Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Quite translucent, gorgeous nose...there is a little bit of pervasive heat but in a nice way, like you would get in a 2007 Barolo; call it warmth, inviting warmth. Nice bright translucent and a pleasant bit of mustiness with a reassuring hint of mouse droppings. Also a welcome dustiness allied to a still judicious modicum of (mainly black) fruits, and just enough acidity to hold the show together, allied to some classy minerally overtones and a hint of liquid coal, more prevalent in recent vintages. There is plenty of tobacco and a bit of scorched earth on top of an underlying gravelly-ness and spicey-ness. This is very pleasurable to drink now. Quite frankly fabulous as is.

Having had this a few times I think the descriptors of mustiness and mouse droppings don't do it justice!

This was made back before they turned the estate up to '11'

Some BWEers really liked this before the more modern incarnations of this wine.
As I recall Pappa Doc was big on this wine.

Me too.

One of my favorites.

Great TN, thanks. I too think the '90 PC is stellar, and I had more. The '96 is also really singing right now -- better than most '96's are now drinking.

--Gary Rust

I can drink bretty wines with horse-$hit on the nose all day, but you mention mouse droppings and, well, I just hope I forget this note before I open my next Pape Clement.

Can't say that I have much experience with what mouse droppings smell like and some of these descriptors are horse shit. Loved the 90 Pape and certainly don't remember anything about Mickey having visited the bottle but certainly remember most of the funkiness blowing off once the bottle opened up. Unlike David some brett is OK for me but can't drink a lot of CNDPs because of the strong funk. Used to hate Talbot but maybe I'm changing with age as well.Had a 73,74,79 and 83 Pape this past year with the latter being quite classic leather and tobacco but still doing very well indeed. All were still right in my wheelhouse with the 73 being the weakest of the lot fading by comparison but still enjoyable and must say I miss this classic style of old school Bordeaux.

I wonder if my unopened case of 1998 Pape Clement is old school or new school?

I have not had the 98 since the NYC offline we were at. I suspect it is in the median ground of new and old school. I liked it enough to buy 2 bottles.

Definitely new school

The first resolutely new school Pape. Still probably needs more time.

I remember loving the 96 Pape Clement, which I recall as more old school, and I loved the 2000 Pape Clement, which was definitely new school.

Comte Flaneur wrote:Definitely new school

The first resolutely new school Pape. Still probably needs more time.

But the vintage is not as hot as the latter years. The 98 ought to be drinking nicely now.

Jim which Pape did you bring to the BWE Conventions a few years ago that we sampled in your room before the main festivities? That one was new school as I recall, but don't recall the year.

That was the 2001 we bought in Chicago and drank in the room David.

JimHow wrote:I wonder if my unopened case of 1998 Pape Clement is old school or new school?

Once you open it, it'll be school's out before you know it!

The problem, of course, is the OCD issue.
If I crack open the case there will not be a bottle left by the end of the year.
You think I'm joking.

Had a 2001 recently that was a great combination of classic Bordeaux aromatics with powerful and juicy fruit.