NV Paul Avril Le Petit Vin d'Avril
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The red NV Le Petit Vin d’Avril is even better. A kitchen sink blend of Grenache, Syrah, Marsalan, Merlot and Carignan that comes from vines located near the Rhone River, it’s a brilliant bistro-styled wine that dishes out tons of pleasure. Aged one-third in barrel, with tobacco, chocolate, mineral, pepper and licorice, this medium-bodied wine has solid richness and depth, as well as a chewy finish. Buy it by the case and enjoy it over the coming 4-5 years. Drink now-2019. One of the benchmark estates, Clos des Papes covers close to 90 acres in Chateauneuf du Pape and is run by the incredibly talented Paul-Vincent Avril. Favoring a single cuvee, his Chateauneuf du Pape is always a blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre 10% Syrah and the rest a mix of Vaccarese, Counoise and Muscardin. No new oak is used in the winery and all new barrels and foudre see three vintages of his non-vintage Le Petit Vin d’Avril before being used for his grand vin. Starting out, the two non-vintage Le Petit Vin d’Avril are both beautifully made (the vines are farmed just like Paul-Vincent Chateauneuf du Pape terroirs and the yields are miniscule) and well worth checking out. Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173
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Jeb Dunnuck
Jeb Dunnuck
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A wine Paul-Vincent believes can be aged for upwards of 5-8 years, the N.V. Paul Avril Le Petit Vin d'Avril in ’09 is a blend of 2/3 2010, and 1/3 from 2009. The blend comes out to a predominantly Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre blend, but there are solid portions of Cabernet, Merlot, Carignan, and Marselan as well. The wine shows a smoky, meaty personality with loads of black pepper, herb, and olive characteristics that are balanced out by excellent fruit. Round and fleshy on the palate, with solid texture, and plenty of length, this is a straight up delicious wine that goes beyond its lowly table wine status, and would be a welcome addition to any dinner table or picnic.
The NV Paul Avril Le Petit Vin d'Avril is a delicious, quaffable wine that has the tell tale Clos des Papes silky, seamless texture.
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.