Chateau Pape Clement

This chateau is named after the eponymous wine growing pope. A man of the cloth named Bertrand de Goth was born in 1264. At the age of 31 he became Bishop of Comminges in the Pyrenees Mountains. Later he became Archbishop of the Bordeaux region in 1299. As a result he received as a gift the Vineyard de La Mothe in Pessac. Taking an avid interest in his new acquisition he became greatly involved in managing the vineyard to the most modern and rational standards.

On 5th June 1305 the cardinals met in conclave and elected him to the papacy, as a result he became known as Pope Clement V. With the support of Philip IV he decided in 1309 to shift the papal court to Avignon, away from Rome and it’s notorious battles for influence. With the burden of his position bearing down upon him he chose to give his vineyard away so that it would not suffer from his neglect. To this day the vineyard retains the name of this enlightened pope.

The vineyard remained in the hands of the Church who carried on his forward-looking techniques and stringent standards. It soon became a model vineyard.

The Church lost ownership of the vineyard during the French Revolution, and it became public domain. Several owners then followed who battled against various vine afflictions – vine rot, brown rot and then phyllowera. One of these, Jean Baptiste Clerc, acquired it in 1858. His commensurate abilities ensured the renown of Pape Clement’s wines was restored. In fact, it was he who built the chateau itself.

On 8th June 1937 the estate was devastated by a terrible hailstorm. It was purchased two years later by Paul Montagne who worked hard to revive it – his labours ensured the wine recovered its former stature worldwide. His descendents carry on this secular tradition to this day.

The vineyard consists of 32.5 hectares, 30 of which are planted with the common 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 40 percent Merlot. The remaining plots are cultivated with white varieties of 45 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 45 percent Semillon and 10 percent Muscadelle. The grand vin is produced annually in 7,000 cases of red wine and 350 cases of dry white. Wines are aged in oak barrels, of which over half are new oak, for a minimum of fourteen months.