One of the oldest estates in Chateauneuf du Pape, and family run since 1896 by the Avril family, Clos des Papes is one of the founding fathers of the Rhone wine region. The “clos” that the name refers to was once located within the Avignon Papal summer palace vineyard - you can’t get much more authentic than that.

The Avril family can trace its roots in the region back to 1756, and Paul Avril, the current owner’s great grandfather, was involved in setting up the first appellation in the Rhone wine region. Generations of Pauls, Vincents and even a Paul-Vincent came over the following 250 years, each one adding their viticultural signature to their product. Current owner Paul-Vincent Avril has made it his mission to take the wine from local hero to global superstar.

This shouldn’t be too hard a task. Twenty-five plots across 32-hectares with vines up to 80 years old in some places mean that the wine Avril makes is simply “a perfect wine” according to Jeb Dunnuck when talking about the 2016. After Wine Spectator magazine awarded the 2005 vintage Wine of the Year, prices rose (almost doubling according to some negociants), while availability decreased. What had been an excellent under-the-radar wine popular in France began gathering momentum and demand for export increased. Today it is sold to 39 countries worldwide, with about 60% of its production being exported (the UK being the biggest customer). Around 8% of exports go to the United States, with the rest fairly evenly split between eastern Europe, northern Europe, South America and Australasia. Around 3,000 bottles are kept back at the estate itself for the wine library.

The phenomenal ageing of Clos des Papes, up to 20 years in some vintages, bodes well for investors of the wine. 2016 is considered the very best yet with demand far outstripping supply. Released at €54 a bottle in June 2017, by April 2018 it had almost doubled in price and was trending steeply upwards. Not to be overlooked is the delicious white. Its consistent above average rating (the 2004 was medaille d’argent in the Concours Grands Vins de France and Jancis Robinson gave the 2014 18/20) makes it one of the Rhone Valley’s most covetable wines.