Châteauneuf-du-Pape wasn’t hit as hard as some appellations, thanks in part to its proximity to the Rhône river, and its openness to the mistral wind. Nevertheless, volumes are down by about 20%.
In some ways this feels like an old-fashioned vintage; measured alcohol, good acidity, strict tannins, and – when sufficiently ripe – this can make for an enjoyably fresh and balanced style.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2021 wines
{"content":"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"}
Matt Walls’ top-scoring Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2021 wines:
The wines below all scored 96 points or above, and are listed white then red in score order.
{}
{"wineId":"64394","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64395","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64396","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64397","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64398","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64399","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64400","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64401","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"62237","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64402","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64403","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64404","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64405","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64406","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64407","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64426","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64427","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64428","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64429","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"64430","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
Related content
