The Wine Advocate | RP 95
Published: Sep 29, 2023

Cherries, raspberries and truffles appear on the nose of the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape, which weighs in at 15.1% alcohol. Showing ample concentration and length, this medium to full-bodied effort isn't quite as well endowed as the 2022, but it's still a gorgeous wine, framed by silky tannins and finishing with bright, pomegranate-like fruit.

One of my favorite visits each year is with Paul-Vincent Avril at Clos des Papes. There's a white and a red. So, it can be simple. Or we can taste through each of the foudres and dig into the back-vintage vault. Avril is generous with his time and seems to actually enjoy talking about his wines, not something every winemaker can do so easily. That said, it's not always rainbows and unicorns, even at such a storied estate.

"In six vintages, I lost the equivalent of two," Avril said, running down the litany of woes. "In '17, coulure, -40%. In '18, mildew, -70%. '19 and '20 were good. In '21, nearly 40% lost to frost. In '22, hail, -40%."

Perhaps in light of the hail losses in 2022, Avril claims there's not such a big qualitative difference between 2021 and 2022. "There's no dilution for me," he said. His finished alcohol levels are about 15.4% in 2022 and 15.1% in 2021. "It's a fine and delicate vintage."

That said, he admits to enjoying the 2022 as well. "It's the kind of vintage I like. Elegant, powerful but not too much, and the tannins are very ripe. In this area, the acidity is low, so for ageability you need the best tannins."

Certainly, it's impossible to go wrong with the recent vintages here, which range from merely excellent to potentially close to perfect. Avril holds back a portion of his production each year for later sales to restaurants in France. When I visited this year, the current offer was the 2010, which seems to be close to its apogee. As I reviewed it last in May 2022 (98 points), I haven't written another one here, but if anything, this bottle was less mature, with plenty of life still ahead of it.
Drink Date: 2023-2035

Decanter | D 95
Published: Oct 1, 2022

Defined raspberry and redcurrant fruits, some woody spices in the background. Quite a rounded, fluid style, the acidity is really quite marked this year. Tannins are gentle, and it finishes on raspberry and redcurrant coulis. There's a silky touch on the palate. It's built around the acidity, the tannins are just gently sandy. Good sense of purity, quite a Burgundian vintage. Less Grenache in the blend this year as it was particularly hit by the frost. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2038

Winemaker

Paul Avril (1873-1962) was one of the people behind the creation of the appellation. In 1896 he started to sell his wines with the name Clos des Papes. Regis Avril (1901-1987) delivered wines to two presidents of France General de Gaulle and Georges Pompidou. Paul Avril (1937-2009) started working at the domain 1963 at first together with his father and later for many years with his son. Paul-Vincent Avril (1965 - ) attended as a young man wine school in Bourgondy and when he went back to the domain in 1988 he had visions about finesse and elegance and he still considers these qualities as most importent for a high class wine.

Today the property covers 32 ha. 3 ha. is with white varieties. 24 different parcels are spread around the town. One parcel is nearby the pope's castle and has been surrounded by walls (clos). From here came the name of the domain. Since 2011 the vineyards are certified "agriculture biologique"

Only one cuvee of white (10% of the production) and of red Chateauneuf du Pape are made. Since 1991 destalking has been total and since 1987 the total production has been bottled at the domain. The secret behind the high quality is a low yield. In vintage 2007, 2008 and 2009 the yield has been 25, 17 and 19 hl/ha. The yield is minimized by green harvest and by repeated sorting of the grapes during harvest. Clos des Papes is not a place for experiments. The aim is constantly to make a wine of very high quality that meet the expectations from Paul Vincent Avril himself as well from his costumers around the world. It's a sign of quality to Avril if the wine is recognizable through the vintages. 80% of the production counting about 100.000 bottles is exported. It's not at all a problem for Avril to sell his wines even in times where the market suffers from crisis.

Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge
65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and 5% others.
Aged in foudres for 12-15 months.

After the paucity of yield in 2018 (9hl ha), he no doubt breathed a huge sigh of relief at the end of the harvest. For 2019 had heavily compensated them with a highly qualitative and generous crop, at least by Clos de Papes standards, which means yields of 20-25 hl /ha. This has meant a return to a more typical Clos des Papes blend, favouring Grenache. 2019 is a powerful, incredibly silky and balanced vintage that seems destined for a long life. In Vincent?s opinion it is comparable to legendary vintages 2016 and 2010.