1949 and 1959 Pape Clément

BY NEAL MARTIN | AUGUST 05, 2024

Mature vintages of this Pessac-Léognan stalwart are frustratingly elusive. Perhaps due to its exclusion from the 1855 Classification, outside of Haut-Brion, the appellation’s wines did not have the kudos of their contemporaries in Pauillac or Saint-Julien. Consequently, a far greater proportion were consumed within the first decade of their lives. That’s a pity because they mature as well as any Bordeaux. Like many Bordeaux estates, Pape Clément suffered during the 1930s and the war. Under owner Paul Montagne, it was not until the 1950s that renovation was completed and the wines could reach their potential. Might that explain why the 1959 Pape Clément outshone the 1949 when served at a Bordeaux-themed dinner in Hong Kong last September? Both bottles came from the same cellar.