Over the last several years, the Southern Rhone region of Chateauneuf du Pape has broken into the big leagues.  Fueled by a string of nearly ideal weather conditions, save for 2002, the last decade has produced wines that truly are meant for aging. 

One of the stars of this region is Clos des Papes.  Run by the iconic Paul Avril from 1963-1987, Paul turned over the reins to his son, Vincent, in 1987.  Sadly, Paul passed on this summer.  The estate reached its recent pinnacle with the 2005 vintage, awarded the Wine Spectator #1 wine of the year and the 2003 climbing to #2.  A testament to this estate’s reputation and attention to quality are the consistent accolades from many other of the well known international wine expert services as such Robert Parker and Steve Tanzer.  While the wines can be pricy, running between $100 and $350 per bottle depending upon the vintage (and the worldwide economy), it will provide you with incredible drinking pleasure in the years ahead.  Fortunately, the wine is readily available as typically between 6,000 and 9,000 cases are produced in any given vintage.  Typically, the Clos des Papes is a classic blend of 60% +/- Grenache, 20% +/- Mouvedre, 10% Syrah and a small amount of lesser known grapes (Vaccarese, Counoise, and Muscardin). 

Listed below are descriptions of the Clos des Papes from the last several vintages and the drinking window.  For those searching for a pure representation of this region, it’s hard to surpass these wines.  One caveat…. I have not yet spotted this wine in Tucson and suspect that the distributor, Wines of France in NJ, does not distribute to Arizona.  I will confirm this but most consumers know that internet access is just a few clicks away.

2007: A balanced growing year with an Indian Summer at harvest producing very rich and dense reds, with 16% alcohol content.  This wine is huge and meant for aging.

This wine is simply magnificent!  The fruit is reminiscent of black raspberry, boysenberry and kirsch while black tea, hoisin sauce, tar and leather aromas signal that this is one huge wine for the future.  Finishes with surprisedly smooth tannins and is very long lasting.  Aged properly, this wine should go out another 15 years at least.  If you choose to try a bottle now, decant it for at least a few hours.  ~$130

2006:  This was a warm, but not hot, and dry vintage year with some September rains.  The result is that the wine is not quite as dense and tight as the ’07.  The flip side is that the wine is rich and pure; well balanced with impressive minerality and can be consumed now or over the next 10-15 years.  For those who do not wish to wait, this wine offers immediate satisfaction and superb quality.  ~$100

The wine offers a smooth integration of black raspberry and currant, spice, licorice and some earthiness.  As this vintage was sandwiched between the stellar ’07 and the blockbuster ’05, it offers the consumer a slight less pricy alternative to sample one of the great ones.

2005:   This year yielded all that any vintner could dream of with a warm and very dry year but with many cool nights, well timed rains in July and August, and a Mistral (brisk drying wind) late in the vintage to dry the grape clusters and prevent mildew and rotting.  The result is a blockbuster red with fantastic purity of fruit and great structure resulting in its Wine Spectator #1 wine of the year.

This wine is full of black raspberry and kirsch, fig, expresso and a garrigue scent with hefty tannins.  The structure here is impressive and should only integrate further in the years ahead.  As this wine was quite tight when I sampled it a year ago, I would lay this one down for another couple or few years and only then try a bottle every so often to assess how it’s aging.  This wine could age for the next 2 decades if stored properly and will be a gas to enjoy!!  ~$150.

2004:  This was a relatively dry vintage with a smaller than usual crop.  The  grapes yielded a medium-full bodied wine with fruit forward black raspberry and kirsch, mocha and some earthy scents.  Tannins are full yet soft and integrate perfectly.  This is an example of a very approachable, yet still powerful and well structured Clos with all of the ingredients in balance.  Best yet, it’s more affordable than its muscular siblings at ~$100.

2003:  This growing season was marked by very hot and dry weather yielding a powerful and ripe wine.  It resulted in Clos being awarded the Wine Spectator #2 wine of the year.

This is one of those wines characterized by power and elegance simultaneously with luscious blackberry and kirsch scents and against a backdrop of licorice, mocha and black tea.  The color of the wine is a very dark ruby.  As usual, tannins and acidity are in perfect balance to yield a sumptuous wine.  Drink now or age for another 10 or 12 years.  ~$140

2001:  A deep ruby-purple hue yields to aromas of deep raspberry, hints of fig, earth and leather.  Firm tannins and well balanced acidity create a wonderfully smooth mouthfeel.  Great wine that certainly can be enjoyed now but easily age for another 10 or so years.  ~$120

2000:  An intense Clos with a dark purple color and dark raspberry and cherry aromas along with a mildly spicy pepper and an earthy underbrush scent.  Finishes with moderate, well rounded tannins.  A beautiful full wine.  Drink now or over the next 10 or 12 years.  ~$100

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Tags: Avril, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Clos Des Papes, Southern Rhone