2020 Clos des Papes

We still vividly remember when the 1998 Châteauneufs hit the market, and the Southern Rhône’s popularity suddenly took off in a way that it never had before. A lot has changed in the quarter century since that harvest, but one thing that hasn’t—and never seems to—is the superlative quality of Clos des Papes. Much like Bartolo Mascarello in Barolo, or Jean-Louis Chave in Hermitage, Paul-Vincent Avril relies on multiple vineyards to make a single extraordinary cuvée that rivals the best of the appellation, year after year.

Dating back to the mid-1700s, this historic estate was instrumental in not just shaping the market for Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but also the very creation of the appellation itself. For over a century now, the Avril family has run the estate with care and earned respect, but longtime collectors and aficionados are saying that their best work has come in more recent years. Having achieved perfection from critics along the way certainly helps make a name for yourself, but it’s clear that Paul-Vincent refuses to rest on his laurels. He’s spent years carefully converting his vineyards to biodynamic farming, making sure that their sustainability is only accompanied by an increase in wine quality. Further, his wines speak to the vintage that birthed them, and 2020 is one we’re particularly excited about.

Why, you ask? The 2020 Clos des Papes is a wine of tremendous beauty and elegance, defiantly against the grain of the region’s modern trend toward the brawny, often oozing jammy fruit character. But not today’s here. Part of the magic of the 2020 is that it’s only 55% Grenache (as opposed to the usual ~65%), which allows for a larger portion of Mourvedre and Syrah that add depth and complexity not seen in warmer years. Believe us when we say that we wouldn’t be offering this if we weren’t seriously excited about it. In fact, we bought every case we could find—which, unfortunately, only amounted to 10 six-packs and a single three-pack of magnums. We priced them sharply, however—the best price in the United States—so the lucky folks who act quickly and snag some will be very happy indeed. But seriously, don’t hesitate! Our 2019 Pegau 6-pack offer was larger than this, and still sold out in under an hour.