Paul and Vincent Avril, a father and son team, established themselves as one of the finest producers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Despite being predominantly Grenache, it is reminiscent of an elegant northern Rhône Syrah with the texture of a Pinot. With a medium bodied intensity, it has a beautiful red fruit expression with some savoury notes. Harmony, finesse and elegance are probably the three words that best describe this beauty. One for the cellar.

Elegance, purity of fruit, freshness and energy are at a very level for this semi difficult vintage. The wine serves up ripe, sweet, pure red fruits and spicy berries in suave, polished, sexy finish. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/search-wine-tasting-notes/?szSearch=2014+Clos+des+Papes

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to taste Vincent’s 2015 from foudre, but his 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape is certainly one of the wines of the vintage. And while it possesses terrific notes of peppery herbs, Provençal spice, kirsch and darker berry fruits, it’s on the palate where this beauty shines! Medium to full-bodied, incredibly balanced, seamless and pure, with beautiful fruit, it has present tannin, terrific mid-palate depth and a great finish. It won’t be the longest lived wine from the estate, but it’s beautiful and will certainly drink well for a decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

Shows a lightly mulled edge. The warm raspberry and boysenberry confiture notes mingle with cedar, cinnamon, black tea and tobacco details. Everything pulls together on the finish, extended by a shiso leaf echo. Very refined. Drink now through 2030. — J.M.

The 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape from Clos des Pape offers an exotic, complex style and has more richness than most in the vintage. Black cherries, olive, tobacco leaf, earth and saddle leather characteristics all give way to a beautifully textured, layered 2014 that has plenty of depth and density. It’s a forward, supple, charming effort from Paul-Vincent to enjoy over the coming decade.