CLOS DES PAPES (Paul Avril) Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2023 Bottle

Description

Clos des Papes is a name synonymous with the very best of the Rhône Valley and the 2023 vintage from Paul Avril is a masterpiece of balance. Unlike many in the region who produce various cuvées, Avril famously makes just one red wine to ensure the highest possible quality. This is a soulful blend where Grenache takes the lead, offering a beautiful mix of ripe kirsch, wild herbs, and a touch of black pepper.

What makes this wine so special is its incredible finesse. Despite its natural power, it feels remarkably silky and elegant on the palate. There is a real sense of place here, with a stony minerality that grounds the vibrant fruit. It is a sophisticated and honest red that will age beautifully for years.

*****

THE WINE ADVOCATE 99+ points
Drink Date: 2025 - 2050
The 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape from Clos des Papes is exquisite, wafting from the glass with a captivating bouquet of sweet red berries, iris, dark cherries, menthol, blood orange and flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and textured, it’s denser than usual, with a more pronounced structure and a lovely, fleshy core of fruit. Concluding with an ethereal, saline and weightless finish, this is a strong candidate for wine of the vintage—one that should evolve with grace over the coming years to attain a likely perfect score.

DECANTER 97 points
Drinking Window: 2031 - 2039
Deeply coloured and quite dark in character, with damson and liquorice notes. It’s generous, full-bodied, quite spicy and fairly potent, with lovely bright, sappy acidity and very fine, soft tannins. There are some similarities with 2022 and 2020, though it’s not as punchy as 2022 nor quite as energetic as 2020. This should be very good, and will drink before both of these recent vintages. All destemmed, aged in old foudres. The estate had a good yield this year, at 25hl/ha.

JAMES SUCKLING 95 points
Impressive volume to this 2023, with so much texture and spices, yet it remains totally in control. Silky and fine-tuned, it showcases aromas of dark cherries, dark plums, exotic spices, dried flowers and some dried leaves. It's full-bodied with fine-grained tannins and a seductive, silky texture. There’s precise polish here. The rich fruit and intense core of spice complement each other, providing a well-composed, harmonious palate. Long, succulent and flavorful finish. Drink or hold.

VINOUS 95 points
Drinking Window 2027 - 2045
Cassis pastilles, licorice, ripe blackberry, herbal tones and peppery accents introduce the 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which was bottled in May 2025. Gently wrapped around smooth tannins with less apparent structure than the preceding 2022 vintage, the 2023 is an open-knit, accessible but ageworthy red Clos des Papes, hitting the palate with boatloads of jammy strawberry flavors. Juicy and smooth, the 2023 is one of the sexiest Clos des Papes in recent history and totally worth the hunt.