2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Château de Beaucastel remains a construction site. With François Perrin, we first sampled the whites from tank and barrel. For their Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, the Roussanne generally sees oak, old and new, while Grenache Blanc and Clairette are raised entirely in tank. Malolactic conversion is blocked for the latter two varieties to preserve freshness, but it is usually carried out on Roussanne. Looking at what’s in the glass, the bottled 2022 and the assembled 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc perform well. As for the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, the 2022 turned out brilliantly, with the precise 2023 in hot pursuit. When Perrin offered to taste an older vintage, I opted for the 2009, as I still have one bottle in my cellar. Having enjoyed the solar 2009 a few times in its youth, I was curious to see how it developed. The mature 2009 has evolved into an alluringly complex yet remarkably refreshing Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, sitting at a perfect drinking spot. If you are lucky enough to own a bottle, now is the time to enjoy its full glory. Moving on to the reds, we started with the refined 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Hommage à Jacques Perrin before moving on to the 2022s. While it was no surprise to see the Hommage presenting as a contender for one of the wines of the vintage, I was thrilled by the quality of the traditional red Châteauneuf-du-Pape with its enticing floral lift and serious stature. Finally, we approached a bottle of the red 2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. While the aromas and flavors have evolved towards lovely tertiary elements like tobacco and dried fruits, the robust tannins remain a focal point. That said, the 2005 is a distinctively savory Beaucastel with a few more years ahead.

Mar c Perrin does not like to make "easy wine" and is intent on sticking with this estate's model for "wines that demand but repay patience." So it should be no surprise that he is particularly enamored of his 2005s, which he describes as classic Beaucastel. "They will age beautifully and they're among the greatest wines we have produced here. But they will not be fun when they are young." While his 2006s "will be enjoyable at a much younger age" than the 2005s, Perrin believes that they are nonetheless well-balanced and fine to put away. "They are still Beaucastel," he emphasized. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Marc Perrin, who is an avid sailor, was waiting outside the Beaucastel chai enjoying a vicious windstorm when I arrived for my tasting, and it was clear that he would have preferred to have been out on the water than in a dark, quiet cave that day. "Two thousand five gave us a perfect harvest," he told me, "like 2004 and, by the way, 2006. "Perrin is especially excited by the quality of the mourvedre in 2004, which he believes will help ensure a long evolution for these wines. "The 2004s will not impress with extraction, but with finesse, elegance and balance," he pointed out. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)