2014 Chateauneuf du Pape Clos des Papes

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.

Bottled May 2015. He calls it 'a very feminine vintage. Bit like 2007'. Like an old-fashioned, rich red burgundy on the nose! Light and lively – sweet and fine. Strawberry fruit. Very fine tannins and with a salty end. Very racy. Already charming. Tannins almost hidden by the fruit. Very appetising. He purposely avoided over extraction. But this may close up so one may have to wait much longer. (JR)

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