2023 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone

A beautiful looking barrel sample, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape is deep purple-hued with a classic 2023 profile of darker berry fruits, peppery garrigue, and spices. It's concentrated, medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered, seamless profile, ripe tannins, and a great finish.

95-97 points jebdunnuck.com

Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape from the Southern Rhone is one of France’s truly great wines, a benchmark for balance, finesse and the expression of terroir. The estate is owned and run by Paul Avril and his son Vincent Avril, whose family has been growing grapes in Chateauneuf du Pape since the 17th century. Under Vincent’s stewardship, Clos des Papes has earned its reputation as one of the appellation’s finest producers, consistently producing wines of elegance and longevity that stand apart from the more overtly powerful styles often associated with the region.

The estate covers about 32 hectares spread across more than twenty parcels within Chateauneuf du Pape, showcasing the full diversity of its famous terroir of galets roulés, sand, clay and limestone. This mosaic of sites, combined with meticulous organic farming, produces fruit of exceptional quality and complexity. The blend is predominantly Grenache, supported by Mourvèdre, Syrah and small amounts of the other permitted varieties. Each parcel is harvested and vinified separately, then blended to achieve the seamless harmony that defines the Clos des Papes style. The wine is aged for around 15 months in large old foudres to allow gentle oxygenation and preserve purity and texture.

In the glass it shows a deep ruby colour with aromas of ripe cherry, black raspberry and plum intertwined with notes of garrigue herbs, lavender, liquorice and spice. On the palate it is rich yet beautifully poised, offering layers of red and dark fruit, pepper, dried herbs and mineral undertones. Silky tannins and bright acidity carry the wine through a long, elegant finish that feels both powerful and weightless. The texture is supple and seamless, a hallmark of Vincent Avril’s precise winemaking and the exceptional balance of his vineyards.

Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape is a wine that pairs wonderfully with dishes that highlight Mediterranean flavours such as roast lamb with rosemary, duck with cherry jus, grilled eggplant with olive tapenade or hearty cassoulet. It also rewards cellaring, evolving gracefully for twenty years or more, developing notes of truffle, dried flowers and savoury spice as it matures.