Château de Beaucastel Beaucastel 2007

Now at 15 years after the vintage, the 2007 Châteauneuf Du Pape is firmly in its prime drink window and is just about overflowing with character. Sweet black raspberries, red plums, incense, herbes de Provence, leather, and lavender all carry incredible intensity and richness, and this gives way to a full-bodied Beaucastel with the classic 2007 opulence and sexiness. Sweet tannins, full-bodied richness, and a singular character all define this magical Châteauneuf du Pape that will continue evolving for another two decades. Don't let that discourage you, though, it's drinking at point today.

Saturated ruby. Smoky aromas of black raspberry, cola, licorice, tar and dried flowers expand with air while maintaining focus. Extremely fresh, with energetic red and dark berry flavors strongly underscored by candied flowers and minerals. I kept waiting for tannins to come out but it didn't happen. Finishes lush and creamy, with lingering notes of red fruits and tobacco. The blend this year is 30% each of mourvedre and grenache, 10% each of syrah and counoise and the rest "all the others."

Beaucastel’s 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape has turned out even better out of bottle than I predicted. An inky/ruby/purple color is followed by a glorious nose of blue and black fruits, truffles, pen ink, licorice, and meat juices as well as glorious levels of acidity and sweet tannin, buttressing the fruit’s fabulous freshness and vibrancy. This full-bodied effort still displays considerable tannin, no doubt because of the relatively high Mourvedre content. It should resolve its tannins in 2-4 years, and last for 25 or more. One of the great estates of the Rhone Valley, Chateau Beaucastel has been run by several generations of the Perrin family, beginning with the late Jacques Perrin (who died in 1978), then the brothers Jean-Pierre and Francois, and now their sons Thomas, Marc, Pierre, and Mathieu. Beaucastel has nearly 200 acres in vine in Chateauneuf du Pape, and they have branched out with an impressive operation under the Perrin et Fils label, purchasing grapes and acquiring land (in Vinsobres and Gigondas, for example). Their goal is to become the most recognized name for high quality wines in the southern Rhone. As shrewd consumers know, one of the best values in under $10 a bottle wine is La Vieille Ferme. The Perrin et Fils cuvees include wines made from purchased grapes as well as their new acquisitions in Vinsobres, Gigondas (25 acres), and the Cotes du Rhone village of Cairanne (35 acres). The Perrins enjoyed tremendous success with their 2008 red wines, largely because yields ranged between 18 hectoliters per hectare for Beaucastel, to only 20 hectoliters per hectare for Coudoulet. The mildew that affected everyone was the culprit. The entire family acknowledged there was an extraordinary triage and culling out of the grapes at the sorting tables. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802