Winemaker Notes
Chateau de Vaudieu L'Avenue Chateauneuf-du-Pape comes from a plot of old Grenache on sandstone at the top of one of the hills of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The nose reveals notes of raspberry coulis and black tea, the palate is on the freshness and finesse characteristic of old Grenaches on a sandy soil.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape L'Avenue is also an incredible wine that I wish every reader could taste. More white flowers, chalky minerality, camphor, and leather notes emerge on the nose, and it’s more focused and chiseled compared to the broader, sexier Amiral G., yet it’s purity of fruit is incredible, it’s flawlessly balanced, and it too will have two decades of prime drinking. This cuvée is 100% Grenache from vines near the estate and more red clay soils. It was destemmed and brought up all in demi-muids.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A bit fresher-tasting than the 2019 Amiral G, Vaudieu's 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape l'Avenue is another 100% Grenache wine aged in demi-muids, but coming from a different parcel of vines, adjacent to Rayas. It might even seem a touch herbal, but in a good way, with scents of lavender and pine accenting ripe cherry and dark chocolate aromas. Full-bodied and supple on the palate, it finishes long and velvety, delivering bold waves of pleasure with every sip. Best after 2023
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Wine Spectator
Very alluring cherry compote and melted red licorice notes glide through slowly, flecked with light sandalwood and red tea accents and ending with a perfumed feel on the silky finish. Very stylish and refined, but with ample reserve for the cellar.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.
According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.
Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.
The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.