Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

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jckba
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Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by jckba »

I received an invite to join a group of Bdx wine enthusiasts at the Musket Room in NYC on Monday night for a look into the wines of Pape Clement, thanks Ramon. I do not really own all that much Pape Clement (09, 12 and 14 on pre-arrival) and ended up bringing the 2009 which was one of the younger wines in show as there was some interest in tasting a wine that Parker had garnered with a 100 point score granted on a second go around but still. I didn't take notes but will offer up my general impressions.

We started the evening off with a NV rose champagne from Doyard 'Oeil de Perdrix' that I had never seen before and was pleasant enough but did not do much for me => 87 points, along with a set of 3 drastically differing whites including a 1994 Pape Clement Blanc which was a little one dimensional in its waxed state of evolution => 88 points, a 2013 Francois Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champs-Gain which was initially served to warm for my liking but still managed to pair the best with the salmon app that I had ordered but I retried a small pour of this again towards the end of the evening after it had been sitting in the ice bucket for 2 hours along with the female sommelier and we both agreed that it had drastically changed for the better => 92 points as well as a 1996 Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Reserva and it on the other hand was served too cold but opened up as it sat and warmed up in the glass with its typical oxidative and sherried profile => 91 points. Onto the reds.

The first flight was the 1986 vs the 1990. I keep hearing people complaining about '86 Bdx and them not being ready but this was another btl that was open for business and was a perfectly integrated treat => 93 points. There was something off (i.e. heat damage?) with the '90 as on the palate it had a short clipped finish that I could not get past so I did not waste my intake on this => rating reserved.

The second flight was the 1996 vs 1998. Upon being poured, both of these wines had similar noses but I had a clear preference for the '96 though as it was showing more depth on the palate with its riper black fruit, earthy, tobacco and cedar driven palate => 94 points whereas the '98 was a tad less fulfilling on the palate => 93 points.

The third flight was the 2000 vs the 2001. One of the topics that kept coming up at the table over the course of the evening was when did the Magrez / Rolland style hit full swing, and for me that was with these 2 wines as they moved towards a more full bodied style where the oak was present and certainly more present in the '01 than the '00 but it did not bother me in the least. Both of these wines were a step up in terms of intensity and concentration, and while the '00 was drinking better => 95 points the '01 had a distinct edge that pared perfectly with my deer entree which in turn made it my WOTN => 95 points.

The fourth and final flight included the 2003, 2009 and 2014. The '03 offered up a beautiful range of ripe flavor expression that I fell in love with and was closer to oaked and elegant :mrgreen: than roasted in any way, shape or form. I was the outlier in this group as I was the only one to rank this in their top 3 on the night and I ranked it 3rd => 95 points. I popped the '09 at 1PM while still in the office and proceeded to decant it for 3 hours before pouring it back into the btl and heading into the city. While this wine was young and ripe and dark red fruited, it showcased a seamless balance that very few wines achieve, not the best wine to drink tonight but I am sure glad I have the remaining 11 btls to track this puppy over the coming years => 95 with a big ass +. The '14 tasted like a barrel sample compared to everything else we had on this night but I kind of laughed at myself as when I tasted it at the UGC in January I liked it and subsequently bought it but as with everything, what you serve it with and alongside, always makes for a different experience => rating reserved.

A dessert of blue cheese paired nicely with an 1988 Guiraud that was fully mature and relatively simple so if I were holding any, I would advise to drink up = 91 points but a great way to end the evening! I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the company as well as the wine and food.
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William P
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by William P »

Thanks for the notes. Nice lineup.

Bill
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by Comte Flaneur »

That's a pretty good write up for no notes JC, thanks for your impressions.

Yours contrast quite starkly with Dale's posted on Berserkers.

In particular the 2001 seems to be quite a polarising wine. Like Dale I thought it was a horror show when it was young, and a sad reflection of the pursuit of Parker points at the time. But even he said that it is not as awful today as it was back then.

I guess time will tell how these modern Papes age. I noticed another decidedly mixed report on the 1998 from both of you.
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Blanquito
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by Blanquito »

I remember that epic thread you posted about the changes at Pape Clement on the old BWE MSN site, Ian.
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Winona Chief
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by Winona Chief »

I am not one of those people complaining about 1986 Bordeaux. I like the vintage. I think most of them are really starting to strut their stuff.

I am a big fan of the 1996 Pape Clement. Very good plus it was relatively cheap for a long time.

Chris Bublitz
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JimHow
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by JimHow »

I am not one of those people complaining about 1986 Bordeaux. I like the vintage. I think most of them are really starting to strut their stuff.

I am a big fan of the 1996 Pape Clement. Very good plus it was relatively cheap for a long time.
I agree with everything said here.
It was a thrill to drink, yet again, the 1986 Gruaud Larose in SF last week. Brilliant stuff.

we drank the 2001 Pape Clement in Chicago in 2004. we picked it up at Sam's or Binny's, I can't remember which.
I know DavidG was in the room when we tried it. We liked it! We liked it then, when it first hit the shelves.
Fresh, vibrant, I wouldn't at all call it Parkerized.
I don't remember whether I've had it since then. I don't think I have.
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Blanquito
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by Blanquito »

WARNING-PRICE NOSTALGIA POST: I got 6 of the 96 Pape Clement for $35/each (in stock) from Premier Cru in 12/2003. I also got some 96 GPL for $40 and the 96 Lafon Rochet for $28 with that order. That was my first PC purchase and I was hooked.
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Blanquito
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by Blanquito »

Tom-in-DC/now-Denver brought a bottle of the 86 Pape Clement to a tasting in DC a few years ago. We also had the 1970 Haut Brion, the 83 Pichon Lalande, the 85 La Mission Haut Brion (that Winona Chief brought), and the 83 Leoville Las Cases that night. The 85 La Miss was everyone's WOTN, but the 86 Pape was a close second.
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by Nicklasss »

Nice report jckba, on a well reputed Pessac. I like your note about the millenium vintage. But from what you wrote, Pape Clément can be buy with confidence.

I only have the 2000 at one, amd reports have been consistent about it. When will I open a bottle?

The 1998 look great to me, last fall in Québec City, with Jimhow and dstgolf.

85 La Mission, the wine I brought to NY 03 convention. What a wine! What a convention!

What a Nic!
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DavidG
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by DavidG »

Fun read, jc.

I remember that bottle of 2001 Pape Clement, Jim. It was just released and while noticeably oaky it was also fresh and crisp. No excessive sweet/overripe or flabby characteristics at that time. Haven't had it since.

I bought a half case of the 2012 based on BWEnabling enthusiasm for the wine at the Bordeaux BWE Convention. One of my last young Bordeaux purchases.
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AKR
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by AKR »

Blanquito wrote:WARNING-PRICE NOSTALGIA POST: I got 6 of the 96 Pape Clement for $35/each (in stock) from Premier Cru in 12/2003. I also got some 96 GPL for $40 and the 96 Lafon Rochet for $28 with that order. That was my first PC purchase and I was hooked.
I hate to say it, but those were likely from the era when a warehouse operator was selling off his storage clients holdings, fencing through an unwitting / uncaring John Fox.

(I got some deals in that era too)

And then all those "in stock" deals dried up when the scheme was discovered

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/07 ... e-20120207

https://www.winefraud.com/winefraud-news/premier-cru/

Mark Anderson part is in the middle.
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jckba
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Re: Pape Clement @ the Musket Room 4/3

Post by jckba »

Comte Flaneur wrote: Yours contrast quite starkly with Dale's posted on Berserkers
Yeah I guess but we were also seated at opposite ends of the table ;) but more seriously, I think that my tolerance or acceptance of more modern styled wines with riper fruit and heavier handed oak treatments probably stems from the fact that I grew up drinking wines from this era, both domestic and foreign, and as a result, it is not something that I find offputting when done well, it's when it's overdone or out of balance that I have issues (think Lascombes).
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