Chateau Pape Clement 2005

99 THE WINEADVOCATE: "Owned by Bernard Magrez, this great terroir a few miles from Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion has produced one of the superstars of the vintage. A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, Pape Clement’s 2005 has an opaque purple color and smoky barbecue and chocolaty notes intermixed with cassis and blackberries. There is also some underlying minerality in this full-bodied, super-concentrated wine, which has wonderfully sweet, well-integrated tannins. This majestic, multidimensional wines is one of the great, great wines of the vintage. It should drink well for at least another 25 years." 18 WEINWISSER: "Sattes Granatrot, matt in der Mitte. Süsses, schokoladiges Bouquet, Sandelholz, Dörrpflaumen, grosszügige, eichige Süsse zeigend, wunderschöne Röstnoten. Im Gaumen füllig, cremig und trotz der noch mürben Tannine im Hintergrund schon recht viel Spass bereitend. Sehr modern vinifiziert, für gewisse Degustatoren berechtigterweise vielleicht zu übertrieben, im Finale wieder (zu) viele Röstnoten." 97 ANTONIO GALLONI: "The 2005 Pape Clément is a fabulous contrast to the Haut-Brion. The former represents modernism at its best, while the latter is one of the archetypes of classicism. Both are striking. Compelling and seductive from the outset, the 2005 Pape Clément races out of the glass with notable opulence and ripeness. Soft contours and heady aromatics make the 2005 a real joy to taste today. Just beginning to show the first signs of aromatic complexity, the 2005 Pape Clément looks like it won´t be as long-lived as some of the other wines in this tasting, but it is extraordinarily beautiful today. The style is unapologetically flamboyant, yet all the elements are in the right place. When it comes to pure hedonistic pleasure, it´s hard to match the 2005 Pape Clément."