Clos de Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2012
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
SKU: CELLAR-closdespapes-BLANC
Clos de Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2012
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
SKU: CELLAR-closdespapes-BLANC
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***** JLL (highest rating he gives)
93 pts Vinous
94 pts Wine Advocate (Jeb Dunnuck)
"These are consistently among the most age worthy white wines of the appellation (Chateauneuf-du-Pape), exactly as Vincent Avril intended when he began to assume control of his family's domain..."
-Josh Reynolds, Vinous Media
-Josh Reynolds, Vinous Media
"...the 2012 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc offers up ripe stone fruits, white currants, honeysuckle and licorice to go with a full-bodied, rich and powerful profile on the palate that somehow stays beautifully fresh and focused. It’s a gorgeous wine that can be consumed in its fresh and vibrant youth, or cellared for a decade or two.
-Jeb Dunnuck
-Jeb Dunnuck
93 pts Vinous
Pale yellow-gold. Expressive citrus pith, pear, floral and smoky mineral scents are complemented by a deeper suggestion of toasty lees. Densely packed but vibrant Meyer lemon, pear nectar and candied ginger flavors are sharpened by a suggestion of dusty minerals that builds in the glass. Finishes juicy and sharply focused, offering resonating honeysuckle and mineral notes and superb persistence.
- By Josh Raynolds on December 2015
These are consistently among the most age worthy white wines of the appellation, exactly as Vincent Avril intended when he began to assume control of his family's domain in 1988. Educated at the Lycée Viticole de Beaune, Avril, who recently turned 50 (much to his chagrin) is an enthusiastic fan of Burgundy in general and white Burgundy in particular. He spends a lot of free time in Burgundy visiting old schoolmates and exchanging wines with them. The Burgundian influence is palpable in Avril's mineral-driven, nervy Châteauneuf-du- Pape Blanc, which is aged in stainless steel tanks, with no malo, for six months before bottling. He adamantly believes that before the wine is five years old it should be decanted, and even suggests giving older bottles some air, a point that he has made to me many times over the years with bottles that were up to 20 years old and still showing magnificently.
94 pts Wine Advocate (Jeb Dunnuck)
Looking at Paul-Vincent’s Chateauneufs, and a rich, voluptuous example of this cuvee that possesses great acidity, the 2012 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc offers up ripe stone fruits, white currants, honeysuckle and licorice to go with a full-bodied, rich and powerful profile on the palate that somehow stays beautifully fresh and focused. It’s a gorgeous wine that can be consumed in its fresh and vibrant youth, or cellared for a decade or two. It’s a knockout white that should not be missed! Drink now-2032. One of the benchmark estates, Clos des Papes covers close to 90 acres in Chateauneuf du Pape and is run by the incredibly talented Paul-Vincent Avril. Favoring a single cuvee, his Chateauneuf du Pape is always a blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre 10% Syrah and the rest a mix of Vaccarese, Counoise and Muscardin. No new oak is used in the winery and all new barrels and foudre see three vintages of his non-vintage Le Petit Vin d’Avril before being used for his grand vin. Starting out, the two non-vintage Le Petit Vin d’Avril are both beautifully made (the vines are farmed just like Paul-Vincent Chateauneuf du Pape terroirs and the yields are miniscule) and well worth checking out.
***** JLL (highest rating he gives)
bright yellow. The nose is lovely – fresh as a daisy, with low-key complexity, smoke and mineral, a discreet air of apricot. It’s a winsome, mysterious, graceful bouquet, reminds me of early summer flowers. This is good, tight, stylish, has a flavour of roasted nuts, white fruits leaning towards peach, aniseed and fennel at half way. It has good balance, good grip. This is a great, a very bonny wine – class in the glass. 2035-37 Oct 2017 Previously Nov 2013 ***** shiny, fine yellow; white peach, appealing summer scents and flowers on the nose: an interesting bouquet, has genuine Rhône depth, gras and bounty that are well channelled. There is a very good transfer from the nose to the palate: the white fruits are fine, accompanied by licorice and aniseed. Tender wine which is a good whole, while its acidity and degree work together. Hazelnut is marked, while there is a nectarine skin taste also. There is round, appealing late content, a delightful final point of aniseed. The texture and aroma are lovely here. “The Picpoul and the Bourboulenc are hyper important in a year like this; the Grenache blanc risks too high a degree; maturity was very good this year,” Vincent Avril. “Drink it with turbot, salmon, lobster à la plancha.” Drink until 2015, then it will shut down, so revert from 2021. Less Grenache blanc this year (10%) after colure and 1% more of each of the other varieties. 8,000 b this year. 14.5°. 2031-34 Nov 2013
