Description

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 96 points
As predicted last year by Paul-Vincent Avril, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape is a blend of 45% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, about 10% Syrah and the rest other permitted varieties. It boasts a cool, fresh nose of strawberries, cola and tree bark, yet it’s full-bodied and tannic on the palate. Dense and chewy, albeit with a mouthwatering sense of freshness, this will need a few years to relax and unwind, but it looks very promising.

Decanter – 96 points
There’s 10% less Grenache in the blend this year, topped up with extra Mourvèdre which certainly makes itself felt. The final assemblage has a lovely depth and concentration of fruit, and is relatively tannic and structured in this vintage. It has plum and violet lift to the aromatic profile, and perhaps sacrifices a little elegance for power and potency in 2017 – not necessarily a bad thing, depending on your taste. A Clos des Papes for the depths of the cellar.

Wine Spectator – 94 points
Supple and alluring in feel, with a silky edge to the mix of anise, plum sauce and raspberry pâte de fruit flavors. A twinge of roasted apple wood shows on the finish, followed by an echo of lavender. Displays lovely range. The texture makes this approachable now, though there’s no rush. Drink now through 2038.