Clos des Papes, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Blanc 2019

A great vintage for white wines at Clos des Papes, though the 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc shows slight carbon dioxide at this stage, which should dissolve with time. Offering up a rich and complex bouquet of pear, quince and kumquat, it's full-bodied, dense and layered, with a concentrated, multi-dimensional core of fruit, impressive depth and a long, elegant finish framed by phenolic grip that adds structure and definition. It's a wine of exceptional potential that will reward patience.

Looking first at the white, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc from the talented Vincent Avril sports a light gold color to go with a beautifully complex, classic bouquet of lemon curd, exotic flowers, sappy green herbs, and crushed stone-like, salty minerality. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied white that has beautiful depth of fruit on the mid-palate of bright spine of acidity, and a fabulous finish. This cuvée has a long track record of aging gracefully and it can be drunk with considerable pleasure today or cellared for 10 to 15 years if you’re so inclined.