyard. In 1937, a severe hailstorm devastated much of the vineyard, which was replanted from 1950 onwards under the impetus of Paul Montagne, an agricultural engineer who had purchased the property in 1939. Paul Montagne also enlisted the consulting services of oenologist Émile Peynaud from 1949.

Château Pape Clément was classified in 1959 as a Grand Cru Classé de Graves for its red wines. In the 1980s, Bernard Magrez took over the management of the estate and subsequently acquired full ownership. Under his direction, major renovations were carried out, including the construction of a barrel cellar in 2003 and the renovation of the vat room in 2007.

Appellations

The wines of Château Pape Clément are produced under the Pessac-Léognan appellation.

Practical information

Château Pape Clément is located at 216, avenue du Docteur-Nancel-Pénard, 33600 Pessac. The estate offers visits by appointment from Monday to Saturday and on Sunday mornings. Cellar door sales are available. The property also offers accommodation services. For further information, the estate can be contacted by telephone on 05 57 26 43 04 or by email at reservation@pape-clement.com.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Château Pape Clément vineyard covers a planted area of 57.2 hectares. It is characterised by soils composed of gravel pebbles coated in sand and clay, forming a layer of Pyrenean clayey gravel. The average vine age is around 30 years, with red grape varieties averaging 40 years and white grape varieties 18 years.

Red grape varieties account for 50 hectares and comprise 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. For the white wines, 7.2 hectares are planted with 48% Sémillon, 44% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris, and 1% Muscadelle. Planting density ranges from 7,700 to 9,000 vines per hectare. Vineyard management includes pruning, leaf thinning, and green harvesting, with draught horses and oxen used for tilling the soil in certain plots.

Flagship cuvées

Château Pape Clément produces both red and white wines. The grand vin rouge, Château Pape Clément, Pessac-Léognan rouge, is characterised by a structure that lends it excellent ageing potential. The grand vin blanc, Château Pape Clément, Pessac-Léognan blanc, offers an aromatic profile and freshness typical of the appellation. The estate's second wine is Le Clémentin du Pape Clément, crafted in both red and white. The property also offers Le Prélat de Pape Clément in red and white, as well as the red cuvée Château Poumey.

Vinification and ageing

Harvesting is carried out by hand, followed by manual destemming. Plot-by-plot vinification is practised. For red wines, fermentation takes place in small wooden vats holding 30 to 70 hectolitres. Malolactic fermentation takes place in oak barrels. Ageing for the red wine lasts 18 months, whilst the white wine is aged in Burgundian oak barrels.