2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc
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Tasting notes
Pale gold. Intense honeydew, Meyer lemon, pear nectar and toasted brioche aromas on the mineral-accented nose. Juicy and expansive in the mouth, offering densely packed, sharply focused citrus and orchard fruit flavors and a suggestion of gingery spices. Shows superb energy and mineral bite on the clinging finish, which features a sexy floral quality and repeating minerality.
Critic scores
Average Score
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
I always find the white from this terrific estate to be near the top of the hierarchy in terms of quality, yet it’s made in a very different style than the likes of Beaucastel’s Blanc or the old vine Clairette from St. Prefert (or the whites from Vaudieu), and is more fresh, crisp and pure. Even from a hot vintage, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc offers a beautiful crispness as well as terrific aromatics of caramelized citrus, spice and apple core. Clean, vibrant and yet also concentrated, it’s certainly enjoyable today, yet won’t hit maturity until 7-8 years and will keep for a decade or more after that.
Vinified and matured in stainless steel to maintain freshness, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is a crisp, medium-bodied wine that boasts aromas of pear and anise. Guava and white pepper appear on the palate, finishing clean and long. Either drink it young and fresh, or do as Paul-Vincent suggests and cellar it for 10+ years, when some honey, petrol and marmalade notes will develop.
Vinified and matured in stainless steel to maintain freshness, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is a crisp, medium-bodied wine that boasts aromas of pear and anise. Guava and white pepper appear on the palate, finishing clean and long. Either drink it young and fresh, or do as Paul-Vincent suggests and cellar it for 10+ years, when some honey, petrol and marmalade notes will develop. Oct 2017, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Few estates have shaped the identity of Châteauneuf-du-Pape quite like Clos des Papes. For generations, the Avril family has remained devoted to a single benchmark cuvée, crafted from more than twenty vineyard parcels to express the appellation at its finest.
Product details
Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc / Garnacha Blanca, Clairette
White
Dry