The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2022 from Clos des Papes bears Vincent Avril’s unmistakable signature: finesse over brute extraction. Despite 15.5% alcohol, the wine feels cool, taut and remarkably profound – a modern classic of the southern Rhône.
Bottler: Clos des Papes, Avenue Pierre de Luxembourg 13, 84230 Châteauneuf-du-Pape / France
In the glass
Colour
Transparent garnet red with a fine sheen, much lighter than is customary among many neighbours.
Nose
Garrigue, sage, thyme and lavender mingle with liquorice, a touch of leather, ripe cherries, blackberries, blueberries and a hint of undergrowth – sensual, complex and astonishingly fresh.
Palate
Ripe, concentrated dark fruit is balanced by freshness and minerality; warmth is perceptible yet never intrusive. Rounded, present tannins, a dense core of spice and liquorice, accompanied by nuances of kirsch, forest floor and peat.
Character
Powerful and energetic, yet surprisingly cool and precise. Elegance rather than opulence – one of the finest and most profound Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines of the vintage.
Pairing
Rack of lamb with rosemary and black olives, venison loin with juniper jus, grilled entrecôte or hearty Provençal stews seasoned with garrigue herbs.
Notes
A single red cuvée instead of prestige bottlings, complete destemming, spontaneous fermentation in concrete vats and twelve months’ ageing exclusively in ancient foudres. Add to this vines farmed according to organic principles on the famous galets stones right beside the Papal Palace – purism and meticulous attention to detail at the highest level.
Tasting note
Colour & Appearance
Transparent garnet red with a fine sheen, lighter and cooler in the glass than its southern origin would suggest.
Nose
Complex and sensual: garrigue, sage, thyme and lavender meet liquorice and a touch of leather, joined by ripe cherries, blackberries, blueberries and a hint of undergrowth. For all its ripeness, remarkably fresh in expression.
Palate
Ripe, concentrated dark fruit, balanced by freshness and minerality. The warmth of 15.5% ABV is perceptible but never takes centre stage. Rounded, present tannins frame a dense core of spice and liquorice, with hints of kirsch, forest floor and peat.
Finish
Long and precise, with a spicy echo and a freshness that is anything but a given at this level of power.
Terroir & Origin
The Avril family have been winegrowers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape since 1600, and between 1756 and 1790 they provided the village’s first consuls and treasurers. Their wine has been bottled under the name Clos des Papes since 1896; the eponymous plot lies near the ruins of the papal castle. The family farms around 34 hectares of Châteauneuf-du-Pape according to organic principles. The famous galets, round pebbles, store heat during the day and release it to the vines at night.
Grape Varieties & Vinification
A Grenache-led cuvée with Mourvèdre, Syrah and other varieties of the appellation. Fully destemmed, spontaneously fermented in concrete vats and aged for twelve months exclusively in old foudres, without new oak. At 15.5% ABV, a vintage of southern ripeness that Paul-Vincent Avril has built cool and taut.
Food Pairings
Ideal with rack of lamb with rosemary and black olives, saddle of venison with juniper jus or grilled entrecôte. Also a dependable partner for hearty Provençal stews with garrigue herbs.
Special Notes
Paul-Vincent Avril deliberately makes only one red and one white per vintage; his guiding principle is finesse over extraction. The wines go to 50 countries, and even the corks have come from the same French maker since 1924, made from Portuguese cork. The 2022 shows this obsession with detail in its purest form: profound, cool and impressively long.
