Clos des Papes: number 1 in Chateauneuf

26 Nov 2015

Clos des Papes

2014 Clos des Papes en primeur

'The 2014 vintage yielded forward, open knit and charming wines that should be ready to go on release and evolve relatively quickly.' - Jeb Dunnuck

Chateauneuf-du-Pape is an inconsistent appellation and impossible to buy blind. Fortunately there is a plethora of top producers who do make super wines year in, year out. One of the most consistently high quality of these is Burgundy-trained Paul-Vincent Avril at Clos des Papes. His wines see no new oak at all (the youngest barrels are 4th fill) and are famously silky and Pinot Noir-like, in this vintage more refined than ever.

Vincent is a fastidious farmer, demanding a lot of his staff at all stages of the season. His yields in 2014 were a mere 15hl/ha. It shows in the quality; he has produced a tiny crop of supple and finely wrought red and white.

The weather pattern in Chateauneuf as a whole mirrored the rest of the country with a precocious start, a cool July and August, and the weather returning to a more seasonal warmth from the end of August. This made it a topsy-turvy vintage as the usual star terroir of water-retaining clay wasn't as successful as the sandy, fast-draining soils. In 2013 the Grenache failed because of poor weather at flowering. In 2014, it bounced back strongly. Those winemakers who recognized the need to prune back excessive fruit from this year's Grenache crop were those who maximised quality and made the year's best wines at Chateauneuf, and these are the wines we will go on to offer. /CW

Offered subject to remaining unsold; available autumn 2016

Vintage Description Cs Sz Bt Sz Cs Bts Cs ib Cs inc Bt inc
2014 ready Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
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6x 75cl 1 0 £300.00 - - Buy
2014 drink or keep Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape
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6x 75cl 2 0 £240.00 - - Buy