Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reds: The Flamboyant 2014s and the Structured 2013s

Wine lovers who gravitate toward structured Châteauneuf-du-Papes are going to be thrilled by the style of the 2013s, while those who are drawn to more flamboyant, fruit-driven, immediately approachable wines are likely to prefer the 2014s. In fact, the personalities of the two vintages are so different that I can imagine fans of one vintage almost completely dismissing the other, even if the actual differences between the two sets of wines are not generally as extreme as some might think.

Grenache vines in the heart of the village

A Benign Late Harvest in 2014 

The growing season of 2014 got off to an auspicious start with warm early-spring weather but was quickly slowed down by a cool, damp late spring and summer. Growers’ spirits were brightened when the weather turned dry and warm, but not hot, in late summer and stayed that way through a late harvest by modern-day standards that extended into mid-October for some vineyards. Acidity levels remained healthy and sugar levels moderate due to the lack of serious heat, which ensured freshness. The protracted harvest yielded mature, healthy grapes and wines with ripe, juicy dark red berry character supported by harmonious tannins, all of which should give the wines considerable early appeal.

Old Grenache plantings on sandy soil at Domaine Charvin