Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020: Best-value wines
Matt Walls revisits the compelling 2020 vintage from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, picking out 30 wines under £50 that clearly show the great value on offer in this celebrated appellation.
A friend of mine once described Chablis as both the best- and worst-value wine in the world.
What he meant was the cheapest wines weren’t very good – but still fairly expensive in the grand scheme of things. But despite the quality of the greatest examples, the prices never (or very rarely) reached the heights of other top white Burgundies, making the best bottles excellent value for money.
You can say a similar thing about Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There are always some available in supermarkets for £15-£20 per bottle. At two to three times the average bottle price in the UK, this isn’t cheap. And while they might offer some pleasure, they almost certainly won’t be good examples of Châteauneuf. You’d probably be better off with a top Côtes du Rhône.
Scroll down for the best-value 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines to try
‘What surprised me was how many excellent Tradition bottlings there are in 2020.’
At the top end however, only a tiny proportion of Châteauneuf retails for more than £90 a bottle – the price of a good village Meursault.
But you don’t even need to spend that much – in a recent tasting of 110 Châteauneufs from the excellent 2020 vintage, I found 30 wines that retail for under £50 that deserve your attention. You can read a description of the vintage conditions in my last column.
What surprised me in this tasting was how many excellent Tradition bottlings there are in 2020 (ie, their entry-level classic blends, as opposed to their prestige bottles, known as Spéciales Cuvées). In fact, many of the more unbalanced wines that I decided not to recommend were Spéciales Cuvées.
Six 2020 Châteauneufs that retail for under £50 scored an impressive 95-points. One of these was available for under £30 on release. One is still available in UK retail for £34.
Value in Châteauneuf
It’s true that £34 for a bottle of wine isn’t cheap. But there are several reasons why this represents a fair price in Châteauneuf. The main reason is that yields here are some of the lowest in France.
When I visited Vincent Avril at Clos des Papes in October, he was happy to reach 25hl/ha in 2023. ‘It’s good for here!’ he said with a smile, adding that his winemaker friends in Burgundy would be horrified at such a small amount, where yields for a village wine might be around 45hl/ha.
Châteauneuf winemakers end up with fewer bottles to sell for the same amount of land under vine, so need to charge reasonable prices to make a living.
Many of these wines are produced by organic, family-owned estates, which are features that many of us appreciate, and there is also a certain value in drinking a wine from a region with such a long and colourful tradition.
Finally, these are wines that can last incredibly well, taking on layers of complexity as they age. There aren’t many other wines I can think of that offer all this for £35.
2020 Châteauneuf revisited: Best-value wines
Related articles
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2023: Report and top-scoring wines
- Rhône 2020 En Primeur: full vintage report and top-scoring wines
- Walls: 26 value Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines to try
Château Sixtine, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Very darkly coloured for the vintage, this is broad and full-bodied but not over extracted. The tannins are quite burly, but should settle in time...
2020
Château SixtineChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de la Charbonnière, Cuvée Mourre des Perdrix, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
This has real freshness both on the nose and palate. It brims with energy, is bracing and intense, with bright acidity and fresh tannins. Only...
2020
Domaine de la CharbonnièreChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine Font de Courtedune, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
White pepper from the stems accentuates the fresh aromatics. Full-bodied, but again great freshness on the palate, with is underlined by the piercing acidity. Texturally...
2020
Domaine Font de CourteduneChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine Roger Perrin, Réserve des Vieilles Vignes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
A fine style of Châteauneuf, elegant, with plentiful fine tannins. It has a real sense of focus and line, finishing long. While still young, this...
2020
Domaine Roger PerrinChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de Saint Siffrein, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Almond and violet notes over a core of plum fruits. This is not hugely concentrated, but there’s great energy, with fresh, cleansing tannins. Well balanced,...
2020
Domaine de Saint SiffreinChâteauneuf-du-Pape
La Durbane, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
This feels fresh, with notes of kirsch, raspberry and crushed herbs. It has weight and fine, fur coat-like tannins, and a lovely seam of precise...
2020
La DurbaneChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de la Côte de l'Ange, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Fine, juicy, fresh, classic - plenty of concentrated plum and damson fruit, coupled with bright acidity and moderate alcohol. Drinkable, vivid and approachable, this is...
2020
Domaine de la Côte de l'AngeChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de Panisse, Le Mas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Bold, powerful, there's quite noticeable but well-integrated oak that contributes to the flavour and textural style. It's nonetheless quite savoury, not as large as some...
2020
Domaine de PanisseChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine les Cailloux, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
A fine, slightly lighter style for a 2020 – with no lack of intense fruit and bold, crunchy tannin, however. This has serious energy on...
2020
Domaine les CaillouxChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Pierre André, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
This is still quite closed on the nose, with rhubarb aromas. It lacks a bit of concentration and heft on the palate. There’s a nice...
2020
Pierre AndréChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine Roger Perrin, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
There is plenty of dense blackberry fruit here – remarkably dense, tannic and really quite extracted. There’s serious muscle and heft, but the tannins are...
2020
Domaine Roger PerrinChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine Chante Cigale, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Dark in colour and dense in fruit – this is a Châteauneuf you can sink your teeth into. It is sweetly fruited, with quite high...
2020
Domaine Chante CigaleChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Le Vieux Donjon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Very tight, very fresh and vibrant, with a strong acid line and powerful, taut tannins. This is long and intense, but really quite aggressive currently....
2020
Le Vieux DonjonChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Olivier Ravoire, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
This wine is very closed currently. On the palate, it’s expansive and full-bodied, and has energy and fresh tannins – lots of them. A very...
2020
Olivier RavoireChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Mousset Barrot, Château Jas de Bressy, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Elegant, fresh, lively and floral on the nose. A full-bodied wine, classically Châteauneuf in its generosity of fruit and body. Very ripe, with plenty of...
2020
Mousset BarrotChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Château La Nerthe, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
A lovely wine – so charming, fresh and compact, with great energy and freshness. The acidity really helps to balance the blackberry eau-de-vie fruit, which...
2020
Château La NertheChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Château Mont-Thabor, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Fruity and tannic, flamboyant and powerful, but not exaggerated; all well balanced, with good length. Really quite darkly fruited and very ripe – towards overripeness,...
2020
Château Mont-ThaborChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine Albin Jacumin, La Bégude des Papes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Expressive and juicy. There is a nice little raspberry pip and cranberry touch to the fruit, which is vibrant and zingy. Not overly full-bodied or...
2020
Domaine Albin JacuminChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de Beaurenard, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
This is in something of a hole right now, but it will be good when it emerges. Blackcurrant flavours come with air, while the palate...
2020
Domaine de BeaurenardChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de la Janasse, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Attractive, detailed red fruits on the nose. Full-bodied, with a touch of dried berries on the palate. This is certainly powerful – ripe, rich and...
2020
Domaine de la JanasseChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de Marcoux, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Fairly light to start with on the nose and tight still on the palate – give this a few years to soften and relax. Good...
2020
Domaine de MarcouxChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Féraud et Fils, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Relatively pale in colour, with appealing plum aromas. There is good acidity, with fine but persistent, fresh, well-balanced, grippy tannins. It’s just a bit lacking...
2020
Féraud et FilsChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine Saint Laurent, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Damson and blackberry fruit notes with just a jot of charcoal, which lends the aromatics a savoury appeal. A fresh, immediate and vibrant style with...
2020
Domaine Saint LaurentChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Mas de Boislauzon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Broad and full on the palate. Concentrated but not heavy, the alcohol slightly warming. It suits the traditional style, however, and this wine provides plenty...
2020
Mas de BoislauzonChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Mouriesse Vinum, Tour d'Ambre, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
A little closed on the nose for now, with menthol and lavender notes over blackberry and blueberry. Fulsome and velvety textured, this has relief and...
2020
Mouriesse VinumChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Château de Nalys, Saintes Pierres de Nalys, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
There are some fruitcake notes to the plum fruit here. The wine is fresher on the palate than the nose, with serious intensity and concentration....
2020
Château de NalysChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Delas, Haute Pierre, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Remarkably cherryish – an unusual aromatic marker in this vintage. The palate is really quite tight, taut, with marked acidity, herbal aromatics and textural grip....
2020
DelasChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine du Grand Tinel, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
Very ripe, this certainly has concentration and power. Good tannic weight, too. I would drink it young, for the concentration and tarry black fruits. It...
2020
Domaine du Grand TinelChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine de Saint Paul, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
This is starting to gain interest on the nose, with some complexity taking shape. The wine shows good freshness and acidity. The tannins are quite...
2020
Domaine de Saint PaulChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine du Bosquet des Papes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2020
A Châteauneuf with sweet red fruits, and a soft and inviting texture. A wine with real vibrancy and poise, and lovely acidity. Very well balanced...
2020
Domaine du Bosquet des PapesChâteauneuf-du-Pape
