Château de Vaudieu - Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe Clos du Belvedere 2023

Druvor

Grenache Blanc

Tasting note

The Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Clos du Belvedere is all Grenache Blanc grown on red clay and fermented and matured in 500-liter demi-muids from Damy. Scents of lime zest, tangerine and chalk reflect the warm growing season and resulting early pick, while the palate is full-bodied yet fresh and bright, with a long, zesty finish. Like most white Grenache-based wines, it should be consumed young.

I covered the 2020 reds and 2021 whites from Vaudieu in Part 1 of this report, but as I also visited Laurent Brechet on my June 2023 trip, I've included reviews of more recent releases here. The estate is a true château, set well back from the main road, with vineyards surrounding it. Brechet seems to be constantly retooling his vineyards in some way; this year he was excited by how the young Cinsault was coming along. He's added Picardan to the mix and top-grafted some vines to Bourboulenc. At a bit more than 10 hectares of white grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, he claims to be the third-largest producer of white in the region. "Demand for white wines is growing," said Brechet, who went on to say that he was considering a project elsewhere in Provence, possibly a partnership with an existing grower. Among the array of red wines, Brechet suggested that he'll be offering a new cuvée from the 2022 vintage, a wine he is calling V. As presented to me during my visit, it will be a blend of three demi-muids, one each from l'Avenue and Amiral G, and one from a parcel of vines located in between those two. Driven by Brechet's quest for ever-higher quality, this estate is becoming a leader in the region.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate