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Château Pape Clément, visit & wine tasting

216 Avenue Docteur Nancel Penard, Pessac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Description

Château Pape Clément is the oldest wine estate in Bordeaux, having harvested over 700 vintages. The wine is from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, in the Graves area and its red wine is ranked among the Crus Classés. It was planted in 1300 and belonged at one time to Bertrand de Goth who was to become Pope Clement V - hence the name of the estate. The Grand vin, Chateau Pape Clément, consists of a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot planted over 30ha with another 2.5ha allocated to white grape varietals (Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle). The tour reviewed here lasts 2h and starts with an explanation of the various works and process involved in running and harvesting a vineyard and in producing wine. Afterwards, customers get to visit the barrel cellar where the wine is aged for 18 months before ending with a tasting session of 6 different wines (rosé, white, red ) from different terroirs including the Château Pape Clément red wine.

Access & Transport

If you have a car, the easiest is to drive there; it should take about 25-35mins from the city centre. It is also possible to reach by public transport: bus 42 stops near the entrance on Av. Paul Montaigne and so do #23 and #34 on Av. du Pont de l'Orient. Bus 4 leaves from Place Gambetta in the city centre and stops 700m away (stop name is Pessac Cap de Bos) whilst the line B of the tram also stops in Pessac, 1.5km for the property.

Instructions & Recommendations

The timing of the tours changes varies significantly until end of October so you should double check online. Visitors should book on the website, by phone or email ahead of time (visiteschateaux@bernard-magrez.com) Also, children under 18yrs of age can join the tour for free but cannot taste the wines.

Meta review

Comments for the 2h tour are unanimous about the property itself; visitors find it beautiful and well maintained, likewise for the cellars. The tasting part however draws mixed reviews with many finding it too crowded and commercialized with a lack of attention of the guide and, generally, the staff in the estate. Also, many customers are surprised at not being served wine solely from the Chateau and not everybody enjoys all the wines (that is to be expected actually).

Environmental & Social

Environmentally neutral. Socially the cultural aspect (discovery of the terroir and wine making culture of Bordeaux region) evens out the alcohol element.

Conclusion

The 2h tour at Château Pape Clément ticks a lot of boxes: professional set up in a famous estate located close to the centre of Bordeaux. In our opinion, if you do not want to rent a car and visit the villages further away and want more than just trying out wines in a bar, this really is a great way to learn about the wines and see what a Bordeaux Chateau looks like. It isn't really cheap but we think value is fair.

Key positive

Gorgeous estate and well know Grand Cru

Tours in English available

Can be reached by public transport from downtown Bordeaux relatively quickly

Key negative

A little too commercialized

Slightly expensive

Suitability

Only adults can taste wines but children can tag along and might find some aspects of the tour interesting. It is unclear if the tour is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility, we believe most of it would be except for a close inspection of the vines.

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

May 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
Alcoholic drinks
6 wines including rosé, dry white, and red
Timing
Duration of visit

av. transport time:0h 40m

est. visit time:2h 15m

Regulated hours

Start of Season 1:Apr, 01

Season 1

MONDAY10:00 - 12:15

TUESDAY15:00 - 17:15

WEDNESDAY -

THURSDAY -

FRIDAY15:00 - 17:15

SATURDAY -

SUNDAY -

Start of Season 2:Nov, 01

Season 2

MONDAY14:00 - 16:15

TUESDAY14:00 - 16:15

WEDNESDAY14:00 - 16:15

THURSDAY14:00 - 16:15

FRIDAY14:00 - 16:15

SATURDAY14:00 - 16:15

SUNDAY -

Pricing
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Group price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
€49
45
Adult
18 - 64
€49
45
Child
3 - 17
€0
0
Infant
0 - 2
€0
0
Children can attend the visit for free, however, they cannot taste the wines.

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