2013 Clos des Papes en primeur 

The first of the excellent 2013 Chateauneufs

Vincent Avril is one of our heroes. If you cut us we don't exactly bleed Clos des Papes, but if you examine staff reserves you'll see it in all of them. In multiple vintages.

Why do we like the wines so much? Several reasons. Avril - a bit of a Champagne socialist - believes that the true expression of Chateauneuf-du-Pape lies in the blending across the vineyards and varieties. He thinks that creating a tiny and unaffordable 'cru' from a top site does harm to the grand vin and isn't anyway a real Chateauneuf. With a bit of age, his wines taste like Pinot Noir - and he did spend a lot of time in Burgundy.

Vincent's very quietly organic with more than a touch of biodynamics in his cultivation, resulting in eyewateringly small yields that make his wines intense. He likes Mourvedre a lot and in 2013 that fondness and quantity really paid off for the estate. For in 2013 the Grenache had a dreadful flowering resulting in a much reduced crop and leaving the way clear for Mourvedre to assume a rare starring role in the blend. It's a unique vintage in our experience for the estate and even at this stage the wine looks very exciting.

Buy two or more packs of this remarkable wine and we'll give you £15 off each one, white or red, mix and match. Production is down and the critics have yet to publish their verdicts; now is the ideal time to add this brilliant vintage to the cellar. /CW

Offered subject to remaining unsold; available autumn 2015