One of the top successes of the vintage, this blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot was harvested between October 8 and 24. The late harvest ensured perfect ripeness as evidenced by the sweet bouquet of black cherries, lead pencil shavings, cassis and subtle barbecue smoke. Well-balanced with good acidity, ripe tannins, medium to full body and a layered mouthfeel, this excellent 2008 can be drunk now and over the next 15+ years.
95 Pts, Robert Parker Wine Advocate # 194, May 2011

Not far off the quality of the monumental 2005, Pape Clement's 2008 was cropped at a lowly 30 hectoliters per hectare. The final blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, and there are approximately 7,500 cases. The 2008 displays a dense purple color as well as a classic northern Pessac-Leognan nose of truffles, asphalt, scorched earth, charcoal, creme de cassis, spice box, and spring flowers. Super-pure and medium to full-bodied with stunning concentration, admirable purity, slightly more acidity than usual, and formidable depth and length, given the sweetness of the tannins and the ripeness of the fruit, this wine should be approachable in 4-5 years, but the vintage's crisp style suggests it will last for 25-30 or more years.
94-96 Pts, Robert Parker Wine Advocate # 182, Apr 2009

Young, full bodied, rich and intense, the wine is loaded with dark fruit, which you can easily see in its color. There is intensity, earthyness, smoke, licorice, espresso and black cherry from start to finish. The wine is a fabulous balance between the sweet fruits, youthful character and promise of future complexities.

The 2008 Château Pape Clément checks in as a blend of 48% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with the balance tiny amounts of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. I wrote in my notes that the nose alone was worth the price of admission, and this beauty has awesome complexity in its smoky tobacco, black fruits, truffly earth, and underbrush notes. It picks up some cold fireplace and graphite notes with time in the glass, and on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered, nicely concentrated, and balanced. It’s drinking well today, but this beauty is going to keep for another two decades.

Full, saturated bright ruby. Restrained but captivating aromas of black fruits and minerals. Big, sweet, broad and mouthfilling, with terrific purity to the dense flavors of black fruits and licorice. Really builds and spreads out on the back half, finishing with suave tannins and lingering dark cherry and mineral perfume. Utterly seamless, highly concentrated wine with captivating sweetness, but there's nothing over the top about this beauty.

The 2008 Pape Clément has a perfumed bouquet with blackberry, boysenberry, pencil lead and black olive scents, just a subtle estuarine element coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, a fine bead of acidity, quite dense and muscular but retaining delineation. My one quibble is that the oak just feels a little too conspicuous towards the finish, so give it another 4 to 5 years. (Tasted at the château and at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual vertical tasting.)

A solid 2008 with subtle berry, currants and light vanilla bean character that turns to chocolate. Full body, with fine tannins and a long, long finish. Best after 2013.

Smoky, toasty oak notes take the lead in this powerful red, framing a core of dark flavors, with cassis, espresso and tar. Bold, with muscular tannins and chewy extract. Best from 2013 through 2020. 7,750 cases made. — TM