Clos de Papes - Chateauneuf du Pape Winemaker of the Year
Chateauneuf du Pape producer Clos de Papes has been riding a wave of critical acclaim following the latest set of releases.
At the end of 2025 they received -
• The highest rating of all the 2023 Châteauneufs with a 99+ score in The Wine Advocate.
• Winemaker Paul-Vincent Avril has been named Winemaker Of The Year by the prestigious French publication, La Revue Du Vin De France.
One of the most remarkable things about Paul-Vincent is that he farms 35 hectares across 24 parcels around Châteauneuf yet produces just one red and one white each year. And is almost always in the conversation for wine of the vintage. As Jeb Dunnuck has said many times,
'it’s almost impossible to have too much Clos des Papes in the cellar!'
Clos de Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2023
Made from roughly equal quantities of all 6 permitted white varieties, Grenache blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Roussanne, Picpoul and Picardin fermented cool and kept on lees for 5 months, no malolactic. These whites have not only amazing richness and depth, but also fabulous acidity and structure enabling them to age effortlessly for 20+ years. In youth the wines show primary characters of pear skin and orchard fruit, and after nearly 2 years the primary fruit makes way for more minerality and structure giving characters resembling Riesling. With further ageing notes of grilled nuts and honey start to appear and with each vintage the evolution naturally happens at its own pace giving wines of remarkably different character as they age.
The Clos des Papes white 2023 is quite floral, but still also has citrus notes, more specifically grapefruit, and a touch of anise. It also has salinity. It is a wine that you can enjoy young on these aromas or age in the same way as the reds, knowing that it will go through different stages of evolution. Namely, minerality, dried fruits, honey, and roasted almonds. As you know, there is always a one-year lag between reds and whites, because whites are not aged in wood, because we want to keep a certain freshness and minerality. They are aged on fine lees until February before being bottled. We remind you that it is recommended to consume the whites at 12°C, not to put them in ice, you can also decant them.
Paul-Vincent Avril (winemaker/owner)
”Beautiful, with a ripe, layered style, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc offers honeyed lemon, quince, crushed stone, and floral nuances that develop beautifully with time in the glass. It's medium to full-bodied, has a deep, layered mouthfeel, beautifully integrated acidity, and a great finish. It has a touch more depth and volume compared to the 2024 and is a sensational white from this fabulous winemaker that will keep for 20+ years if well stored. Drink 2025-2045.” 97 points, Jeb Dunnuck, November 2025
"Crafted from six permitted varieties in equal proportions, co-fermented and cold-settled for one night, the 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc from Clos des Papes exhales a delicate, complex bouquet of fennel, verbena, pear, iodine, herbs and acacia blossoms. Medium to full-bodied, pure and seamless, it's built around bright acids, a layered, lovely structured texture and a long, ethereal, saline finish. The phenolic aftertaste adds a racy profile that I find particularly appealing.” 95 points, The Wine Advocate, September 2024
