Clos des Papes is universally recognised as one of Chateauneuf-du-Pape's three or four benchmark estates, founded under its current name in 1896 by Paul Avril and now directed by the fourth generation in Paul-Vincent Avril. Unlike most top Chateauneuf properties, Clos des Papes produces only one red and one white wine, refusing to create special selections or second labels and channelling the entire quality of the estate's 32 hectares into a single cuvee. The estate's vineyards are farmed biodynamically.

The 2023 blend comprises 55% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and a balance of permitted varieties, fully destemmed and aged entirely in old foudre without any new wood. The Wine Advocate's Yohan Castaing awarded 99 points, calling it 'a strong candidate for wine of the vintage' and noting that it 'should evolve with grace over the coming years to attain a likely perfect score.' Decanter awarded 97, Wine Spectator 96. The wine emerged from a growing season marked by below-average rainfall and hail in July, with Paul-Vincent Avril pursuing greater extraction to compensate.

The 2023 Chateauneuf-du-Pape vintage is generating significant excitement: warm and sunny with a fresher late summer that preserved acidity, the year produced wines of extraordinary aromatic complexity and structural precision across the appellation's top estates. Clos des Papes, which Avril acknowledges aims not to reinvent the appellation but to express its nuances with maximum precision year after year, produced in 2023 what critics are describing as a potential generational release.

Cellar for a minimum of five years; best from 2030 to 2048. Decant three hours before service and pair with roasted lamb, wild boar, black truffle preparations or mature hard cheese.

Medium ruby hue with extraordinary aromatic depth. Sweet red berries, iris, dark cherry, menthol, blood orange and flowers rise from the glass in a complex, layered bouquet. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, dense and textured, with a fleshy core of fruit and an ethereal, saline, weightless finish of remarkable length. A wine of genuine greatness.