CHÂTEAU PAPE CLEMENT
2024 Cru Classé Pessac-Léognan
Ripe currants, scorched earth, and graphite all emerge from the 2024 Château Pape Clément, which shows a terrific sense of minerality. Based on 53% Merlot and 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it's medium to full-bodied, fresh, and focused, with ultra-fine tannins. This understated, seamless, and beautifully balanced Pessac-Léognan is well worth your time and money. Just classic stuff. Rating: 95-97 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2025)
In Bond
75cl bottles (wood case of 6)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Sweet damson fruit, concentration through the mid palate that balances out the austerity on the opening. These are tannins with ageing ability. Harvest September 23 through to October 11. 50% new oak, with the rest between larger oak casks, one year old oak and amphora. Bernard Magrez owner, Julien Viaud consultant. 60ha today, did get as high as 90ha but they are back to focusing on the original Pauillac vineyards boht for the red and white wines. Drinking range: 2030 - 2042 Rating: 92 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2025)
The 2024 Pape Clément now only comes from the original terroir in Pessac. It underwent a rigorous sorting such that 30% was deselected and the Grand Vin comprises half of the remainder. It is aged 70% in barrel (two-thirds new), 15% in foudres and 15% in concrete and stainless-steel/sandstone vessels. It has an elegant bouquet, certainly more restrained than recent vintages with crisp black fruit and veins of blueberry and iris flower. The palate is medium-bodied and powdery in texture with sappy blackberry and bilberry fruit, but the tannins just feel a bit sharp on the finish at the moment. Tasted four or five times, the 2024 is a Pape-Clément with good intentions but doesn't deliver on its promise. The same approach in a benevolent vintage would yield a far better wine. Drinking range: 2029 - 2048 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2025)
A rich wine for this vintage, showing roasted spices and some dark chocolate to the blackcurrants, pine cones and berries. Sour cherries with sharp acidity and nicely chewy tannins on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Good structure and length. Rating: 94-95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2025)
53 CS 45 M 1 CF 1 PV Saturated and concentrated oak and dark brooding fruit with a savoury edge and much complexity. Full and rich in the mouth with plenty of fruit weight and the right amount of tannins to suit it. Rich and palate-coating depth, not at all lean. The vintage's freshness apparent only on the finish. Very good indeed. Rating: 93 Rod Smith MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2025)
The 2024 Pape Clément is unusual in that Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend. That is evident in the wine's strong savory profile and overall structural feel. A reduction in the oak imprint emphasizes fruit and overall vibrancy. The 2024 is not as showy or easy to taste as most vintages, but the style here has also undergone a pretty radical transformation. It was vinified in oak, steel and concrete. A significant portion of the wine saw malolactic fermentation in tank rather than oak, as had been the case in the past. That adds up to a vibrant, nervy Pape Clément that represents a new era here. Drinking range: 2034 - 2054 Rating: 94-96 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2025)
Château Pape Clement
Pape Clement stakes a good claim to being the oldest vineyard in Bordeaux. On his accession to post of Archbishop of Bordeaux in 1299, Bernard de Groth was gifted the land by his brother and planted a vineyard. Five years later Bernard was elected Pope Clement V, from which title the estate takes its name. Too busy with Papal business, the estate was handed over to the Archbishops of Bordeaux who owned it until the Revolution.
The common malaise of 20th Century wars, depression and general decline saw Pape Clement in the doldrums by the 1970's. However, under the ownership of the Montagne family and the stewardship of Bernard Magrez, Château Pape Clement has become one of the leading estates in Pessac-Léognan.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. Many properties specify a standard case format, and may make additional charges for six-bottle cases, for example. We offer wood cases of six bottles as standard where these are available without extra charge, but we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. If you want six-bottle cases where a 12 bottle case is offered, please check for the extra case charge. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£9.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2027. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.