Clos des Papes is one of the defining properties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is famed for its elegance and ability to age — or as Matt Walls puts it in The Wines of the Rhône, its 'sublime finesse'. That finesse may have something to do with current owner and winemaker Paul-Vincent Avril who, like his father before him, trained in Burgundy. And they are only the most recent incumbents — there have been Avrils making wine in Châteauneuf since the 1600s.
The Clos des Papes itself is one of the domaine's key vineyards, sited near the ruins of the 14th century Papal castle. The estate is made up of 23 plots in total, spanning gravel, clay, sand and limestone; Paul-Vincent thinks of that as a strength rather than a farming challenge. Different soils demand different grapes. Clos des Papes Rouge is typically made from 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, then a 5% co-fermented blend of the other traditionally-permitted local varieties: Counoise, Vaccarèse, Muscardin, Terret Noir, Cinsault and Picquepoul Noir. As Paul-Vincent likes to say, 'diversity means complexity in the wine'.
To prove how well Clos des Papes can age, we're delighted to offer a mixed case with one bottle each of six mature and maturing bottles of Clos des Papes Rouge. We will also have a selection of Rhone wines on tasting today, including the 2018 Clos des Papes Rouge and 2011 Clos des Papes Blanc. /NT
Clos des Papes mixed case
6x75cl
£420 case inc duty and VAT
Saving £40.70 including free delivery
Only 6 mixed cases available
Contains one bottle of each of the following wines:
