Château Pape Clément

"I still get chills up my spine when I am tasting during a blending session. I get so excited," he says. "I love my job ... I have a beautiful job. I have 100 clients and 100 different people. It's so good and I love making blends. It is so passionate. For 30 years, I have had the same excitement."
- Michel Rolland

Owned by Bernard Magrez, who ranks #96 out of the top 500 wealthiest wine individuals, Pape-Clément is located in Pessac-Léognan and ranked as Grand Cru. With more than 700 years of experience, this Bordelais producer creates supreme wines. The reds are rich and exciting, and the whites are bright. Encompassing a little over 80 acres, the property is planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, and the whites include 45% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Semillon and 10% Muscadelle. Typical for the region, there are 2 terroirs- gravels, sand and clay.

The estate is named after a previous and prominent owner, Pope Clément V. It’s notable that Michel Rolland is behind the scenes here. James Suckling likens him to a sax player who instinctively knows how to blend and compliment. Pape Clément has no doubt undergone modernization, from the de-stemming practices to the consulting winemaker, and the changes are welcomed.