Southern Rhone’s landmark region, Chateauneuf du Pape, was the first region to gain AC status in France.
About Chateauneuf du Pape
That was the 1920s – it’s history goes much further back than that. As the name suggests, the wine region was named after the “new papal home,” referring to the period of time in the 1300’s when the pope resided in Avignon instead of Rome.
There are 13 allowed varieties in Chateauneuf du Pape (14 if you count Grenache Blanc separately from Grenache Noir). Grenache is the primary variety, followed by Syrah and Mourvedre as well as Cinsault. About 97% of the wines here are red, although many chateaux are producing whites ranging from quaffable to decadent and ageworthy. Reds from the best estates emit wonderful flavors of gamey spice, blackberries and currant, as well as the herbs and spices that are known to grow in the region.
Note on the soil: The grapes grow on soils covered in rounded, smooth stones called galets (gah-lay). The stones naturally cover most of the soils throughout Chateauneuf du Pape and are two fold in their duties. First, they are able to reflect and absorb the heat, to quicken the ripening of the grapes. They also help to hold in moisture so that the soils are not dried out by the hot Southern French sun.
About Clos des Papes Winery
Chateauneuf du Pape (CNDP) is the Southern Rhone’s most heralded appellation and is named after the town’s 14th century papal palace (once a summer retreat for the Avignon popes). Clos des Papes is indisputably one of the reference points for premium Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Owned by the Avril family, who has been making wine in Chateauneuf-du-Pape since the beginning of the 18th century, this property maintains its distinction of premier status not only because of its exceptional product, but also due to the generosity and graciousness of its owners – Paul (father), Vincent (son) and Madame Avril. Paul was succeeded by his son Regis Avril and his grandson Paul Avril, who ran the winery from 1963 to 1987 and played an integral role in the formation of the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation.
Having contributed greatly to the reputation and success of Rhone wines, Paul Avril passed away in 2009 at the age of 72. The current manager of Clos des Papes is Paul Avril’s son, Paul-Vincent, who according to Jane Anson has “built on his father’s legacy to turn the estate from a local legend to a global star.”
The wine is a majority Grenache with Mourvedre and Syrah, but the Avrils also have some plantings of Muscardin, Counoise and Vaccarese that they do not hesitate to use to enhance the blend. Sourced from 18 separate parcels (one of which was part of the old walled-in papal vineyard, hence the name) it gains its unique character from some sandy soils in the west and southeast and the more limestone/clay earth of the rocky north and northeast. The domaine, which originally formed part of the papal vineyards, first started bottling its wine as Clos des Papes in 1896 under the auspices of Paul Avril.
Acclaimed vintages
Clos des Papes’ ten most recent vintages (2004-13) have an average score of 95.5 from the Wine Advocate, with all of them achieving scores of 90 or above. This compares to an average of 93.1 for wines produced in the previous decade.
In recent years, several of the estate’s wines have come under the spotlight. In 2007, the Wine Spectator proclaimed the 2005 vintage Wine of the Year. James Molesworth, who awarded it 98 points, commented that “it should be a monster – à la the 1990 – when it reaches its peak”.
2007 and 2010 are the most highly scored vintages by the Wine Advocate, receiving 99+ and 99 points respectively from Robert Parker. Parker described the 2007 as “the greatest Chateauneuf du Pape made since 1978 and 1990”, calling it “a sublime expression of the art of winemaking as evidenced by its dense purple color and big, sweet kiss of kirsch, framboise, blackberries, licorice, roasted herbs, and smoked meat.” He says the 2010 “flirts with perfection.”
Other critics appear to share Parker’s enthusiasm. Jancis Robinson awarded the “sumptuous and glorious” 2007 19.5/20 and the 2010 19/20. James Molesworth (Wine Spectator) gave the 2010 97 points, and 98 to the 2010.
Discover the Clos des Papes wine from The Oaks Cellars now