Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

Dark brooding nose. On the palate deep and rich but not over roasted at all. Really lovely balance and intensity. A very polished wine. Hints of tobacco, cocoa, dark plum, dried herbs. Very good

Fresh as a daisy, bottle was in tremendous shape. Acid was lively, driving even, and the developed notes were in beautiful harmony with intact and clear fruit. To me the Mourvèdre has really gained hold of this wine. Dry, meaty, loaded with spice. At first fig and soaked prune, but air dialed it back to dried and roasted black cherry, crushed plum, and black berry confiture. Fur, leather, spice cake, licorice, forest, coffee grinds, perhaps even some hoisin mixed in. Complex and layered. Tannins and dryness offer a sort of grit and rusticity that I’m loving. Perfect with simple chuck roast.

This is now the second time in the past ten months I’ve had the chance to visit the 2017 Chateau de Beaucastel. Just as good as the first time I tried it, the 2017 Chateau de Beaucastel Rouge is a nothing short of a scintillating wine from this historic estate. A blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre with Counoise, this comes off as a touch more heady than most vintages with layers of ripe boysenberry and black cherry with dried thyme alongside lovely savory tones and salty, stony terroir. The length here is quite impressive, as is the soft texture and bright acidity that brings you back to the glass for more. Wonderfully seductive in its youth, this has two decades of life in front of it. Drink 2022-2038- 95

Quite tasty for a terrible vintage for Southern Rhône.

Very nice and juicy. Ready to drink after 3 hours of decant

Tawny color with clear rims. Dark body but translucent. Ethereal nose. Notes of plums, herbs, some anise , some cherry kirsch. High pitched fruit forward. Burgundian in its style with great mouth feel. Nearing the end of its long and extended drinking window but great bottles like this one tonight still deliver with great emotion.

Rich and concentrated showing excellent depth and complexity along with mid-palate intensity. A superb vintage for Beaucastel and CDP. Kirsch cherries, black raspberry liquor, damp earth, red flowers and balanced acidity. Finishes with excellent length while tannins continue to retain grip and firmness. Lots of life left but drinking beautifully now. 90 min decant minimum. I’d say similar to 95 and 98 for them in terms of structure and age-ability.

Muted plum, blackberry, and an abundance of black olives. Nice herbal note on palate and little spice. Should bang with grilled lamb

2007 vintage. Aged well, mellow, funk on the nose, still plenty of fruit - prune, dried cherry, earth. Great with beef brisket

Jammy but delicious