Clos Des Papes - Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2021 (Pre-arrival) (750ml)
Price: $94.00
| Producer | Clos Des Papes |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhone |
| Varietal | Grenache |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Sku | 1413303 |
| Size | 750ml |
Having bottled Chateauneuf since the end of the nineteenth century and being prominent members in the town since at least two centuries before this, the Avril family of Clos des Papes have made the estate into one of the great established names in Chateauneuf.
The estate is currently run by Paul-Vincent Avril, who attended wine school in Burgundy in the 1980s after working abroad (including a stint at Mount Mary in Victoria with Dr John Middleton) and returned home in 1988 to work with his father Paul. Since then he has succeeded in making what many regard as the single best example of the appellation, producing just one red and one white wine.
The red comes from two dozen parcels of vines and is normally a blend of abut 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and the remaining 5% being a mix of other permitted varieties. In some vintages, such as 2020, the contribution of the Mourvèdre is higher with a corresponding reduction in the proportion of Grenache. The significant quantities of Mourvèdre give the wine a particular structure. The white is made from nearly equal percentages of six varieties.
Many parcels are co-fermented. The red wine is aged in large foudre of various sizes for 18 months. The white grapes are co-fermented in two batches depending on picking dates. The white wine is aged on lees with no malolactic for 5 months before bottling.
The wines are known for having intensity and richness but also elegance and finesse.
Wine Spectator: 96 Points
Elegant and approachable this stunning red offers seductive aromatics of smoked incense and red tea with floral high notes followed by a well of cassis licorice and red currant flavors coated in graphite. Dusty in feel with fine-grained tannins bringing structure and textural complexity while an iron element lingers on the very long finish. Grenache Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2035. 6000 cases made 750 cases imported. - Kristen Bieler
Wine Advocate: 96 Points
Very different from the 2022 vintage the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape from Clos des Papes is deeper and more powerful. It reveals delicate aromas of flowers iris lilac and spices intertwined with lovely peppery notes. Full-bodied concentrated and dense it displays the estate?s characteristic tension but with perfectly controlled power that brings a richer solid core of fruit. The finish is long ethereal and peppery complemented by velvety tannins that promise graceful aging. It has a real potential to improve in the cellar. Published: Oct 31 2024 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...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. - Joe Czerwinski
Vinous: 94 Points
The 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made with slightly more Grenache and less Syrah than previous vintages. Intermixing aromas of red and black fruits dried herbs white pepper and crushed rocks this 2021 shows slightly less intensity than either the 2020 or 2019. Full-bodied elegant and framed by smooth tannins it is well-balanced by fresh acidity and closes with a savory finish. (Drink between 2026-2046)
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