2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Power and Balance

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | March 21, 2017

What especially impresses me about the 2015 vintage in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the consistently high quality of the wines, from entry-level bottlings up to the limited-production special cuvées coveted by collectors. There are striking wines to be had at every price point in 2015, including numerous basic bottlings that deliver exceptional value. Still, such is the market’s obsession with high-end bottlings that I suspect many entry-level wines will be mostly ignored for some time after release. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a number of straight Châteauneufs offered at prices well below those I’ve listed in this article. If that happens – and it has plenty of times before in other outstanding vintages – my advice is to jump on those wines.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape's wines owe much of their character to the region's complex soils

Châteauneuf-du-Pape's wines owe much of their character to the region's complex soils

Nature Smiles on the Growing Season and Harvest of 2015

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While the 2015 growing season was very warm in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this vintage is no replay of the high-octane 2007 or 2003. The ‘15s are hardly shrinking violets but they also display healthy balancing acidity and freshness.