Châteauneuf du Pape, Clos des Papes, 2022
Dark cherries, lavender and lusciously styled plums and cracked violet. Suave yet elegant with to-quality fruit tannins and a delicacy of licorice and fine earth spices. Long, large-scaled and yet effortlessly detailed. A blend of approximately 55% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, no more than 10% Syrah and 10% of the other permitted varieties. A blend of 14 organically farmed parcels from across the commune, destalked, fermented in tank and then aged in large wooden vat for 12 months.
critic reviews
Vincent Avril’s 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape has turned out even more beautifully than expected, wafting from the glass with aromas of lilac, menthol, crushed flowers and sweet red berries. Medium- to full-bodied, it’s structured and layered, with an unusually austere profile for Clos des Papes, yet it remains poised and textural, its fleshy core of fruit framed by ultra-refined tannins. The finish is ethereal, delicate and penetrating—a quietly confident wine that should evolve with grace over the coming decade and beyond.
The alluring 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape won me over in a heartbeat. Vivid licorice, sage, blueberry, lavender, red and black cherry as well as crushed flowers hail from the glass. Full-bodied and intense, the 2022 packs ample flavor concentration yet always maintains balance through lifting freshness. Polished tannins neatly structure this ambitious 2022 that has the potential to age gracefully for at least two decades.