Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

98+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "One of the strongest wines in the vintage is the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape from Vincent Avril. This beauty has everything you could ask for. As with the 2018, the blend is heavily shifted toward Mourvèdre, and it offers a mammoth bouquet of black cherries, graphite, cured meats, Asian spices, and assorted garrigue-like nuances. Deep, full-bodied, and concentrated, it stays straight and focused on the palate (whereas the 2016 is more expansive and voluptuous), with a stacked mid-palate, ripe, silky tannins, and fabulous length. You’re going to want bottles of this in the cellar, and comparing the 2007, 2010, 2016, and 2017 over the coming two decades is going to be a treat. Drink: 2026-2046. (8/16/19)"

97 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "On the nose you find a spicy blend of dark cherries, strawberry, Asian spice, cloves and licorice. On the palate, the wine soft, elegant, fresh and juicy, with sweet, peppery kirsch in the finish. The wine is a blend of 45% Grenache , 40% Mourvedre , 10% Syrah and the remaining 5% consists of various, allowable grape varieties. The grapes are as always 100% destemmed. The production is quite low this year at only 15 hectoliters per hectare. (Sep 2019)"

96 points Joe Czerwinski (Wine Advocate): "As predicted last year by Paul-Vincent Avril, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape is a blend of 45% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, about 10% Syrah and the rest other permitted varieties. It boasts a cool, fresh nose of strawberries, cola and tree bark, yet it's full-bodied and tannic on the palate. Dense and chewy, albeit with a mouthwatering sense of freshness, this will need a few years to relax and unwind, but it looks very promising. Drink: 2022-2035. (Aug 2019)"

96 points Matt Walls (Decanter): "There's 10% less Grenache in the blend this year, topped up with extra Mourvèdre which certainly makes itself felt. The final assemblage has a lovely depth and concentration of fruit, and is relatively tannic and structured in this vintage. It has plum and violet lift to the aromatic profile, and perhaps sacrifices a little elegance for power and potency in 2017 - not necessarily a bad thing, depending on your taste. A Clos des Papes for the depths of the cellar. Drinking Window: 2023-2035. (Nov 2018)"

96 points (18/20) La Revue du Vin de France: "Only one wine this year, but what a wine! This 2017 is certainly one of the appellation's finest achievements. The wine retains ripe fruit, a rich but velvety palate, with no harsh tannins. (2020)"

95 points Josh Raynolds (Vinous): "Saturated ruby. An expansive bouquet evokes smoke- and spice-accented raspberry, cherry and blueberry, along with suggestions of candied flowers, musky earth and baking spices. Densely packed red/blue fruit preserve, fruitcake and licorice flavors become livelier through the back half. This blends richness and energy with a steady hand and finishes very long and chewy, with steadily building tannins lending final grip. Drink: 2024-2034. (Oct 2021)"

94 points Wine Spectator: "Supple and alluring in feel, with a silky edge to the mix of anise, plum sauce and raspberry pâte de fruit flavors. A twinge of roasted apple wood shows on the finish, followed by an echo of lavender. Displays lovely range. The texture makes this approachable now, though there's no rush. Drink now through 2038. 700 cases imported. (11/13/19)"