Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend

Excellent. Still has some primary fruit but the red plum, smoked meats and dried herbs are really what’s screaming. This was one of the best 20 + year old cdp’s I’ve had. Lovely

I’ve often struggled to appreciate Beaucastel, particularly when young. However, the more often I drink older Beaucastel, I find myself slowly starting to understand why these wines are so important.

Opened about two hours prior. The 2001 Beaucastel pours a pale, slightly hazy garnet with a watery rim. Medium+ viscosity with signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous. Strawberry preserves, leather, bacon fat, and some chicory. On the palate, medium tannin, medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Is this the most powerful expression of Chateauneuf du Pape? No. But it’s balanced, complex and it makes me think and I like that.

As a sort of epilogue, I was able to enjoy this bottle with someone who drinks old Beaucastel more regularly than I do. He described this bottle as being one that is in-between plentitudes; which makes sense as some of the tertiary characteristics are beginning to show themselves. Subsequently, you can drink now but this will likely enter a new dimension in the next few years.

Reddish tawny, translucent. Nice fruity nose with notes of herbs, red berries, spices, dried brush, some wood. Good fruit with nice balance. Liked this a lot more than I expected I would

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.

Lovely. Deep fruit. Gorgeous texture. A touch hot.

Dark reddish color. Barely translucent.
Herb and medicinal nose. Notes of bright fruit, kirsch, dark soil, cherry and some Herbs de Provence. Rich, powerful and hot/alcoholic in the mouth. Long finish. Not the CdP style I tend to search for.

‘01 @Beaucastel CdP is a glorious glycerol of dark fruit, leather, smoked meat, roasted herbs & garrigue ~ awesome food wine!

I’ve long held that these basic Beauca’s are, with some age and in great years, among the best value priced cellar gems around. This bottle proved it. Tasted like it was bottled yesterday, on pop alcohol and plum compote. After 1.5 hrs a completely different animal, concentrated black and blue fruit, tar, charcuterie smoke and old leather. Seamless and round. More Burgundy vibe than ever expected. Long as the night. Wow. Good for at least another 10 years in the cellar.

Superb and young still. Huge acids. Needs 5 years.

Brett bomb