Chateauneuf du Pape 2007

Clos des Papes

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Tasting Notes
One of the great vintages from this estate, surpassing even the 1990, 2000, 2001, 2003, and maybe the 2010 (time will tell with this one), the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape from Vincent Avril delivers everything you could want from a wine. Full-bodied, intense and beautifully concentrated, with plenty of muscle and depth, it shows the hallmark elegance and purity of the estate, with sensational notes of kirsch liqueur, raspberries, incense, smoked meats and Asian spices. The blend is the normal 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and the rest a mix of permitted varieties, brought up all in older foudre, and it's just now entering its prime drink window and has another two decades of longevity Score: 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2016 - 2037 28 February 2017
65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 5% Counoise. Lightly spiced dark fruit, so elegant. Some coffee/chocolate notes. Silky already, intense but slides across the palate. Dry, taut and such fine tannins. Great elegance and persistence and very little sign of the alcohol. Score: 18 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2010-2017 24 September 2010
Deep ruby. Powerful, pungent aromas of kirsch, dark berries, smoky herbs and spicecake, with notes of black olive and tobacco coming on with air. Chewy, palate-staining dark fruit flavors are complicated by bitter chocolate, licorice and black cardamom. Acts like a 2005 today, with serious structure but also superb depth of powerful, densely packed fruit. A hint of cherry skin adds grip and refreshing bitterness to the long, smoky, focused finish. Not an easy read right now: this demands cellaring. Score: 95 Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar 01 January 2010
Paul Avril was a bigger-than-life vigneron, a visionary, and a great teacher, but Vincent has been in charge for a number of years, and he has rewarded his father with what I believe is the greatest Chateauneuf du Pape made since 1978 and 1990, the 2007. I have not only tasted this wine at the estate, but I purchased it for my cellar, and have now drunk it on three separate occasions out of bottle. It is unquestionably one of the great Chateauneufs of my lifetime, and I suspect it will merit a three digit score after another 3-4 years of cellaring. The blend is generally 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and the rest small amounts of Muscardin, Vaccarese, Counoise, and Syrah. It exhibits what is probably the deepest color I have ever seen here, and the finished alcohol is a high (for Clos des Papes) 15.5%. Still slightly restrained because of its recent bottling, but wow, what potential complexity, mind-boggling richness, and compelling flavor profile are apparent. It is a sublime expression of the art of winemaking as evidenced by its dense purple color and big, sweet kiss of kirsch, framboise, blackberries, licorice, roasted herbs, and smoked meat. It hits the palate with a fascinating combination of substance, power, full-bodied authority yet extraordinary freshness, elegance, and precision. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring, and watch it unleash its glory over the next three decades. This is a prodigious wine of great quality from one of the most important reference point estates in Chateauneuf du Pape. Paul Avril, one of the legendary figures of Chateauneuf du Pape, passed away this year, but his talented son, Vincent, will continue to produce estate-bottled, traditional Chateauneuf du Papes. Visiting here without Paul in the cellars was melancholy. (99+ points) Score: 99 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2042 31 October 2009
After tasting the 2006, I was wondering how the 2007 could match it. Well,Vincent Avril asked me how much time I had, and since it was my last appointment of the day, I told him I was totally free, so we basically tasted through just about every foudre in the cellar before moving to the final blend of all the component parts. Vincent Avril was flashing one smile after another as we methodically worked through the foudres. The lowest score I gave any of them was (95-98), and virtually all of them were coming in between 97 and 100 points. I’ll go out on a relatively safe limb and state that I believe the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape is the greatest Clos des Papes I have ever tasted! The fact that there should be around 100,000 bottles produced is music to my ears since the biggest complaint I hear about most of the top wines in this journal is that they are always made in such limited quantities. The 2007 will end up with a finished alcohol of about 15.5% and a pH of about 3.8. The average yields for this vintage were slightly higher than in 2006, about 24 hectoliters per hectare, which is essentially under 2 tons of fruit per acre. The 2007 reveals all the characteristics that make Clos des Papes so special, including extraordinary elegance, remarkable complexity in the black raspberry, kirsch, truffle, meaty, Provencal herbaceousness, full-bodied palate, voluptuous, silky tannins, and mind-boggling richness and length. Nothing is out of place, and there are no hard edges in this beautiful Chateauneuf du Pape. The vintage’s cool growing conditions have given the wine a freshness to go along with its substantial size and power. This monumental Chateauneuf is a tour de force in winemaking. It should be relatively accessible in 3-4 years, and evolve along the lines of the 1978, only the 2007 has more to it, so expect it to last at least 30 years. Not to be missed! I have participated in so many exceptional tastings with Paul Avril that it is difficult for me to accept that his brilliant son, Vincent, may be eclipsing the work of his father. Vincent, trained in Burgundy, appears to be pushing things to an even higher level of quality. Nothing has changed in these cellars; everything is still as traditional as you will find. All the wines are kept in foudre, and the red Chateauneuf du Pape blend is one of only a handful in the appellation that contains increasing amounts of Muscardin, Vaccarese, and Counoise along with 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and some Syrah. The white Chateauneuf du Pape is one of the longest lived of the appellation, and that’s saying something. The Avrils have proven me wrong many times by opening old bottles that I would have believed to be dead, but are still full of life and vivacity. Score: 98 - 100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: n/a 31 October 2008
Absolutely stunning, with a deep well of crème de cassis that's thoroughly pure and captivating, while black tea, fig cake, hoisin sauce, incense and graphite notes weave throughout. The supervelvety finish lets blackberry, boysenberry and crushed cherry fruit take an encore—as if this needed any more fruit. A fantastic display of precision in a very opulent year. Best from 2010 through 2030. 8,000 cases made. Score: 97 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2010-2030 15 October 2009

Tasting Notes

One of the great vintages from this estate, surpassing even the 1990, 2000, 2001, 2003, and maybe the 2010 (time will tell with this one), the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape from Vincent Avril delivers everything you could want from a wine. Full-bodied, intense and beautifully concentrated, with plenty of muscle and depth, it shows the hallmark elegance and purity of the estate, with sensational notes of kirsch liqueur, raspberries, incense, smoked meats and Asian spices. The blend is the normal 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and the rest a mix of permitted varieties, brought up all in older foudre, and it's just now entering its prime drink window and has another two decades of longevity

Score: 100

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2016 - 2037 28 February 2017

65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 5% Counoise. Lightly spiced dark fruit, so elegant. Some coffee/chocolate notes. Silky already, intense but slides across the palate. Dry, taut and such fine tannins. Great elegance and persistence and very little sign of the alcohol.

Score: 18

Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2010-2017 24 September 2010

Deep ruby. Powerful, pungent aromas of kirsch, dark berries, smoky herbs and spicecake, with notes of black olive and tobacco coming on with air. Chewy, palate-staining dark fruit flavors are complicated by bitter chocolate, licorice and black cardamom. Acts like a 2005 today, with serious structure but also superb depth of powerful, densely packed fruit. A hint of cherry skin adds grip and refreshing bitterness to the long, smoky, focused finish. Not an easy read right now: this demands cellaring.

Score: 95

Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar 01 January 2010

Paul Avril was a bigger-than-life vigneron, a visionary, and a great teacher, but Vincent has been in charge for a number of years, and he has rewarded his father with what I believe is the greatest Chateauneuf du Pape made since 1978 and 1990, the 2007. I have not only tasted this wine at the estate, but I purchased it for my cellar, and have now drunk it on three separate occasions out of bottle. It is unquestionably one of the great Chateauneufs of my lifetime, and I suspect it will merit a three digit score after another 3-4 years of cellaring. The blend is generally 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and the rest small amounts of Muscardin, Vaccarese, Counoise, and Syrah. It exhibits what is probably the deepest color I have ever seen here, and the finished alcohol is a high (for Clos des Papes) 15.5%. Still slightly restrained because of its recent bottling, but wow, what potential complexity, mind-boggling richness, and compelling flavor profile are apparent. It is a sublime expression of the art of winemaking as evidenced by its dense purple color and big, sweet kiss of kirsch, framboise, blackberries, licorice, roasted herbs, and smoked meat. It hits the palate with a fascinating combination of substance, power, full-bodied authority yet extraordinary freshness, elegance, and precision. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring, and watch it unleash its glory over the next three decades. This is a prodigious wine of great quality from one of the most important reference point estates in Chateauneuf du Pape. Paul Avril, one of the legendary figures of Chateauneuf du Pape, passed away this year, but his talented son, Vincent, will continue to produce estate-bottled, traditional Chateauneuf du Papes. Visiting here without Paul in the cellars was melancholy. (99+ points)

Score: 99

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2012-2042 31 October 2009

After tasting the 2006, I was wondering how the 2007 could match it. Well,Vincent Avril asked me how much time I had, and since it was my last appointment of the day, I told him I was totally free, so we basically tasted through just about every foudre in the cellar before moving to the final blend of all the component parts. Vincent Avril was flashing one smile after another as we methodically worked through the foudres. The lowest score I gave any of them was (95-98), and virtually all of them were coming in between 97 and 100 points. I’ll go out on a relatively safe limb and state that I believe the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape is the greatest Clos des Papes I have ever tasted! The fact that there should be around 100,000 bottles produced is music to my ears since the biggest complaint I hear about most of the top wines in this journal is that they are always made in such limited quantities. The 2007 will end up with a finished alcohol of about 15.5% and a pH of about 3.8. The average yields for this vintage were slightly higher than in 2006, about 24 hectoliters per hectare, which is essentially under 2 tons of fruit per acre. The 2007 reveals all the characteristics that make Clos des Papes so special, including extraordinary elegance, remarkable complexity in the black raspberry, kirsch, truffle, meaty, Provencal herbaceousness, full-bodied palate, voluptuous, silky tannins, and mind-boggling richness and length. Nothing is out of place, and there are no hard edges in this beautiful Chateauneuf du Pape. The vintage’s cool growing conditions have given the wine a freshness to go along with its substantial size and power. This monumental Chateauneuf is a tour de force in winemaking. It should be relatively accessible in 3-4 years, and evolve along the lines of the 1978, only the 2007 has more to it, so expect it to last at least 30 years. Not to be missed! I have participated in so many exceptional tastings with Paul Avril that it is difficult for me to accept that his brilliant son, Vincent, may be eclipsing the work of his father. Vincent, trained in Burgundy, appears to be pushing things to an even higher level of quality. Nothing has changed in these cellars; everything is still as traditional as you will find. All the wines are kept in foudre, and the red Chateauneuf du Pape blend is one of only a handful in the appellation that contains increasing amounts of Muscardin, Vaccarese, and Counoise along with 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and some Syrah. The white Chateauneuf du Pape is one of the longest lived of the appellation, and that’s saying something. The Avrils have proven me wrong many times by opening old bottles that I would have believed to be dead, but are still full of life and vivacity.

Score: 98 - 100

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: n/a 31 October 2008

Absolutely stunning, with a deep well of crème de cassis that's thoroughly pure and captivating, while black tea, fig cake, hoisin sauce, incense and graphite notes weave throughout. The supervelvety finish lets blackberry, boysenberry and crushed cherry fruit take an encore—as if this needed any more fruit. A fantastic display of precision in a very opulent year. Best from 2010 through 2030. 8,000 cases made.

Score: 97

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2010-2030 15 October 2009

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