(bottled with 14.3% alcohol and a pH of 3.7): Deep ruby. Highly perfumed scents of candied dark berries, cola and lavender oil develop a suave, smoky Indian spice nuance. Fleshy, expansive red and dark berry and floral pastille flavors display an impressive blend of richness and energy, picking up a mineral flourish with air. Finishes juicy, sweet and very long, displaying lingering, spice-tinged dark fruit flavors and slow-building tannins.

From yields in range of 15 hectoliter per hectare, the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape is reminiscent of the 2008 and reveals a healthy ruby color to go with the classic kirsch, dried flowers and spice notes that I always find in Avril’s wines. Showing an almost Pinot Noir-like texture with medium to full-bodied richness, sweet tannin and outstanding length, it will certainly be one of the more approachable, forward wines from this estate, and it should be a low to mid-nineties scoring effort.

From yields in range of 15 hectoliter per hectare, the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape is reminiscent of the 2008 and reveals a healthy ruby color to go with the classic kirsch, dried flowers and spice notes that I always find in Avril’s wines. Showing an almost Pinot Noir-like texture with medium to full-bodied richness, sweet tannin and outstanding length, it will certainly be one of the more approachable, forward wines from this estate, and it should be a low to mid-nineties scoring effort. As I commented in my recent retrospective article, Clos des Pape is one of the reference point estates for traditional, age-worthy Châteauneuf du Pape.
92-94 points – Jeb Dunnuck (eRobertParker.com, Oct 2015)

Sumptuous aroma: rich in fruit but with a fine peppery nose that is almost more northern than southern Rhône. On the palate too I would have thought this was majority Syrah. Super-refined texture and lovely freshness. Brilliant wine with a long future but, amazingly, delicious now in an embryonic sort of way. (JH)

Bottled May 2015. He calls it 'a very feminine vintage. Bit like 2007'. Like an old-fashioned, rich red burgundy on the nose! Light and lively – sweet and fine. Strawberry fruit. Very fine tannins and with a salty end. Very racy. Already charming. Tannins almost hidden by the fruit. Very appetising. He purposely avoided over extraction. But this may close up so one may have to wait much longer. (JR)