Chateau de Beaucastel - 2007
www.Beaucastel.com
A fine Chateauneuf du Pape at an excellent price - 2007 is drinking very well
October 14, 2017
This dark, red wine had a good amount of fruit on the nose, but was not overpowering; it was refined with some mild hints of sweetness as well. Initially, this full bodied wine presented a good amount of fruit and tannin that was mostly on the back-end. It was a bit smokey and had some oak, but not an overpowering amount. However, over time (approximately 1 -2 hours) the oak and minerals present in this wine became much more expansive. This wine is very well balanced, and at this stage the 2007 is showing very well - opening up more broadly on the palate over time. The wine paired very well with French food as it is largely served to complement the meal and add its own complexities to the food's flavors.
The blend is Grenache 30%, Mourvèdre 30%, Counoise 10%, Syrah, 10%, Cinsault 5%, with smaller amounts of Vaccarèse, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Picardan, Bourboulenc, Roussanne. With respect to vinification each variety is harvested manually and separately. Vinification is completed in truncated oak barrels for the reductive grapes (Mourvèdre and Syrah) and in traditional tiled cement tanks for the oxidative grapes (such as Grenache). After the malolactic fermentation, the grapes are blended and then the wine ages in oak Foudres for a year before being bottled.
This full bodied wine can be obtained from many fine wine retailers, but I have purchased many a bottle from a fine wine shop near Chicago called Flickinger, who carries an extensive selection of many vintages. Generally I have paid between $60 - $70/btl. whichi think is a great value for this quality of wine.
Where to find it:
Flickinger
Rating: 93+
The blend is Grenache 30%, Mourvèdre 30%, Counoise 10%, Syrah, 10%, Cinsault 5%, with smaller amounts of Vaccarèse, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Picardan, Bourboulenc, Roussanne. With respect to vinification each variety is harvested manually and separately. Vinification is completed in truncated oak barrels for the reductive grapes (Mourvèdre and Syrah) and in traditional tiled cement tanks for the oxidative grapes (such as Grenache). After the malolactic fermentation, the grapes are blended and then the wine ages in oak Foudres for a year before being bottled.
This full bodied wine can be obtained from many fine wine retailers, but I have purchased many a bottle from a fine wine shop near Chicago called Flickinger, who carries an extensive selection of many vintages. Generally I have paid between $60 - $70/btl. whichi think is a great value for this quality of wine.
Where to find it:
Flickinger
Rating: 93+