One of the discreet icons of the southern Rhône, the Clos des Papes 2024 White, Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC, embodies luminous classicism paired with vibrant intensity. Drawn from a mosaic of twenty-four parcels, including the famed La Crau plateau, it captures the essence of a landscape of rolled pebbles, sands and marls where the mistral polishes aromas and locks in freshness. Made with haute couture standards, this gastronomic white is born of deliberately controlled yields to favour sap, balance and depth. Its caressing texture rests on a saline verticality, promising a subtle dialogue with noble dishes and serene cellaring. International critics applaud its length and balance, with benchmark scores peaking at 98 from Decanter, 96 from Wine Advocate and Revue du Vin de France. A wine of character, finely chiseled for conversation, emotion and memory.

Blend and vinification

This Châteauneuf-du-Pape white is made in equal parts from the six historic permitted varieties: Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Piquepoul and Picardan. Each brings nuance: Roussanne for silkiness and floral lift, Clairette for line and freshness, Grenache Blanc for flesh, Bourboulenc for tension, Piquepoul for citrus snap, Picardan for delicate herbal notes. The fermentation and ageing take place in stainless-steel tanks, with no malolactic fermentation, to preserve aromatic purity, crisp acidity and mineral clarity. This transparent approach, far from artifice, prioritises true fruit expression, an accurate reading of the terroir and a savoury, straight and precise profile. The parcel mosaic, notably the ventilated, stony sectors of La Crau, lends a saline energy that signs the finish, while careful viticulture and meticulous sorting ensure profile precision.

Tasting notes

• Appearance: Bright pale gold with pearly highlights, perfectly clear brilliance that announces a pure, upright substance. The sheen suggests contained freshness and measured depth, ready to unfold with aeration.
• Nose: A complex bouquet of white flowers and fine herbs, evoking linden, hawthorn and fennel, lifted by fresh almond, pear, peach and melon. Ripe citrus recalls lemon zest and mandarin, a touch of mint and anise brings an aerial dimension. Warm stone and sea breeze hints sketch a mineral thread that grows in complexity on the aeration.
• Palate: Generous, silky attack, a fleshy, juicy mid-palate supported by integrated acidity that stretches the wine without hardening it. Sap unfurls in waves between generosity and precision, culminating in a long, saline and finely bitter finish evoking citrus zest and noble almond. The balance charms by its accuracy and promises harmonious evolution over a decade and beyond.

Serving temperature and advice

Serve between 10 and 12°C in a large Burgundy-style glass to showcase the floral nuances and texture. In early years, decanting or aeration of 20 to 30 minutes reveals the herbal dimension, noble bitters and saline drive. Store in a cool, stable, dark cellar, ideally around 12°C with controlled humidity. The wine starts to show its full voice from 2025 and can be kept until 2045, gaining complexity, a patina of gentle spices and extended mineral length over time.

Food pairings

• Aperitifs: roasted almonds, zucchini flower fritters, thin summer vegetable tart, sea bream rillettes with preserved lemon.
• Starters: scallop carpaccio with citrus, white asparagus with mousseline sauce, delicate sea bass ceviche, crab with fine herbs.
• Main courses: roasted turbot with brown butter, Bresse chicken with morels, monkfish with fennel and saffron, lemon risotto with ripe olive oil.
• Cheeses: aged Comté, Beaufort, ash-ripened goat, matured sheep tomme, the wine's salinity highlights the milky texture.
• Desserts: poached peach with almonds, thin apricot tart, lightly candied citrus, modestly sweet desserts that favour freshness.

Moments to enjoy

Clos des Papes 2024 White is the ideal companion:

• To crown a gourmet dinner where precise pairings bring out the purity of the terroir.
• During a tasting among enthusiasts comparing the expression of the great whites of the southern Rhône.
• As an insider’s gift, an elegant signature for a cellar that celebrates the art of French living.

Characteristics

• Name : Clos des Papes 2024 White - Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC
• Appellation : Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC
• Type : Blended white wine, gastronomic style
• Vintage : 2024
• Grapes : Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Piquepoul, Picardan
• Alcohol : N.C.
• Aging : Fermentation and ageing in stainless-steel tanks, with no malolactic fermentation
• Volume : N.C.
• Cellaring : 2025 to 2045
• Serving temperature : 10–12°C