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
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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}
{}
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