Château Pape Clément 2024

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 window: 2034-2054. (Antonio Galloni,vinous.com)