Wonderful powerful but not overpowering. Big nose and palate of dark fruits and tobacco and an intriguing herbal perfume (lavender?). Long finish. For me, everything that’s great about good rhone and syrahs — big flavor punch that still is able to meld with food (was great with a cheese / white asparagus / cream pasta and another dish with a vin jaune sauce). Tannins are definitely present — lots of time left on this one but for me the perfect drinking window.
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Perfectly balanced. Plush and silky, still lots of fruit. There’s already a well integrated part of tertiary aromas - it’s got the perfect mouthfeel. I don’t see this getting any better. Will drink my last bottle within the next months
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Earthy, spice, and subtle fruit on opening. Improves over time with increased complexity and more of the fruit. Excellent. Have 2 more bottles and will decant next one.
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This is in the zone. It won't get any better. All tertiary tasting notes now. Wine has faded to a beautiful looking translucent ruby-brown color. Amazing mouth feel. Medium plus finish. Lots of leather. Just lovely.
Roast top sirloin tonight.
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Decanted for 30 minutes from a 750 ML bottle. Mature, complex, and subtle. Pairs well with lamb chops. More refined than the Beaucastels of the 80s, which may appeal to some but not to others. The smell and taste profile include red fruits with forest floor and other subtle earthy elements. Not likely to improve IMO.
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Another disappointing 2007 CDP and sadly this is one of my favorite wineries. This wine is plummy, over extracted, yet thin, tannic and the finish is a bit harsh.
Flawed bottle? Notes of rum pot and baked notes, port-like, alcohol very dominant, disappointing. Hope it was a defective bottle, because I have two bottles left…
Opened 30 minutes before drinking but it would do better to be open for a couple of hours. It was a little tight and earthy to start but the fruit came out over time.
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Black olives on the nose. The palate is a fruit bomb, and this is just not my style . Reminds me of California Zinfandel. So totally unlike the Beaucastels of "89 And '90 which were, for me, memorable wines. This wine is well made and many of us will like this style.Therefore, the rating does not reflect my personal taste.For me it's an 87 at best.
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this continues to shine. nose is still fruit fwd with blueberries, blackcurrant, spice, pepper, and attractive herbal notes, earth, tobacco. palate is full bodied and smooth with sprightly acidity that keeps it fresh. berry fruit along with a strong herbal and mineral core. this is in a sweet spot that should appeal to fans in both the young and aged CdP camps.
Last tasted in November of 2020. No formal notes. Stupendous balance with red fruits moving to the front over dried dark fruit flavors. Savory underpinnings add interest without overwhelming.
Beautiful.
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En magnum. Double decanted. Deep ruby red with a steeped red rooibos tea rim, close to garnet but not quite. Feral nose full of raw meat, macerated crushed red berries, mild leather, kiln dried tobacco, spiced red plum, minerals and more. Gets fresher the deeper you sniff. Also loses the animaliness with more time in the glass. And a hint pf a medicinal note emerges with time as well that adds an additional layer to the complexity. Super smooth and long, melted tannins, full bodied, excellent fruit extract thay is ripe and sweet, and a tangy dry finish. Flavours are so well blended they're difficult to tease apart, but they include spiced black plum, soft red fruit leather, black tea, goji berry, iron, bison jus and dried sweet black cherry. Fully mature and drinking so lovely right now! Not quite at the fully dried and spiced red fruit stage yet; still containing vestiges of black fruits. So torn between wanting to sip and analyze this and just drink and enjoy it. Spectacular! Easy 96 points!
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Chateauneuf du pape tasting (at my home): Appearance: Deep, dark ruby with purple undertones Nose: Rich and complex, with aromas of ripe black fruit (blackberries, blueberries, plums), licorice, fig, spice, and earth Palate: Full-bodied and powerful, with a firm structure of tannins and acidity Flavors of ripe black fruit, licorice, spice, and earth Long and lingering finish Overall: A classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the 2007 Beaucastel is a powerful and elegant wine with a long aging potential. The wine is well-balanced, with ripe fruit flavors, firm tannins, and refreshing acidity. The nose is complex and inviting, with aromas of ripe black fruit, licorice, fig, spice, and earth. The palate is full-bodied and powerful, with flavors of ripe black fruit, licorice, spice, and earth. The finish is long and lingering.
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Was expecting funk after reading all the notes prior opening but total opposite - lovely bouquet upon uncorking that was alluring… and bottle breathed it for 3-4 hours. Delicious bottle and prefers this so much than the 03 bottle I just had. Fresh, optimal level of acity, dark berries, some spice - with a little finish of dry wood that tasted slightly odd at fist. Blew away after some time.
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It is settling nicely. Figs, blackberry and coffee glides effortlessly into your mouth with a persistent embracing finish. It’s in a good spot but we still have lots of time to enjoy this beauty
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Have enjoyed 5 of these prior....opened this last bottle with a fairly easy pull on the cork....wine was not corked, but rather the seal must not have been perfect as the wine seemed older, over the hill and past its prime. Opened a second bottle shortly after and it was its normal beautiful self, so I will chalk this up to a bad, undersized cork.
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Perfect cork 100+ years! Decanted for 2 hours. Quite a lot of sediment. Red rooibos tea core with a mahogany rim. Funky nose full of horsiness, sweaty saddle, dried red berries, stewed red plums, Christmas cake, macerated raisins and dried garrigue. Very complex! Medium full bodied, juicy acidity, gobs of fruit extract, high melted tannins and tre smooth with an off dry impression on the finish. A tad hot. Not nearly as funky on the palate as the nose. Macerated red berries, leather, sanded cedar, compost, funky organic earth and a snappy spicy finish. Lisa says "it's like dirty beautiful goodness"! Quite long and spicy warm on the finish. Seems a bit bretty and hot overall. Not the best showing based on past experience, but still worth 94 points to me.
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Decanted 1 hour. Very nice at first taste, with dark red fruits, some earth and leather but in general still quite primary but in a nice way vs. previous bottle a year or so back. This did close just a bit after an hour (so 2 hours after decanting) but overall I like where this is now, and think it will improve. A-
Hmmm...This bottle had a serious funk on opening. Even after 2 hours it was still detectable, similar to the funk I get from the 96 Cos D'Estournal we have had on a few occasions. That takes at least 6 hours to fade and I read (after finishing my wine) that some people have allowed the 2007 Beaucastel to decant for 12 hours.
Overall, it was an OK glass of wine, but the funk distracted from the rest of the glass.
Maybe I'll try it again tonight.
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First taste immediately after decanting. Note from four years ago still applies. "Black fruit, soy, anise, mocha and a little pepper on the finish. Modest tannin and bracing acidity. Vibrant, elegant, refined and delicious." It may be even better now. No rush to drink the next.
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Getting even better than the last bottle. All that you want in a cndp in the right spot. Dark fruit, some sweetness, tar, spice, white pepper, chewy, long finish and still even a bit tight.
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An object lesson in letting a wine breathe. PNP and observed over more than an hour. Bright red, faint translucence. Bright and precise on the palate, cherry, blueberry, minerals. Deepens and darkens with air and time. Soft but still well-defined tannins. Nice acidity, excellent balance. Finishes moderately long with sweet cherry notes. Over time the finish lengthens and turns to black cherries. The mouthfeel becomes smooth, and the wine develops notes of anise and milk chocolate. Over the course of an hour this went from 90 points to 95. Decant it for at least an hour. Or just enjoy watching it evolve in the glass if you have the patience. Drink next 5 years, could go longer.
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I don’t think it’s a flawed bottle. I just thing old Beaucstel is and has largely always been overrated Plummy nose, flabby on the palate, and short. I had this bottle ten years ago and it was fun. This is not.
First bottle of the half case box I bought. Opened about an hour before drinking. That was enough though longer wouldn't hurt. Great balance between the fruit, the earthiness, somewhat lush but with a medium tannic finish. All around great. Can easily last a bunch more years
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Birthday bottle. Had with smoked brisket on the bone. Good fruit concentration with noticeable garrigue and tertiary character. Blackberries, tar, cocoa, cedar, pepper, smoke, and caramel. 14.5% alcohol was present but not obtrusive. Well integrated with tannins still present, this has easily another 15-20 years of life on it.
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Bright clear medium garnet, approaching more of a ruby color. Deep purple fruits on the nose. Incredible blackberries, coffee, tar, and mulberries. Tons of life left in it.
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Really good tonight and better than the first glass a couple of days ago (salvaged via Coravin). Feeling like this was a pretty good QPR now at $75. Purchased these bottles from PremierCru. For those of you old enough to remember, now I wonder if I even drank the real thing...
Phenomenal wine. Nose: funky musty forest floor, sweet licorice, blackberries, cocoa. Palate: smooth, balanced, some spice and blackberry acidity. Cocoa, tobacco spice, mushrooms, I can drink this wine all day long.
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Served to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep ruby color with a slightly orange rim. Medium+ viscosity and some moderate staining of the tears. There appears to be some sign of sediment as well. On the nose, the wine was intense with notes of dark cherries, a mix of red and black bramble fruits, licorice, some leather and dried gravelly earth. I don’t detect any use of barrique but maybe some large format oak. This has an old world nose to it that was really lovely. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose and while the fruit had some power, it came in a body that was pretty fit and tidy. Alcohol is medium+. The finish is long and had some stoney minerals too. I called Brunello di Montalcino from a warmer vintage like 2009. Whoa…2007 Beaucastel! Damn, they hit so different than most other CdP’s. So much more restrained! But now that it has been revealed and I’ve allowed more time for it to breathe in my glass, I totally get its sense of place. One of my big takeaways is that I need more experience with these wines, particularly with age because that’s when they become more interesting to me. This is drinking well now but I expect it will continue to do so through 2032 with ease.
Intense ruby color. Intense nose of red fruit, grape (almost Dimetap at first), chocolate covered cherries, maraschino cherries, strawberry jam, plum, cotton candy, leather. Interesting smokiness to it as well, like smoked red fruits - everything is well-integraged. Taste wood, cedar, the red fruits. The secondary flavors especially linger for a long finish. Great wine!
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Fantastic drinking wine. Lots of dark fruit, notably plum, blackberry, currant, and hints of fig. Some lighter berry overtones in the background. Tannins work well on the back end where charred hickory, cloves, and earthy, bricky, clay overtones help to form a long lasting finish. Grilled prime strip and lamb sausage were a perfect pairing here. This was awesome and I will remember it as such. That’s what really makes a great wine, your memory of it.
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Full-bodied and delicious. Terrific nose. Great with steak.Structred. Tannins there but doing what they should.
Revisiting six months later. My understanding is that 2007 was a hot year, and this is a little cooked. A touch raisiny. Less noticeable as it opens up. Still tasty.
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Jumped out of the list of Lunch at L’Ami Jean , Paris in terms of value and albeit we had our worries that this would be a monster akin to younger bottles of 1998 ( we actually sold all of our allocation of this on this worry after trying it in 2016 and rating it 88) But on the day with no decanting and not much fanfare the wine performed, has definitely the feel of a hot ripe vintage, but its also with a balance and is no way heavy or burnt. A lot of Grenache bright fruit on the nose, herbs de Provence and a dark fruited finish. A very pretty wine for the price and really makes us regret selling this . 93
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Dégustation horizontale Châteauneuf du Pape 2007 (Ville Mont-Royal): Un nez profond de fruits noirs, avec un côté iodé, bord de mer. Bouche plus fraîche, moins riche et moins grenache. Des tanins très fins, un superbe équilibre, une longueur impressionnante. Il fait très HJP. Pas mon préféré au niveau aromatique, mais c’est très impressionnant. 95 pts
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Luis goes to Cahill Bistro: Pop and pour may not have been the best treatment, drank a small glass over an hour. There's garrigue, forest floor and very pretty fruit. But it does seem 2007ish in a big and fruity way. I'm going to hold my bottles a bit longer and pray.
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Another Great Luis Tasting! (Cahill Bistro): This was a PnP. I believe this wine would have benefited from a decant. 2007 is a bit perplexing to me...big fruit, big alcohol from a hot summer. I think the alcohol will calm down more and the fruit and some tertiary goodness are on the horizon (at least that is my hope)....However, not sure what to think after tasting this....Yes fruit is definitely there, but so is some heat from the alcohol....the question is which will calm down more, if at all? Will the heat/alcohol become more pervasive or will the heat subside with time? Stay tuned to the bat...errr...wine channel!
OK....enough fun, down to brass tacks on the wine. Big fruit, some roasted meat and some spice, with an earthiness and leathery layer lurking under the fruit and alcohol. My best advice....a 2-3 hour decant and serve with food if drinking now, or hold (like I will) and pray the wine gods look favorably on you! 92 today....??? tomorrow...but fingers crossed!
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Loads of dried cherry and raspberry fruit and a lot of mixed spices. Starting to show some aged flavors while remaining a lovely airy feel to it. Tannins are farily polished but still present and I feel that it is a good point to drink right now. Seems understated in its boldness which makes it really enjoyable! Great wine!
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Ripe, brooding and mouth filling, the 2007 Beaucastel CDP rouge is in an excellent spot at the moment. A lovely nose of dried strawberry, licorice, black raspberry, sage, lavender, leather, smoke and star anise. Very complex, The palate is silky, round and rich with a wealth of fruit left. It is less lifted and a touch less focused than the outstanding 2007 Charvin, but there is a complexity here and a wild gaminess to this wine thanks to the many different varieties in the blend. It is a delicious, charming wine that delivers great pleasure now, and for at least a decade more.
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dark red to purple. Nose was accessible immediately upon uncorking. Cork in great condition. Very clean nose for this wine. No bret at all. No oxidation either. Primarily fruit driven at this point. Great concentration with a big mid-palate and finish. Needs quite a bit more time.
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I have been revisiting this vintage over the last four years and last night - drunk with a classic French chicken and tarragon recipe - it really came into its own. The tannins are well integrated now. Decent acidity to cut through a cream sauce and a wonderful understated red fruit selection. You can also sense the heat and sunshine of the Rhone valley. A wonderful wine at its zenith.
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En demi-bouteille. Epaulée 12 heures puis carafée 2 heures. Excellent vin très équilibré, pas marqué par la chaleur du millésime. Beaucoup de potentiel encore..
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Based on previous note, I brought this ought for a steak dinner. While this is not a pairing I would normally think of, the previous note made me think it might be fine, and it was really great! I do like this better with food anyway, but it was quite a complementary pairing!
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Dark and savory with blackberries, ripe black plums, and meaty minerality. In a great place. Shows some of the warmth of the vintage, but really well balanced and delicious.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS; Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape (By VD and @ VD): In the bouquet creamy dark berries which are still a bit primary. On the palate also creamy, juicy and round with beautifully ripe dark berries, laurel, salty licorice, fresh acidity and round tannin with a soft bite. Truly delicious wine with mature as well as youthful impressions.
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* Wine 3 of 4, CDP vertical tasting at al Coro. Opened and decanted 3-hours before dinner.
A peak expression of prime Beaucastel, truly magnificent, one of the best I've tasted from the timeless chateau and the winner of the entire evening (for me at least).
Spectacular nose, developing from truffle, earth, pine forest and herbs, to dark cherry, plum and dark chocolate. Such range, and constantly changing, I could not keep my nose away for a second. On the mouth, perfectly integrated tannins, structured, rich and full-bodied, beautifly round mouthfill and a 35-40 second finish with notes of cigar, game, cherry, herbs and truffle again.
A tour-de-force in CDP, from a great vintage, at the exact right moment in the wines' lifecycle.
94 points on the night. Drink now through 2033.
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Unfortunately my last bottle of this beauty, which I have enjoyed 6 times over the last 5 years. Quintessential CdP, full of garrigue, black fruits, kirsch, rich mineral aromas and a concentration that is so impressive. This is at its apogee but wasn't showing any signs of decline, it's just too bad that it has increased so much in price the last few years.
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super nice with full minus body (as others have noted) but not overwhelming (and I can be sensitive to brutish wines)...red / dark red fruit with high acidity and some spices / umami to kick... feels relatively young -- not too young to drink at all but I would guess this bottle could have gone another 10-15 years without breaking a sweat
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Coravin fun - Ch. de Beaucastel (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Ahh, my monolithic friend. Baked, dense, red over black fruits with a savoury underpin, touch of alcohol prickle, cedar and raisins, baked herbs, a little liquorice. And on the palate there is plenty of (slightly less baked) fruits, a little raisin, tannins are drying, gripping the mid palate and roof od the mouth, coarse flour textured but in support of the huge fruit, finishes savoury and a little garrigue. The most approachable this has been
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(Verkostet aus der Magnum im Rahmen der C9dP Probe von Peter Buser) Mittleres Rubinrot, dezente Orangetöne. In der Nase vielschichtig, verspielt, betörend dieser Duft, dunkle und rote Beeren, Erdbeermarmelade, getrocknete Kräuter, Orangenzesten, Grand Marnier, wow, das ist eine wahre Nasendroge. Im Gaumen hochelegant, reiffruchtig, sehr feines Tannin, keinerlei Alkoholdominanz, das hat Rasse und Präzision und endet langanhaltend und feinwürzig. Top ausgewogen, Gänsehaut. Aktuell auf dem Peak. 96 vvPunkte www.vvwine.ch
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just a fantastic wine. After three hours of decanting, this CdP really shined. The palate was the star - complex dark fruit with great body and a long finish ending in an integration of acidity and silky tannins. This wine understandingly paired this with a rib eye from Ruth's Chris. Just great.
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Stood up for a few days in the cellar, the usual pop and pour, sound cork. Good, not picking up a lot of heat, also no Brett at all which I kind of miss. So far a good bottle, drinking with grilled steak so will see how it goes. Definitely not on the downslope yet, can keep for some time in the cellar.
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In a great spot. Dark purple color, black fruit, herb, pepper, that cndp blood/horse-note, chewy, medium+ finish. Fabulous w Cuban food. Feels like it still has a numbers of great years ahead of it.
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Last of a 1/2 case purchased on release and stored properly since.
Medium ruby in appearance with some definite lightening at the rim. Less color than a bottle drunk about 18 months ago.
Fully evolved nose of kirsch, baking spice, herbal elements (thyme etc.) and some tobacco. Just a hint of fatigue on the nose.
Medium bodied with excellent flavor concentration and a long savory finish. Very little acidity and structure compared to the last bottle drunk which suggests its time to drink up.
In summary very well done, but also very surprising that this has evolved so much in less than 2 years. Maybe some bottle variation at play here.....
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For a blend it’s a scrumptious fruit forward delight. At 15 years of age it has left behind many of its rough edges and would be even smoother and near perfect with a few more years in the bottle.
This vintage seems fairly highly regarded, but in my opinion this wine is a bit out of balance and may take some more time to come together. It was not nearly as good as the 2004 I had recently (both were Oenotheque bottlings ex-chateau)
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last week the 2006, today the 2007 ... both are wonderful. The 2006 was less body, less long (90) ... this 2007 is right after opening a dream ... I guess finally 95 ....
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I like this wine, my wife loves it. It's rich to the point of being ripe and that really dominates this wine. My wife loves wine with rich fruit and I like more of a minerally profile. This has some mineral notes, and a fair bit of tobacco. Still, I didn't want to stop drinking it.....
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Third tasting note on this vintage and all generally consistent. Nose driven by strawberry red fruit, toast, baking spices and smoke. Palate more black fruit and savory. Dry, med acidity, totally integrated tannings, med alcohol, full body, med+ flavor intensity. Long finish. Definitely holing up although I would drink now.
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A fabulous wine! Perfect balance of fully integrated tannins and acidity, providing an energetic extremely well-balanced wine. Fruit dominated by cherry, kirsch, with lots of bright red flavors throughout. Long finish. Popped and poured and within 15 to 20 minutes in glass it was displaying all its greatness.
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30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 5% Cinsault and 15% Vaccarese, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul and Bourboulenc
Full body, deep garnet color. Exciting, black fruits and pepper aroma complemented by truffles notes. Black currants and blackberry palate, following by wild berries but gentle acidity, rounding, liquorice and mineral on lingering finish. Rich, bold and complex, powerful but well balanced, completely integrated tannins, gorgeous wine. Food friendly, well pairing to stewed beef in red wine sauce. Serve 16ºC - 18ºC. Open one hour ahead. Drink now to middle of the next decade.
More acid than I expected, relatively in balance although there are a lot of ripe, dried fruit notes. A big wine. Improves a bit on day 2. In a good spot, but doesn't seem like it will fall over anytime soon.
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Excellent! 3 hours in the duck....just wonderful. Tannins fully integrated, on the nose a bit of leather and tobacco with wonderful cherry, possibly cranberry added. Palate was consistent with nose. finish was long and smooth. With proper air, this is in a fine drinking window.
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Decanted for 3 hours. Wonderful nose of blackcurrant, redcurrant, plum, smoke, sweetened spice. Full-bodied, good structure and soft tannins. Plenty of acidity and fruits left. Very long finish. For a moment, the wine tasted like a refined claret due to the abundance of black fruits. This wine would cellar well over the next 2 decades.
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Enjoyed over a couple of weeks using CV and finally opened. Very mature and a bit hot. Complex bouquet with garrigue and too ripe Grenache stuff. Tannins almost resolved, intense, a bit too ripe fruit but I reckon it will work well with a rustic beef stew. Drink now-onwards
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Different, less pleasurable experience than previous bottle. This time slo-ox only rather than decant like last time. Lovely ruby core under the light but with a noticeable brickish garnet periphery not only on edge but also transcending the glass. Cork intact, dripping with inky viscosity, although a noticeable bleed along one side but only 1/4” Nose initially smokey and spicy with strong currant, blue, and black fruit but soon gave way to an oxidized odor about 90 min in which ultimately eclipsed the complexity of the nose. Palate intact: Acid still there and quite fresh. Fruit still there: strawberry and herbs. Tannins totally integrated making for a soft, light to medium bodied enjoyable drink. Finish, however, short to medium. In the end 89 points after considering all the points. Quite a let down considering the last bottle, the price, and the Beaucastel CdP rep. I am chalking this up to unusual bottle variation and happy to have 3 more for the future.
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of black raspberry, cherry, currant, black tea, herbs de Provence and forest floor. Ripe black and red fruit, black tea, dried herbs, forest floor and ripe tannins. Long finish. Medium to full bodied. Drinks like a young and vibrant wine. Served with reverse seared pork chops.
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Opened and decanted for 40 min prior to drinking. Presenting a deep almost inky purplish ruby, the 2007 Beaucastel comes bounding out of the glass with scents of blackberries, black currant, and blueberries; along with truffles, lead pencil, gamey meat, and dried herbs. Despite the surprising amount of sediment left in the bottle, the wine is still young and powerful with a wonderful line of bright acidity, sweet tannins and a mineral brightness. The finish is long, chewy and lingers with with hints of dried flowers, star anise, and licorice.
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Pulled from a 15-year slumber at Beaucastel, this 2007 does not disappoint. The warm nose offers plum, Fig Newtons, Band-Aids.
Plum, cassis, mixed berries on the palate. The tannins are still going strong! This drinks like a young wine and could benefit from 2-3 more years in bottle (in an ideal world). In reality, drink now. This is fantastic.
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Volatile. beautiful purity of fruit. hot. very Grenache. very atypical for Beaucastel. leather and candied raspberries. tannic. it is reminiscent of clos des papes 07, but more tannic. Lots of Band-Aid and sur maturite notes on the nose. rich and balanced, with superb concentration. While this is atypical fro beaux, it is totally representative of the vintage. At 15 this is only in early maturity. May very well improve. Over the next 15 years..
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Beautiful, less burly, but still quite ripe. It's not to the point of being sweet, but more than I generally prefer. Still delightful, well balanced with a long finish.
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Alas, all good things come to an end. My last bottle of 24 purchased long ago. As is tradition I had it with my brother in law with BBQ steak (and we also had the 2009 to compare). Brilliant, complex wine.
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Slow ox for 6 hours then decanted 30 minutes before dinner. Nose of blackcurrant and some spice. Nice palette, but tertiary has yet to develop and did not evlove much during a 2 1/2 hour period. It was completely outclassed by the 1997 Gruaud Larose. Numb phase or needing a longer decant? Next bottle in 3 years to find out.
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Initially a little rustic on the nose, very garrigue, slightly baked red fruits, a little peppery spice. In the mouth it's juicy, savoury with drying talc textured tannins, sweet red fruit shows less baked on the palate, long, a little peppery spice on the finish. Yum.
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Decanted half bottle 1.5 hours and paired with pan seared lamb chops. Ideal pairing made all the more interesting by a wine 21 year old “youthful” wine. Ruby color of medium intensity in the glass, perhaps a slight garnet. Another CT review mentions crimson and I’d go with that. Nose very primary - far more fruit forward than expected. Cherry, raspberry, plum, blackberry and later blueberry. Also hints of licorice, spice, and vanilla. Little to no tertiary, at least not yet. Palate yields plenty of acidity and alcohol, youthful in primary fruit and tannins. Well balanced. Medium finish. This isn’t what I expected but not in a bad way. Far younger and more vibrant, but missing the CdP spice that I’ve come to expect. I will continue to contemplate…
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NobleRottersSydney - top 80s Bdx with Rhone ringers (Fix, St James, Sydney): {cork, 14%} [Gordon] Rich, developing nose of plums and jam. Still very young and even a touch pointy and raw, although some mellowing is more evident on the palate where the ripe grenache has some spicy maturity about it. Full-bodied, a touch blocky perhaps. But balanced and interesting none-the-less. Medium/long finish with fine grainy tannins. Will keep happily. Easily the pick of the pair beside La Crau.
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- Crimsom color. It's balanced with a medium/full body - Such a delight - such an amazing wine! Deep red color with a ton of life left in it. Excellent balance between acid, fruit, tannin and alcohol. Notes of chocolate, dried spices, and a slight sour cherry. Classic. Drink now or hold for another 4 to 6 years. What a beautiful wine!
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In a beautiful spot today. Intense ripe fruit without being over the top. Figs, prunes and plums. Loam, wet earth and black olives. Tannins hidden in the background of a big round body. Good balance and freshness on the finish.
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Beautiful after decanting for 2-3 hours. Balanced tannin and acidity with a relatively long finish. Drinking great now, but we'll see how my last bottle matures over the next year or two.
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Quel beau nez de fruits rouges mûrs, d'épices, de poussière...comme dans une vieille librairie ! Un vin fruité...saveurs de fruits rouges bien mûrs...cerise, ainsi que des épices. Les tannins sont fins. Complexe, texturé, chaud, harmonieux...très élégant ! Très longue finale sur une pointe de chocolat noir (50 %). Magnifique pour un vin de presque 15 ans ! Boire d'ici 5 ans encore.
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Similar to my last note this really does need the time to open - 2+ hours - and yet still not sure what to make of it as seems a little overdone right now. B+/A-?
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Beautiful bouquet of spices and simmering black fruits on open, shifting to a more herbal chalkiness and bright red currant and cherry after a few minutes in the glass. Thank goodness that I insisted that it not be decanted - would’ve destroyed that evolution completely. The palate was beautifully balanced with fresh cherries, black currant, black raspberry, garrigue, all on an iron and graphite spine. Finish goes on and on, tannins are perfectly integrated, and the acidity brings it all together. Absolutely gorgeous.
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Eðalklúbbur, vínsmakk #3 vor 2022 (Marbakkabraut 12): Ég skoðaði hvað fólk á CT væri að umhella þessu víni lengi. Virðist vera sem flestir séu að umhella í 1-2 tíma. Ég opnaði flöskuna hellti víninu í karöflu (m.a. til að ná seti í burtu) og svo aftur til baka í flöskuna. Vínið hefur svo líklega staðið í 3 tíma áður en við drukkum það. Það er ansi dökkt á litinn. í nefinu voru dökkir ávextir. Mjög samþjöppuð lykt sem erfitt er að greina í sundur. Líka var þarna að finna lyng eða runnagróður. Mjög þægileg og flott lykt. Í munni þá var líka að finna dökka ávexti. Mjög mikill ferskleiki og frábært jafnvægi. Ég skrifaði síðast þegar ég smakkaði þetta vín (fyrir rúmum 2 árum) að ég héldi að það myndi líklega ekki batna. Miðað við þessa flösku, sem hefur verið geymd nákvæmlega eins, þá gæti það alveg átt eftir að batna. Gef 94 en rosalega nálægt því að skríða upp í 95. 3 flöskur eftir hjá mér. Býst við að taka þær á þriggja ára fresti.
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One of the few times I am going to say that it was better on the second day. Much more fruitier and in balance. Maybe the first day it was too cold or not allowed to fully open?
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Oh, baby! Decanted to remove sediment. Opened powerfully after about 30 minutes. Black cherry, tree sap, sous bois, camphor, and even some beef blood, combining to produce a heady mix of compelling aromas. Rusticity and charm in warm embrace. I couldn't stop sniffing. Pure cherry juice in the mouth with Christmas spices brightening the mood. Muscular and direct with just enough edginess and verve. Medium weight carrying a ton of intensity and finishing clean. No evidence of the cloying sweetness so many '07 CdPs suffer from. Fantastic experience and the best bottle of Beaucastel I've had in a while. Paired wonderfully with lamb chops with a mustard/cornmeal rub and potatoes Dauphinoise.
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Wow! Cette bouteille a fait sensation. Un vin concentré mais très ouvert, plein et tellement savoureux. Long et épicé, avec une profondeur exceptionnelle, une complexité et une ampleur aromatique fantastique, sur des notes de fruit noir et d'anis. Magnifique. 94-95 pts
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Rich and earthy red cherry and black fruit (black cherry, black currant, blackberry). Somewhat “dusty” flavor and finish with notes of graphite. Bold, rich, acidic, and tannic — stands up well to food. Extremely tasty.
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Decanted off lots of sediment. Colour is midway between ruby and garnet. Swirling sheets the glass before legs slowly form. Crazy good nose! Dried red fruits and even a touch of dried blueberry, light cedar, warm spices, camphor, licorice, meat jus, dried herbs, especially bay leaf, sous bois and on and on. You just want to keep on delving deeper and deeper into the bouquet and it doesn't disappoint! More and more aromas are revealed adding to the already insane complexity! The entry on the palate is gobs of sweet red fruit, melted tannins, perfect acidity, high glycerine and an overall full but perfectly balanced body. Added in to the sweet red fruit there are fully mature flavours of licorice, tar, stewed red plum, even some stoniness, garrigue, leather and more. The finish is super long and lingering, fruit-filled, slightly astringent and so soft and supple. Spectacular wine!!! 98 points all day long!
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Vraiment magnifique avec encore beaucoup de vie et un bel équilibre. Il parait plus vieux sur son apparence que dans la bouche. Ce CNP offre beaucoup de matière sans être lourd. C'est un heureux mélanges de fruits noirs et d'épices avec des saveurs tertiaires qui commencent a se pointer. Difficile de voir comment il pourrait se bonifier d'avantage. Définitivement a boire.
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Umwerfenden Bouquet mit Himbeere, etwas Kirsche, Blaubeere, Tabak, Veilchen, Graphit, Eukalyptus; sehr ausgewogen, feines, bereits abgeschmolzenes Tannin, noch primäre Frucht-, aber auch beginnende Sekundäraromen. Langer Abgang, gute Zukunft.
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Dark ruby red color with slight separation at the rim. Lovely smells of black plums and blackberries with dense concentration and a long finish. Some residual acidity and soft tannins suggest that this wine will continue to drink well for years to come.
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NYE: Ringing in 2022 (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. One hour decant. This was big and spicy too, like the '05, black fruits, lush dark berries, garrigue, lush, smoke and underbrush, but well balanced too vs. the '05. 92+pts.
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New Years Eve 2021 (Kevin and Vicki's house): Baking spice, red fruit, garrigue, kirsch. This was drinking fine but previous bottles have been better. I'm not sure when I'll open one of mine, maybe 5 years?
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Decanted about an hour. Very dark. Aromas of licorice, earth and a hint of iodine. A bit monolithic. In the mouth it is reasonably balanced, but its lack of generosity and any sign of complexity makes it far from harmonious. Good length. It went perfectly with roast duck and roast potatoes, but as a stand alone wine it fails to satisfy. It has no charm. Probably my least satisfying Beaucastel so far. (My points try to conform to the original descriptions of Parker's scale, so this is good - but not very good.)
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1 hour decant. Very nice, very long. Not overly powerful as I read in some comments, but it definitely shows the warmth of the vintage. I believe it is at its peak now and will not improve more. Really enjoyed this a lot.
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A very powerful, atypical Beaucastel. Still fully intact and monolithic. One is moved to say that this vintage could go head to head the most powerful California Cabs. Very dark fruit, slight medicinal notes.
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in line with some of the critical comments, this Beaucastel has roasted fruit but frankly I didn't find it totally offensive (and I'm a big fan of more elegant / red fruit / bright wines)... rating is 91 which is less than many vintages of Beaucastel for me but certainly drinkable and for some might even be better due to the ooomph / power (but not me)
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Huge fan of Beaucastel. This was acquired new. I thought CHITOWNCDPGUY was spot on when he said: "Kind of burly and quite ripe. Wait on the rest of these in hope that it mellows out a bit." This bottle was unlike any Beaucastel CDP I have had in the past and I have drunk my fair share. It had none of the flavors I associate with CDP or Beaucastel. It was overly ripe with no complexity. Disappointing.
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"I wanna start clapping" (Chicago, IL): This is not good. Age has ravaged the fruit in this wine, leaving a decaying, brown, pruney mess. Jammy, but jam made from windfall plums that had been on the ground for a week. Another bottle that reinforces my belief of what a miserable failure the 2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape vintage was.
I did not enjoy this like a bottle on 12/19/14. This was surprisingly on the lighter side (still a fuller wine) and it had nice flavors but no "oomph!" or "wow!" to it. And at what I paid, I deserve that!
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This is the fifth or sixth bottle drank from a case purchased on release and stored properly ever since.
The wine is definitely starting show some lightening - color now light ruby.
The nose shows complex and fully evolved aromas of kirsch, baking spice, minerals (iron and stone) vanilla, melted licorice and some herbs (rosemary and thyme). In spite of the lightening , the nose shows no sign of fatigue.
Medium plus in body with lots of structure and acidity- very structured for an 07 CDP. The mouthfeel is gorgeous and the bottle didn't last long paired with some reverse seared ribeyes and Saturday night NCCAA action-always a good sign. Lots of similar flavor characteristics on the palate with a long finish.
Great stuff that can be drunk now or kept "indefinitely" in a cold cellar
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Paired with its American cousin of the same year. Both drinking well in their mature window. Dark smoky meat and plums to the nose. Some garrique. Full body of dark fruit. Tannins are resolved. Delicious.
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Kind of burly and quite ripe. Wait on the rest of these in hope that it mellows out a bit. Ripe dark fruit, some wild spice, and a lot of very earthy flavors. Smooth with a long finish.
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Garrigue on the nose (especially thyme and lavender), plums on the palate. Not quite expansive on the palate - I would decant. But not a lot of acidity or tannin, so I would drink sooner rather than later. Perfect for people who like fruit combined with classic CdP flavors. Not a great Beaucastel - I much prefer more classical years.
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Euming's 40th Birthday (Kingyo, Telok Ayer): From a magnum, this was yummy, if perhaps just a little young. I liked the nose, with its drifts of dark cherries and blackberries along with savoury bits of earth and meat, spice and garrigue. Clearly in an adolescent stage, but very attractive. The palate was even more youthful, certainly tighter suggested, but no less attractive. It unfolded in layers of dark berries and black cherries, earth and spice; with a lovely lift of garrigue and lavender on the midpalate and beyond. All this was couched in a lovely frame of fine tannins and bright acidity, leading into an elegantly long finish. Not yet fully resolved, but was absolutely delicious even so, with a burgeoning complexity just beginning to show. With time, bits of earth and spice and grarrigue all started coming out really attractively. A really nice wine, still in its adolescence. Give it 5-6 years though, and this should be absolutely lovely.
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Dinner at Mountbatten Grrill. This is a big wine, emphasizing power over elegance. Lush ripe fruit with a sweet undertone. Full body, enhanced by the 14.5% abv. This is a tasty wine but I have a marginal preference for the elegance and better balance in the 2001 and 2005 vintages.
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Avec l’âge, Beaucastel développe toujours de la finesse et celui-ci ne fait pas exception, sans toutefois renier le côté puissant et solaire du millésime. Ce côté plus chaleureux est peut-être aussi dû à la plus grande proportion de grenache qu’à l’habitude. En effet, 2007 fut un millésime propice au grenache, mais plus difficile pour le Mourvèdre, qui représente habituellement une proportion plus élevée de l’assemblage de ce vin.
La texture est ronde et garde une certaine richesse, un peu d’alcool certes, mais surtout une jolie gourmandise, sur les fruits rouges. La finale est longue, savoureuse et d’une belle complexité. 93 pts
La régularité de ce domaine au fil des décennies est admirable.
A big flavoured wine brimming with red fruits, red licorice, garden herbs, salt bush, spice. More savoury that fruit driven, particularly the longer it was open. At 14 years, it’s perfect to drink now.
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This is a fine Beaucastel. For perspective, it’s more refined than the 2005, but more weighty than the 2004. It’s full flavored and fresh, yet light on its feet. I decanted for 90 minutes and drank over 90. It did not really improve after the decant, so I would say we are in the window, where it should stay for at least several years. Enjoy a bottle now if you have a few.
Plum and soy sauce on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, plum, currant, and notes of cocoa and savory herbs on the medium to long finish, with moderate tannins and moderate acidity. This is excellent, and it was an excellent value at about $65. At the $95 I see it going for now, it would be an average value. The Cellartracker drinking window looks about right.
Coravin tasting Dark ruby Intense tertiary aromas of ripe red fruit (cherries, plums, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries), dough, oak-vanilla, dark chocolate; Developing; Dry, high acidity, med+ tannins, high abv, med+ body, complex, long aftertaste, med+ flavors intensity consistent with the nose; can drink now - suitable for further aging. requires at least one hour of decanting.
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Tasted blind. Fragrant nose with notes of black fruit, chocolate/cocoa, earthy flavors, and menthol. The palate is intense with dark fruit, and a hint of vanilla and a slightly noticeable heat component. Showing the hot vintage, but it tasted a lot better than the descriptors sound. Quite long finish. Lovely and well balanced wine, despite the vintage. Probably good to wait another 5 years. 93+
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Fairly dark. Very ripe red berry fruit opens this one. There is a lot more to this wine though, it develops some nice CdP character after a bit, bonfire, roasted meats and pepper. Dry out earthy blackberry flavours and a nice dry finish.
For a 2007 this is pretty nice, Drank with a steak or something this would be great. After the 2 elegant Clos des Papes this seemed very ripe.
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Great. Nose a little closed on pnp, opened up substantially as the night went on - still a good amount of ripe red fruits mixed with earth and a hint of spice. Stewed fruits in the glass with some leather and spice, medium acidity and soft tannins. Lots of life left - will save my remaining two for a while yet.
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Serious color change towards brown with a purple undertone showing its almost 15 year age. This was one hell of a Beaucastel - massive in aroma, body and taste. Enticing bouquet of leather, moss, soy, mushroom, smoke and stewed fruit -- I could live in that aroma. Gave it a 2 hour breather before diving in. And over the next several hours, it only got better and better. On the palate there was loads of smoked meat, a lot of raisin, blackberries, herbs, some old oak and olives. Medium acidity. Full bodied, mild tannins with some faint alcohol. Long finish.
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I’m wondering based on some of the notes here from good tasters whether this was an off bottle. PnP, non blind, this showed roasted and pruney. Everything about the hot vintage on full display and feels like it’s about to fall apart. I couldn’t finish a glass.
First bottle of a six pack. Dark red color with some fading at the edges. Earthy nose with bright cherry notes. The palate shows dense fruit, black cherry, roast meat. Bright, lively earthy notes (is that a thing?) with some air. Firm tannins, bit dusty; needs a few more years to soften. Good acidity and balance. Lovely warm spice notes on the mid-palate. Finishes long and bright with lively acidity. First rate now, but it will be interesting to follow this as it ages. I'd suggest a decant for 90 minutes or so. 93 points with an upside.
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Not a great showing. Outside tasting, sampled a few times over the evening. This was hot and syrupy, with tired fruit and muddled spice character. Lacking freshness and spine. I really enjoyed this wine younger, but seems to be quickly on a downward trajectory if this bottle was representative (no reason to think it wasn't)
Two hour decant. Interesting fresh mushroom and barnyard nose with some heat. Brick red pour was dark purple, almost opaque in the glass. Full bodied and a luxurious mouthfeel. Layers of fruit....black currant, cassis, blackberry with notes of 5 spice, macadamia and mineral. Pleasing med long black currant finish with nut hints. Truly delicious.
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Really nice - pretty fruit forward (dark, complex fruit) with good minerality and spices. Acid and tannins were well integrated but provided lots of structure. The legs were the most impressive part - 30+ second finish. I'd score higher but it was missing that "fifth gear" that might be achieved with more time and complexity.
I decanted for ~90 minutes and it kept getting better. Well kept bottles clearly have lots more time.
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I might have said 92 pts (for now) but the guests were over-the-top on this Beaucastel... this has nice power, and power that deserves more age frankly, but still drinking nicely now with some red and dark red fruit, barnyard, with the boldness is some nice acid for balance... well done, had heard from my guest 10 years ago that the '07 in So. Rhone was a block buster and he was right (happily I bought 12 bottles)... funny cuz '07 in burgundy was a lighter / brighter year that is drinking well now / young... hoping I have one of the '07 Beaucastels on my 80th bday (2042)
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decanted 45 min. deeply colored & brilliant dark ruby; boldly fruited aromatics, yet none of the roasted qualities of many of its vintage peers; full-bodied, while showing seamless weight; ripe & concentrated, surprisingly balanced even so; still possesses solid structure & evolutionary potential.
first .750 ml from a case; considerably better balanced & more attractive than anticipated (experience w/Beaucastel going back many decades) from the '07 vintage experience w/other producers. while it lacks some of the rusticity & funk of older examples, this bottle was quite attractive & youthful.
lamb meatballs in spicy tomato sauce w/feta, mint & orzo; roasted hakurei turnips & their greens w/guanciale & sweet chili sauce
Coravin pour - tasty right out of the gate. Not much acidity, but just enough to keep this rather ripe amalgam together. Smooth, lush, and enjoyable all the same.
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A mature colour, and the wine itself is now tasting quite mature, with rich, raisiny, almost port-like fruit and good length. Probably at its best now: it can be kept but it seems fully developed.
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2 hour decant. Perfect cork. This wine is a classic and it knows it. Still strutting it’s stuff in 2021 and could be good for another ten years. The smoothest black fruits, purest expression of Beaucastel style with a classic combo of textbook CDP barnyard funk, smoked meat, a kiss of absinthe and overripe blueberries. A pure expression of nature, terroir and a killer vintage. Unforgettable.
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Decanted 2.5 hours. This didn't give much on opening and at 2.5 hours a little better, but honestly not really singing yet. Red fruits, but still seems thin and a bit of varnish on the nose. Not a bad wine, just not sure what to make of it right now. B+/?
Decanted for about an hour and drank over 2.5 hours. In a really good place now and starting to mellow. Tanins are finally resolving themselves. Lovely wine for the ages.
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Beautiful wine. Black raspberry, red cherry, dark plum fruit. Notes of baking spice, orange peel, stewed tomatoes, red licorice, white pepper and savory herbs. Acidity has mellowed a bit after 14 years but still has a nice long finish. No rush on this one if you have some, these will go on for quite some time.
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Virtual CdP Tasting (Home): Very dark red color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 3 hours. Oh yes, this was singing tonight. Heady aromas of raspberry, scorched earth, tar, orange peel, smoke, purple flowers, roses, soft dried spices and a little smoke. The palate is lithe with impressive energy, bright and full bodied but so lifted and pure, a mix of mostly black fruit with some dark red berries, soft tannins, scorched earth, plush texture, white pepper and spices on a long finish. Best bottle of this I've had to date - really coming around now. Unanimous WOTN. 94(+)pts.
Its been just over a year since my last bottle and this one is the best yet. WOW!
Dark, rich ox-blood in color. Full bodied. Loads of baking spice, stewed dark fruit, a little jammy Silky smooth, unctuous, slightly astringent, grippy,tastes like the nose, with a medium plus finish. This wine is singing right now. Just amazing for the price point. Such a classic. There is a reason I am always buying this wine. Cheers!
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Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; we each brought 2 or 3 bottles (@ RW): Beautiful and complex bouquet with herbs and spices and some pleasant stable smells. On the palate the same impressions, dark berries still, cigar, good acidity and tannin with still a pleasant bite. Very beautiful and complex. This wine can last another 5+ years.
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the nose on this wine is outstanding. so fragrant, with blueberries, blackcurrant, spice, pepper, very strong herbal overtones, earth, tobacco. full bodied. acidity present, but this is anything but sharp. this vintage has hit its stride and is showing off all it has going for it. lovely long finish with a peppery note that lingers. this is still fruit fwd but the herbal qualities on display seem more pungent here (in an attractive way). highly recommended.
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This is the fourth bottle drank from a 1/2 case purchased on release. Color showing some lightening- now light ruby- going to garnet. Still opaque though.
Complex and evolved aromas of macerated cherry, kirsch, , melted red licorice and some herbs (thyme) and pepper.
Full bodied with medium tannin and still very fresh acidity. Very structured for an 07 CDP. The finish is definitely long.
Drink now or hold for another decade (not sure it will improve though).
Vinturied into decant, consumed over several hours. The last one I had was in 2012, this bottle was a bit more past the hump IMO, the MV has become slightly out of balance. Still enjoyable but the 2010 Flanagan Syrah mopped this one up. I’d personally drink it now thru 2023/5 absolute lastest.
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Highly extracted, and not my slyle, but this wine succedes in what it tries to be. Goes well with my daughter in law's cassoulet. Tastes young and full of fruit.
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Great wine, but this bottle was not as delicious as the last one in 2017. Overall elegant, but lacking the symmetry and harmony to merit a higher score. Still a joyful experience. 94?
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Second virtual CdP wine tasting (blind). (Zoom): Wine 4 of 4. Concentrated sweet red and dark fruit, pastille, fresh herbs, intense spice notes, liquorice, gamy notes and stony mineral notes, with supporting acidity, fine, high-class tannin and superb length. Very dense and concentrated. Well balanced.
Very complete by day three, except for some warmth on the finish. Great wine!
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When you fall off a horse (see my recent review of Domaine Giraud Tradition 2009), the best thing to do is get back on. This was full on but so much better balanced, with the alcohol in particular in line. Decanting for a couple of hours helped but further time in the glass eventually resulted in a smooth velvety texture to the wine. Earthy blackberry fruit with a complexity that was allowed to feature rather than be overwhelmed.
Tonight this CDP was singing. Perfect for our Thanksgiving dinner where we opted for sage and lemon pork loin in pan sauce, garlic mash, creamed spinach, clove and nutmeg candied yams and good old canned cranberry jelly. This bottle of the 2007 still showing quite a bit of power and enough breadth to match up with the entire meal of rich fall flavors.
Perfect cork. A beauty in the glass. Inviting nose. Rich mouthfeel. Complex palate. Long finish. Huge enjoyment. A true classic and enjoyable now
5+13+18+9=95
Came from a trusted reseller and this bottle obviously had the benefit of very good cellar conditions before it arrived at my table.
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A deep colour; dark cherry and bramble fruit, slightly spicy, rich, full and long. Still vigorous and should keep well for 5+ years, but it is very attractive now.
First bottle in 2 years, no change from my prior note. Fruit is almost entirely gone. Nose has secondary characteristics. The palate is just flat. Dominated by alcohol really. Maybe this is going somewhere, will open up again in a few years?
2007 was the first year I started stockpiling Beaucastel. For those who have experience with aged Beaucastel, is it typical for these to shut down and then open up again in the future? 20 year anniversary? For me, wish I had just drank up during its young, fruity phase. Was a knockout when young!
Contender for "bottle of the year". Fresh and wonderful. Did not decant but opened it up 4 hours before dinner and just let it sit. I have 2 bottles left out of 24 purchased and it is still a fabulous bottle of CDP.
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Beaucastel reprise (Ben and Estella's place, Parramatta): From Coravin. It's a bit forward, gamey, still has that baked fruit character, almost a touch of taint, slight volatile. Sharp acid note, alcohol warmth, red and blackberry, still quite monolithic for me, but this one also has a smidge or taint and VA. Not entirely flawed but defo drink up...
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Chateauneuf du Pape lunch (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Quite gamey initially then rich, very rich, ripe, concentrated black and red fruit, baked herbs, a little cream...might be a tiny smidge of taint here as well. On the palate it has sweet dark fruits, blocky, grippy tannins...this is still fairly monolithic for me. Hmm.
Nose of licorice, leather and earth. Opened further with time to reveal some red fruit aromas. Tastes of muted candied cherry, fig, and licorice with interesting tertiary notes of coffee, leather and tobacco. Heavy sediment. Improved over 2 hours--would decant longer next time. Enjoyed with steak at SeaBlue with Lisa, Claire and Chris.
Decanted for one hour. Nose of black raspberry, black cherry, black tea, fig, garrique and anise. Black and red fruit, garrique, fig, anise, black tea and fine tannins on the palate. Very long, layered finish. Full bodied. Served with smoked pork chops.
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The wine was superb. Definitely good earthy flavor, but the grapes shone through as well. Very delicate texture - like a Pinot, but with a clear Rhône flavor profile. Super fun and inimitably drinkable.
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A dark colour; rich, slightly sweet, spicy, intense and long. A very good Beaucastel which is still vigorous but which is beginning to soften as it enters middle age.
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Magnum ! Double decanted 5 h in advance. STarted good but evolved over 3 h and was a real beauty in the end. Smooth , warm , herbal silky stuff. No heat !!! Lovely ! Esp for the hot 2007 !!!
Bu avec la gang de FOUDUVIN au resto AVV La Suite de Sherbrooke. J`adore ce domaine, mon pref en C9DP. Un beau 13 cépages! C`est très bon mais quelques coches en-dessous du 2006 bu il y a quelques semaines pour l`anniversaire de Guy et Mario. Celui-ci est moins complexe et moins en forme, tout de même délicieux. De belles saveurs d`épices et de fruits noirs. Pas très long en finale mais super équilibré. Faut dire qu`il a souffert de la comparaison avec les autres rouges bus lors de ce souper!
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bu avec les amis de FDV Ouverture sur les saveurs compotées: framboises, fraises. L'acidité est bien en support (groseilles), et la bouche est soyeuse malgré les touches poivrés. très bon.
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Toujours consistant dans la qualité le beaucastel! Déguster avec une pièce d’agneau. C’était Magnifique! Une très belle combinaison. Pour ma part, je trouve que cette bouteille est à son apogée. Les tannins sont parfaitement intégrés mais le vin nous offre encore une belle intensité et beaucoup de vigueur. La complexité est au rendez-vous avec encore de belles saveurs de fruits et d’épices. La puissance a fait place à l’elegance Et la subtilité.
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Compared to the remains of last night's 2007 Usseglio mon Aieul, this is relatively restrained and enjoyable. But still a lot riper than a "normal" Beaucastel, with some pruney/raisiny character.
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PnP. Medium dark boysenberry red. Big nose of spicy, dried and almost inky red and black berries, garrigue, cured tobacco leaf and an overall rich warmth to it with a bit of ethanol lift on the end. Medium bodied with sweet, rich fruit. The acidity is in the background and there is not a tannin anywhere in sight. The flavours are a melange of sweet (ripe) red and black berries, overlain with Herbs de Provence, melted red licorice and lots of spice on the finish. Incredibly smooth, sweet and savoury, full and rich and overall beautifully delicious!
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Drinking beautiful right now but this wine looks like will drink well forever! Captivating nose of olive oil, cassis, black fruit and aged Modena balsamic. Beautiful.
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3 years since my last bottle. Decided to pnp a bottle given some of the recent favorable review here. Initially muted, then with sandy tannins showing, this needs about 1h in the open bottle to find its balance. Great C9dP and an amazing achievement in the 2007 vintage. This is neither showing the overripeness and the bitter tar notes, nor the excessive alcohol (14% here) many other wines do, in what is a very difficult vintage for my taste. Instead, there is great freshness but also good depth and complexity. With more air there are also some red fruit notes and some tertiary flavors joining the dark fruit. This is great to drink now with 1h+ of air given the wine's impeccable balance , but should also last for another 10 years as the structure is clearly still there. Bravo! 94
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I had this over 2 days...Day 2 definitely better, giving me the impression that this needs more aging. On day 1 it was ripe, clearly hot, and sweet. It rated 91/92 on quality on day one and 93/94 on day 2, so the score is the average.
Day 2 it had calmed down, letting more of the ripe fruit to show with nuances of garrigue and roasted herbs. The finish was dry and super lengthy and probably the best part of the experience. I remember slowly sipping this, just for the finish to bloom. Glad it was my only bottle...not for me..Drink or Hold
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Beaucastel doesn't get better than this. The Perin family has made great wine at extremely competitive prices for years. This wine with dark fruit a beautiful nose is no exception.
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CDP Corona Tasting...gotta love it!: This wine was double decanted to get rid of sediment, poured into small jars around 4 pm, transported to individuals for the tasting, poured into glasses and tasted at 6:30 pm, tasted over the course of 2 hours. The wines were tasted single blind (we knew what all the wines were, but not which one we were tasting). The wines in this tasting were as follows:
1. 1998 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2. 2000 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 3. 2009 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin 4. 2007 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 5. 2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The group's top 2 (which received almost all 1st or 2nd place votes) were the 2003 Clos des Papes (Number 1) and the 2000 Pegau (Number 2). My order was as follows: (1) 2000 Pegau, (2) 2003 Clos des Papes, (3) 2009 Janesse, (4) 2007 Beaucastel, and (5) 1998 Telegraphe. As a side note, my number 5 did not end up there because it was a bad, on the contrary, it was good, just happened to like the other wines better!
2007 Beaucastel - Very nice wine! I am sure my score is very conservative, but it scored relative to the other wines I drank with it (all scored fairly conservatively). The nose was a little disappointing, especially for a Beaucastel. There was fruit and grilled meat and herbs present, but the nose was somewhat subdued, especially compared to the top 2 wines. The palate was very good, and showed plenty of dark fruit, beef jerky, and some herbaceous flashes. The finish was medium to medium-long. A very enjoyable wine! This wine was number 4 for me (in an excellent line-up). 92+ points. I feel this wine will show better with some additional bottle age.
Single-blind Chateauneuf du Pape (Everyone's House): Single blind covid-style, so each wine delivered in a small jar. This was not as good of a showing as the last bottle, but wines tend to lose a point or 2 when you're drinking them blind. I swear there was a slight dill pickle component to this, and I'm sure Beaucastel isn't using any American oak. This wine was very complex, with so many flavors that it was difficult to pick them out individually. Black fruits, grilled meat, baking spice, herbs and tobacco.
Disclaimer up front is that I am not a fan of 2007 vintage CDP. Outside of Vieux Donjon, Beaucastel is the only other CDP from 2007 that I actually enjoyed. All others are way overdone, pruny, and volatile. With that disclaimer aside, this wine is extremely well made and is much more in balance that I was expecting. After a 1 hour decant, this opened up beautifully in the glass with a wonderful nose and very long finish. I enjoyed the red fruit, classic S. Rhône varietal expression, grilled meats, and a touch of funk. What I wasn’t expecting, but thoroughly enjoyed was the tingle of blueish fruit on the finish. This is a beautiful wine that is entering its maturity window where it will remain for at least another 5 years if cellared properly. This even stood up to the Waygu NY Strip that I paired it with, which was impressive.
Virtual Single Blind CdP Tasting (Home): Very dark red color. Splash double decanted and served 2.5 hours later. Drank a glass single blind over 3+ hours. This was fairly brooding out of the gate. It did develop more on the nose over the first 30 minutes; sweet spices on the nose, red fruits, pepper, garrigue and dark berries. The palate is full bodied, young, blackberry, black currants, very high toned kirsch, dried green herbs, dried garrigue with dark red berries and rather peppery finish. This does have the complexity and depth, and there is a lot there though it was not really that giving yet. I would say it probably was at its best 3 hours in, so hopefully this, like most Beaucastel's, will be better at twenty years. 91+ to 92pts.
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One of my favorite regular beaucastel bottling i have had. Sooo much concentration of fruit here that is still very primary, no lack of lift or acidity even for a hot year. Alcohol is contained. Very nice balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity. This is far from its peak, needs another 10 years at least but already very promising
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Woodward Cellar Emptying; 5/15/2020-5/16/2020 (Woodyville): Uuuuh-mami! A great wine that is nicely evolved from the last time I tasted it. The fruit has moved to a supporting role with garrigue, wet underbrush, iodine/ kelp, smoked meat, and saddle now showing off. Kirsch and plum notes expand on the palate. Now-2027
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Just phenomenal at this stage, so well integrated with a strong backbone, the nose is full of herbs and roasted meats as expected. Fantastic weight and such a long finish. Perfect right now for me.
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2nd bottle of 6. By far the best wine I've had in a long while. I imagine this is just entering its drinking window. Really hard to pin down the nose - cigar box, earth, blackberry? Palate is much more clearly defined with lots of secondary notes - black currant, fig, leather, and spice. Medium finish. All the elements are in place. Plenty of structure and life left for the next 2 decades at least. Drink or hold.
Attractive, red berry fruit, concentrated, silky and with mature, slightly tarry flavours. An excellent example, which is very good now but should keep.
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Popped and poured, and drank over 2 hours. This wine always blows my mind. Good from the get go. Becoming softer as the years go by, but easily 20-30 years left in this bad boy.
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Wow. Virtual tasting and dinner with best friends who bought the food from EL Ideas here in Chicago. I decanted for a hour. Beautiful color, no bricking, no tannins. Sweet palate, crushed dark berries, heavy palate feel. Wonderful mouthfeel. Definitely in a good spot.
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I first drank this several years ago and ignored it since. Great move on my part. The wine is, truly, a spectacular wine. Barnyard, gamey nose but occasionally with kirsch and black cherry (we drank this over 3 hours). Medium-plus body, the mouth feel is opulent and luxurious. Deep black fruit flavors but with good grenache influence. Well integrated. More tannin than would be expected, presumably due to the Mourvedre. On the finish though the acidity returns and makes for a lengthy and engaging finish. All components knit together. Exceptional bottle of wine.
Perfection in a bottle. Can't imagine how a wine could be better than this. Our last of 18 bottles; it was a great ride with the very best being the last!
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Lovely nose of sandalwood, baking spices, nutmeg, dried herbs, prune, plum, black fruits dominant. Palate of more black fruits with savory touch, grilled meat, medium acidity, still youthful and fruity, with delicious powdery and elegant tannins to end with long finishing.
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A deep colour, and very ripe, noticeably sweet, but silky smooth fruit, with a touch of tar; long and quite elegant. Still quite youthful, but very attractive now.
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Like many, 07 is often a bit OTT for my taste, but the 07 Beau was really solid when I had it last in 2012. That being said I was actually surprised at just how much I enjoyed this last night. Ripe and flamboyant for sure, and while it veered towards baked or stewed fruit, it never crossed over, in fact it was remarkably fresh for such a large scaled Beau. Just starting to hit some secondary notes, you had to look for them, but they are coming round. Really hard for me to think what to do with my last bottle, if it drinks like this one, I’d say enjoy it now, and wait on the 05’s and 10’s for long distance runners.
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This bottle appears to be far more youthful than the last. A lot more dried blackberries,plums, stewed cherries leather and coffee grind. The palate was more earthy expansive and the fruit was still there various red and black berries. Lots more echoes of fresh dried fruit on the finish.
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Drank with friends (JL, YL) at local steakhouse. Sommelier decanted. The Sommelier described this 13 year old wine as fresh. Cork was removed cleanly. We noted slightly green and vegetal taste on the front end. Throughout the evening the wine opened and expressed delicious grenache juice, fresh fig, current, and sweet coffee notes. Wonderful with a steak and good conversation.
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This seemed a little one dimension to me, with a muted nose and mostly olives on the palate. To be fair, this didn't get any air, as it was a backup for a flawed Pegau. It did get better with some time open, but not to where I was hoping based on the vintage. I should hold my remaining bottles a few more years, as I suspect I'll enjoy them more with additional time in bottle.
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This wine is a personal favorite of mine. It has a delicious and complex array of flavors, including black cherry and raspberry preserves, black tea, dried figs, lavender, and black pepper. Although the wine's mouthfeel is only moderately big, it makes a huge impression on the palate, with flavors coming in several waves. The sensation is not unlike vintage port. Tannins on the finish are still firm. This is a wine I would like to follow for at least another decade, though it's well into its drinking window if you'd like to drink it now.
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Excellent Beaucastel with a bouquet of dark fruit, herbs and some tobacco. Good flow on the palate with refined tannins. Drink now or hold for another decade.
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A ripe plump beiacastel. Nice backbone of dark red fruits with iron and sandalwood notes, with a bit of spice. The ripeness seems to overwhelm complexity, as this isn’t as tight or deep as other vintages. Quite enjoyable, seems to be for drinking now.
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very consistent with my last tasting note: ruby red with brick rim - raspberries, raspberries and more raspberries on the nose, with nuances of black pepper and leather - full body with excellent acid balance and soft resolved tannins - I thought it was a bit lean when drunk alone, but with food it shined - very nicely developed and enjoyable fully mature CDP that is probably at its peak now, but it should hold at this high level for many more years
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Reddish plum in color. Dark fruit, (plums and dark cherries) faint anise, hint of cedar Dry, tannin has softened, medium plus finish. Fruit is fading. A little bony. True finesse wine at this point. I think this wine will have more to say as it journey's forward in its development. Looking forward to my next bottle in 18 months or so.
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Unlike last bottle, this has a lot of new oak after an hour if breathing, then faded away at the second hour giving way to lots of plum and blackcurrant as well as herbal note. Spicy taste and sweat tannins. Very fresh and have lot of life ahead. Yummy stuff.
First taste immediately after decanting. Note from a couple of years ago still applies with the exception that the acidity is less pronounced. "Black fruit, soy, anise, mocha and a little pepper on the finish. Modest tannin and bracing acidity. Vibrant, elegant, refined and delicious." It is in the zone... Two hours later and just added a point. It has moved up a notch or two.
At Rainer’s birthday dinner. At the end of a nice evening with good food and wines. No formal notes. Dark ruby colour. Red and dark fruit, pastille, herbal notes, spices and some liquorice, with supporting acidity, ripe, well-integrated tannin and superb length. Truly lovely spice component. The wine was dense and concentrated and well-balanced. Very complete. A great wine!
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Starting to really blossom. Loads of developing tertiary notes of game and leather, while still preserving the cherry grenache flavour. Still early in the game here, but entering a wonderful drinking window.
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Half hour of air. Initial scents dominated by very heavy vanilla. That blew off, replaced by overripe black berries, clove?, raisins. Quite dark, fairly heavy texture, alcohol noticeable but not to the point of wrecking the experience. Big and somewhat jammy, a bit too much stewed fruit for me. Don’t think it is going to get better.Not a bad wine but not a great one either, considering name and vintage. Score : 91 relative to expectations: -
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Pop and pour. Slightly earthy on the nose, with a hint of raspberry. Big on the palate, ripe and well balanced, tannins seem to be mostly resolved. Will see how it progresses through the evening.
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Meðaldökkur litur. Komin fram öldrunareinkenni í lit. Smá brúnt eða appelsínugult í jöðrum. Í nefi mátti finna soðbrauð, feiti, hveiti, græna papriku soðið blómkál og hunang. Ekkert alveg mest spennandi lyktarnótur í heimi. Þegar vínið var svo smakkað þá fundu menn frekar dökka ávaxtatóna. Svartar plómur, sveskjur. Það var líka talað um málmbragð og einhverja þunga blauta tóna (stígvél eða blauta sokka). Þar fyrir utan var vínið í mjög flottu jafnvægi og tannín mjög þægileg. Mér fannst þetta vín ekki koma eins vel út og síðast þegar ég smakkaði það (fyrir rúmu ári) en alls ekki slæm frammistaða. Ég held að það sé alls ekki farið að dala þó líklega eigi það ekki eftir að batna úr þessu.
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In a blind tasting of Southern and Northern Rhone wines (including heavy hitters Chave, Chapotier, Guigal, Clos de Pape, etc) this wine bested them all. Was first rated the best Southern and then pitted against the winner of the Northern flight (06 Chave) was rated the Wine of the Night. Good news - I have 4 bottles left. It is in a great space right now. Popped and poured...
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Popped and poured. Dark purple. Dark red fruit, plums, a bit of sweetness on the finish. Not as complex or earthy as previous Beaucastels. Didn't change in glass over the course of an evening. Drinkable but not my favorite showing.
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Colour is a brownish purple. Decanted for about 30 minutes. Nose is still a bit tight with dry black fruits and leather. The taste is peppery to start, followed by anise and stewed plumbs. It is very smooth and well integrated, with some notes of tea at the end. This bottle started its private life in a condo without great temperature control, so it might not be representative.
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Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red, sweet red fruits and spice on the nose. Medium-full body, a bit over-ripe and verging on pruney, not typical for Beaucastel. I'm less impressed than many others. Very good as a cocktail wine.
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This was a good bottle from a great vintage. The wine was quite a deep, solid ruby red in glass and the nose was fresh cherry, a spicy note that I couldn't identify, and smooth menthol. As the evening wore on the menthol became more prominent. On the palate the fruit was a touch more dried than the nose suggested, there was plenty of spice, and that long menthol note. The finish was very long.
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Inky ruby, very aromatic nose showing roasted plums, blackberries, coffee, hints of menthol. Powerful with noticeable surmaturite, a bit harsh on the palate, almost bitter. Lacks balance. Not a great Beaucastel (at least at age 12).
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ruby red with brick rim - raspberries, raspberries and more raspberries on the nose, with nuances of black pepper and leather - full body with excellent acid balance and soft resolved tannins - I thought it was a bit lean when drunk alone, but with food (grilled chicken thighs marinated in soy sauce) it totally shined - very nicely developed and enjoyable fully mature CDP that is probably at its peak now, but it should hold at this high level for many more years
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A bit of a change on the heels of the Rioja which was just in the perfect drinking window and spot on. This is still young for my tastes (although I know some enjoy the higher power and higher fruit that is still there). Can still feel a bit of the heat of the vintage. But restrained for '07.
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Nez complexe de sous-bois, poussière, viande, vieux caoutchouc ainsi que des notes de pétrole (son côté floral) et d'épices avec soupçon de caramel. Quelle belle structure ! Un vin ample et harmonieux. Longue finale. Délicieux !
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A good wine, best with food. Hadn't drank a Beaucastel in awhile, was hoping it would hit me better, but I really just don't enjoy these as much I used to.
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Popped and poured over 2 hours. On the nose, this had blackberry, strawberry, dried herbs, oak, spices and dairy cheese. Over time, there also developed hints of prune, jammy fruit and honey. High acidity in the mouth, with a medium(+) body, medium(+) flavour intensity of sweet & ripe red fruits, dark fruits, oak, garrigue and a faint touch of spice and black olive. Full rather firm tannins, medium(+) finish. The materials are all there, but this still has quite some way to go. The fruit depth is good but on the strong side and the tertiary notes have yet to properly emerge. Give this a few more years or a good decant.
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This is my first Beaucastel...and it will definitely not be my last. Wow, this is crazy good. So complex, I cannot find the words. Full bodied, yet fresh and elegant. But somehow powerful. It seemed to fascinate all guests, each who have their own preference in red styles. Truly magical. I have a strong preference for Bordeaux varietals, but this Rhone wine definitely showed me what top-tier GSM can be like.
It was great on PnP and with minimal air in the glass. I didn't notice that much improvement over dinner, but we were drinking two other wines, so I cannot be certain. No tasting notes can do it justice, but I definitely got a BBQ meat vibe from it. We paired it with cheese, salami, sausage, and then a little left for the steaks. It was wonderful with everything. I will be buying this wine regularly from now on.
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ruby red with brick rim - earthy nose of raspberries, black pepper and leather - full body with excellent acid balance and soft resolved tannins - very nicely developed fully mature CDP that is probably near its peak now, but should hold at this high level for many more years
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Excellent wine, not the best vintage ever had from this winery but still very good. Quite young and I’m sure would open up better and improve over the next 10 years at least. Lots of orange rind combined with the heady chocolate, coffee and molasses that are more common.
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Interesting Beaucastel. Very ripe, full bodied wine with a rich, silky mouthfeel. A bit too much on the roasted/baked spectrum for me. A bit of prune along with red fruits, cedar and fresh earth. Long finish with mostly resolved tannins. Just a bit much for me, lacking somewhat in raciness and freshness.
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Dégustation horizontale Châteauneuf du Pape 2007 (Restaurant l'État Major): Nez qui me parait moderne, un peu de caoutchouc, fruit noir. La texture est soyeuse, presque huileuse, ce qui m’évoquait la Janasse. Bonne fraîcheur, c’est très long, un peu en surmaturité, bien équilibré. Il a un petit coté bretté qui me plait moins et il est servi un peu chaud. 92
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Gorgeous wine, but may be not a “typical” CDP (if such thing exists), i.e. if you are looking for dry fruits, prune, and figs, I couldn’t find them. On the nose it comes with licorice, raspberry, and when decanted enough, clear notes of honey (amazing). The taste is a mix of mostly red sweet berries like raspberry and possibly gooseberry. Very balanced and fully mature wine, ready to drink
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Close competition with the "Hommage à Jaques Perrin 2013" for wine of the evening. This is a stunning wine which suprised us all with a freshness, elegance and precise fruit no one expected to find in a Chateauneuf from 2007. Fine olive notes on the long finish. Drinking perfectly now. Great wine! - 93 points
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Offered this wine after a house concert and among the wine cognoscenti it was the favorite — even over a 2000 Monbousquet and a 2005 Spottswoode. It delivered the goods as promised: beautiful purpley garnet color, swirling aromas of baked cherries and strawberry, plus garrigue and cloves. Medium-bodied, red berry and cassis flavors, plus all the secondary notes one longs for in a Châteauneuf like leather, black pepper, Asian spices.
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Another 375, cellared since release. I was going to wait a few years before opening another one of these. The last few have been up and down with respect to over-ripe and roasted notes. The last one wasn’t promising but a 2007 Vieux Telegraphe yesterday was so good that I wanted to try again.
Perfect cork and fill. Dark red core, minimal lightening at the rim. Immediately on opening, nice nose of cherry, garrigue, savory notes. Medium weight, good balance, but some over-ripe and roasted notes are holding it back. Still very good but just not matching the excellence of the 2007 Vieux Telegraphe. This has the tannin and backbone to age, just don’t know if the raw materials are there based on first impressions. Will come back to it over the course of the evening to see if anything changes.
Left a half glass in the fridge for the next day and it showed similarly, though not as overtly ripe and roasted. No idea what that means for aging but if I were going to drink another one in the near future I’d open and decant in the morning.
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Call me crazy, many have, but I'm not sure this wine is ready yet. Decanted for over an hour and there was still an overriding tannic taste. Perhaps this (like many CnP's) is in a dumb phase. Wait another 18 months to try again
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like black pepper and flint. The body is medium/full. The wine has bright texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of Kirsch, black berries and earth. Flavors of Bing cherries, berries and minerals. Medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Beautiful Beaucastel! Was fun watching the evolution of the wine in glass as the night continued. Started with an olive note that turned into a little barnyard funk. After an hour decant, the garrigue and fruit were more apparent.
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Feels like time to revisit this one which was a beauty in its youth. Very deep magenta with a fade to almost garnet at the rim. Very inviting nose of warm mixed red berry compote, dried fine herbs, worn leather and red licorice. Medium full bodied. Great mix of dried red berry fruit (mostly strawberry and raspberry), leather, sandlewood and some spicy patchouli notes. Great fruit extraction. Lovely mix of primary and secondary flavours. Intriguing and complex. Contemplative. Beautifully balanced. Very smooth finish with a long lingering finish that has deceptive sweetness from the fruit. Tannins are subdued. High class CdP for sure! This is drinking so beautifully now! 97 points.
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Decanted for 3.5 hours with a color of dark ruby in the middle and brown on the sides. Initial nose of leather, dried beef jerky, dried mulberries, pomegranates lots of subtle spices and some earthiness. The palate had dried red and black fruits reminiscent of mulberries, huckleberries, boysenberries rich dark tree bark and some truffles. The finish is smooth somewhat reticent on the palate and seems surrounded with aged leather, black cherries, bilberries and choke berries (Aronia) and silky smooth taninns. Pretty straightforward so far. Seems to be lacking any noticeable secondary characteristics, hence my 87+ score. Could be bottle variance. It was however a great match with a peppered pork tenderloin. Lucky I have a few more bottles to try.
Flickinger Customer Appreciation Tasting (Casino Club - Chicago IL): Tasting from magnum, brief note. Black, blue and red berries throughout with hints of liqueur and sweet spice. Good weight, very good lift. Especially bright for the 2007 vintage. Best to enjoy near-term vs long-term cellaring.
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Weekly tasting group RWP #314; Mysterious theme: What could be Christmas wines….. (@ VD): In the bouquet a pleasant touch of barnyard, herbs and spices, rose hips, animals, smoke and some mineral impressions. On the palate red and blackberries, chocolate, leather, pepper, spices like cinnamon, a touch of sweetness etc. Beautiful ripe fruits, great and fresh acidity and round, still slightly sticky tannin. A great wine in a beautiful drinking stage and the wine probably still has 6 - 9 years of great future ahead. 96+
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This wine still has some life to it, the first sip after popping the cork was dry and tart; I pulled out my decanter and let it sit for 4 hours like I did with the first one and it just started to really open up at that point. The last glass of this, consumed after it had been open for 6 hours, was seductive and delightful, with a concentrated mixture of cassis, blackberries, blueberries, and black tea. It literally got better with every sip, just drawing me in and making me want more. This wine was the equivalent of a raven haired brunette with pale, milky skin and come hither lips that laughed at all of your jokes all night and told you to take her home for a night cap at the end of the date. A delight to drink, I have yet to go wrong with Beaucastel.
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Medium red; spices and licorice; quite powerful, lots of fruit not fully developed, too overwhelming at the moment; believe it has a very long future ahead; wait wait wait
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Incredible wine! Cherry fruit with some baking spice and slight peppery notes. Background of earth. Palate shows phenomenal fruit and earth balance and is incredibly juicy yet dry all in perfect harmony. Long finish. Very well done. Relative to its piers in this tier, a good QPR. Drank for a special occasion to celebrate some great news. Wish I had more!
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(From a magnum decanted for one hour.) What a beautiful nose! It is filled with all the scents you would expect from a maturing southern Rhone—ripe plums and berries, bacon, earth, garrigue, and a nice dose of barnyard. In the mouth it is full bodied with a lush, creamy texture. Sweet plum and cherry flavors layer perfectly with savory meat drippings, mushroom, espresso, anise and black pepper. The flavors are satisfyingly deep, seductively voluptuous and very, very generous. The long, silky finish is distinguished by an interplay of sweet and sour elements. Simply delicious with tons of life ahead! 95+ points. Incidentally, the wine was served with a roasted turkey glazed with a smoky, hoisin-based, Asian barbecue sauce. It complemented the dish perfectly!
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Smells of raspberries, moss, compost and meat. It has a low-acid feel with sweet fruit that has a chocolatey edge. It finishes with some wild herb action.
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This was the consensus WOTN on Turkey Day, although I thought the Orion of the same vintage was a hair better. This was a very dark shade of purple, and was very full bodied in comparison to some of the Pinots and Brunellos being tasted. Lots of blue and black berries, bramble, cassis, oolong tea, and a faint hint of cardamom. Really massive wine that will stand up to the richest of foods.
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To my tastes, this was extraordinary tonight with abundant dark red cherry fruit, earthy garrigue and some subtle Asian spice notes. There's excellent depth and complexity here along with a long, satisfying finish. Excellent!!
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Another half-bottle cellared since release, and 2 and 1/2 years since my last try. Perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Dark fruits, sweet cherries, meaty/savory notes on the nose. Ripe sweet fruit sliding into over-ripe and raisiny without carrying the meaty/savory components over from the nose. Decent balancing acidity and a medium long finish. This is disappointing as the last half-bottle was showing signs of starting to go in the right direction, trading the excessively sweet ripeness for more savory notes. This bottle is backsliding. Still very good as a cocktail wine but that’s not what I’ve been cellaring them for. I’ll wait another 3-5 years on the next one but my optimism has faded.
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Spectacular bottle of wine. Went well with the simple beef and Guinness soup we had for dinner. Oddly, both Michelle and and I detected bananas when the bottle was first opened.
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Beautiful and luxurious bouquet with herbs and spices and beautifully ripe red and dark berries. On the palate the same impressions; good spiciness, juicy red berry fruits, chocolate and sweet spices. Also some cherries, beautifully fresh acidity and good tannin which shows some maturity, but still has a beautiful bite.
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This is a very well made wine, but tonight it was overshadowed by several of the CdPs we had tonight. Seemed to lack vibrancy compared to some of the others.
For all that people slag off '07 CndP's, this particular bottle was just lovely. Nose has notes of fresh vanillas pods (not artificial vanilla-vanilla), spices, red fruits and floral notes. En bouche the floral element is stronger, although the vanilla picks up again on the finish (again, I do not mean some hi-toast fakey vanilla aromas/flavors). Color is still dark and tannins are still noticeable, even if resolving, so I bet this will go another 10 years easily.
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Château de Beaucastel Dinner & Tasting at Jeroboams, Walton Street. Limited notes. Focussed dark berry fruit, lashings of dry spice and savoury elements. Strap and dusty tannins. Forward and racy (not a term I associate with Beaucastel normally!). Now and (with this structure) till the middle of the next decade.
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Mixed Lineup (Kenwood Restaurant): Not decanted (shame shame shame Luis). This was the surprise of the note, because of so many lousy 2007 CDP's, this was gangbusters. It is full-bodied wine for sure, but not over the top at all. Beaucastel deserves credit for being consistent. For a young adult of a CDP, this is drinking very well. And I see I own 3, awesome! 93+
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Dark fruited and quite ripe. Plush mouthfeel. Shows a bit of heat. Adds some spice on the back end. Not sure I see this getting better, but given the producer will give it the benefit of the doubt.
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Mixed Theme at The Kewwood (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): In what was the surprise of the night, and most pleasantly so, the '07 Beaucastel truly shined. I've been disappointed many times by how the '07' CdP's have shown, but here's a ray of hope. As galewskj noted, this is still a big wine, but it has come together rather dramatically from my previous experiences and that was despite no air time. This had classic CdP character with dark fruits, spice, garrigue, and floral elements that comes off very well balanced. I really enjoyed this, and I look forward to seeing the Beaucastel evolution as this ages. 93(+)pts.
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See previous note. Fully developed and open for business with all the aromatics you would expect from a high end CdP. A little too heavy and alcoholic to merit a top score (for which I guess the vintage is to blame), but there were very few complaints around the dinner table… The last of two magnums – if I had more I'd drink it within the next two to three years.
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PNP at cellar temperature. This needed 30-45 minutes, but then showed ripe red, sweet/sappy fruit along with expected Beaucastel complexity and balance (considering the vintage). Easy to enjoy now, but may be more interesting as secondaries develop over time - a more elegant '89 in development? A-/A
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Wow... this might be the best 2007 Ch9 I ever had in my glass... (although I recently liked Mont-Olivet's Cuvée du Papet quite a bit, as well...). Most of the times the top-dog wines from this vintage are clumsy, chubby, too sweet.... But not this one! Great balance, beautiful dark fruit, smoke, blood, animal fur and some barnyard. Lovely luxurious mouthfeel, wonderful concentration and persistence. Very complex andd cerebral, yet highly drinkable and generous.
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This is a great bottle, nose is very complex, dark fruits and a bit reminiscent of Bandol with olives (Mourvedre?). Structure is imposing but lithe, great balance, very drinkable and absolutely not over the top. Long finish
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I’m in complete agreement with Vancouver’s note from two weeks ago. This seems to be on the early edge of prime time and is showing many of the attributes that made it such a hit with Parker, et al. Serving temp made a big difference in enjoyment and it was best on the cool side, 60-65 deg. 5+12+18+9= 94
This is the third or fourth bottle drank from a case purchased on release. Finally starting to show some lightening - color now light ruby- going to garnet. Still opaque though.
Complex and evolved aromas of kirsch, baking spice, vanilla, melted licorice , some herbs and pepper.
Full bodied with medium tannin and still very fresh acidity. Very structured for an 07 CDP. Lots of similar flavor characteristics on the palate which is just a touch closed, pointing to some further evolution. The finish is definitely long.
Great stuff that can be drunk now or kept "indefinitely" in a cold cellar.
More overtly ripe than I recalled on prior bottles. Keeps the alcohol in check, nice depth and nice spice note. Fruit is plush and sappy, almost like CA but it’s a fun wine and tasty.
Gorgeous wine that is brimming with black cherry and plum fruit that gains lots of complexity from the expresso, dried herbs and spice secondary notes. Just entering maturity now, this should provide great drinking for another decade at least. Medium/full body with polished tannin this has a tremendous mouthfeel: full and round without being heavy. We have drank Beaucastel going back to the 1998 vintage and this is their best effort yet. www.advinetures.ca
Beaucastel Birthday dinner (Bistro Moncur, Sydney): Woof. If that piece of black rock in 2001 had a scent it would be this. Positively monolithic. Palate is similarly dense. What a beast. After an hour or two it begins to show baked berries and earth, a little cedar, Garrigue and spice but...time...still
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(Decanted and drank almost immediately.) This has come a long way in the last three years. While still fresh, its early reticence has given way to a more generous and pleasurable wine. The nose is compelling with black fruits, Asian spices, sweat, espresso and smoked meat. Nearly full bodied in the mouth, rich black plum, licorice, coffee, tar and pepper flavors persist all the way through the long finish. The underlying acidity is fantastic and the sweet tannins possess enough firmness to guarantee a long life. Beautiful and nearly hedonistic. 96+ points.
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Coravin fun - Beaucastel review (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Oof, still very primary, baked berries, slightly dirty cedar, sweet spice, cream slight caramel…And so it proves on the palate…Just about approachable now. I'd suggest. Moving away, finally, from it's monolithic youth. A little bitter on the finish, slightly drying silky tannins. Nice.
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A terrific wine. Still quite youthful. Lots of power, lots of fruit. Some glycerine. Nose impressive, balanced and long on the palate. Can easily evolve for another 10 years.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #130; France, Southern Rhone (By me): Very youthful bouquet with still ripe cherries and red berries as well as good garrigue. On the palate the same impressions with juicy and fresh acidity and round, still youthful tannin. This wine will still be great or possibly even a bit better around 2024+
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Við tókum smá Coravin test til að sýna Fífu græjuna. Frekar ljóst á litinn. Í nefi fundum við svartar ólífur, útihús og dökka ávexti. Svartar ólífur í bragði. Líka svört mjög þroskuð kirsuber. Flott jafnvægi. Talsverð tannín. Mikil framför frá því fyrir fimm árum.
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Lovely wine. mouthfilling and delicious with soft and sweet blackberry and blackcherry. Complex and interesting with a long smooth aftertaste. Somewhat dusty with very fine tannins. Not fantastic, but a really nice wine.
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Tasted on Day 2 after opened. Inky garnet color. Plush with warm mineral tone, dark fruit, strawberry and a little tarry on the finish. Crisp ripe tannins brace up the medium bodied frame. Drink or hold.
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Decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, garrigue and bramble. Red and black fruit, coffee, spice, bramble and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish with excellent depth. Medium to full bodied. Served with roast pork loin.
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This wine medium light body with dark cherry, spice and oak. Extremely consistent through out the palate with a beautiful finish of fruit with tannin structure. Elegant wine that is definitely in the drinking window and has good years ahead of it. If you drink this wine out of a cheap glass you will not get the elegance and depth of this wine.
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Tasted 14 CDP's blind tonight at our weekly wine club......from vintages 07 through 015. Wonderful line-up!! Not a bad wine in the bunch! The second best out of the 14 was the 2007 Beaucastel: textured, dark, aromatic, complex, with years left to excel. But the real surprise was the number one wine.....a "ringer" from an ornery wine club member.....was the 2012 Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas from Paso Robles. Beautiful!! Both wines California and Southern Rhone evolve from the Perrin Family in France. The Tables Creek is a Perrin influenced wine along with the Haas family. Congrats to both!! Can't go wrong with an eleven year old CDP from either location. Also finishing high were the 015 Chante Cigale, 012 Pontifical, & 015 Chateau Mar.
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2015 Rhone Tasting (Spectrum Wine - Tustin CA): Tasting, brief note. At such an enjoyable place right now. Black fruit is ripe with some intriguing barnyard notes. Very interesting, complex and layering with good weight and length. Entering its peak drinking window.
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This wine is drinking fabulously now. Well integrated still enough tannins left to give the wine a solid structure but far better balanced than the last time I opened a bottle. If this keeps getting better then - Wow.
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this would be rated higher by others, but for me it was too big / extracted, perhaps the rating could go up in 20-30 years... super large amounts of fruit, plus the funk of the Mourvedre, really nice to drink but again, on the large side (not my thing)... if you like them big, you will definitely like this bottling... decent acidity too, so I look fwd to my other btls in my old age... and we had this at 8k foot elevation (which tends to shrink wines)
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a very big wine, but with enough acidity and barnyard to avoid being cloying... great red fruits and the Mourvèdre came through to provide kick and balance... brought this to a Jackson Hole ski dinner knowing that altitude usually subdues the palate... and this big wine did the trick for my dinner buddies, slightly outshone by the Calera Selleck 2003 (after it blossomed an hour into the decanter)
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Intense, big wine, with a long finish. Went well with our spicey sausage and tortellini soup. Looking forward to the second half of the bottle tonight.
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Today this bottle was displaying abundant, dark red fruit, earth, garrigue, some white pepper and chalky, firmish tannins on the long finish. Overall, quite nice, but this bottle was turning the corner to where stewy notes are starting to come to the forefront, which I don't prefer, but after reading other CT notes, I suspect this is bottle variation. We'll see.
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Dusty garrique and savory Provençal herbs infused with blackberries on the nose. Mouthfilling palate ripe and rich but not too much, actually silky and shows lovely balance. There’s an intense burst of blackberries on the back end of the palate that adds some interest and detail on the long finish. Showing very well tonight. The last half of the bottle threw a lot of sediment, so probably should decant these going forward.
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Decanted and drank over the next three hours. Good from the get go, and likely did not need the decant. Much more approachable than the bottle quaffed last year - smoother and more mellow. Bottle variation at work? Still love this wine, and the vintage is a real winner.
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Very together at the moment - soft and silky, red fruit in beautiful balance. Really enjoyed barr one aspect, alcohol heat ...why why why ........ I dont believe this will reduce, however still will develope further. WIll be interesting to have with the 2007 Pegau in a year or two.
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Decanted half a bottle via Coravin about 4 hours, which may have been too much. It was nice initially after the decant but a couple hours later it declined with increased bitterness. Love the Mourvèdre nose and palate though. Will try the second half of the bottle with less decant time, perhaps 2 hours. Even the nose seemed better when first pouring into the decanter. Rating is an average of where it started 95 and ended 93.
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Again, consistent with notes from 3 years ago. This is great drinking. Not much to say, but complexity, depth, balance, finish, good flavors, etc. Great now but could see this improving still.
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Started with a two-hour decant. Sweet barnyard and peppery dark fruits on the nose. This got richer and dustier as it filled out with air. Silky, round mouthfeel with dark-berry sweetness leading to a sweetly herbal finish (with gentle grip) that developed with time. This bottle gave a lot of pleasure, although I'd recommend a healthy decant as it gained a lot with air. A great time to pop bottles on this wine and I see it going strong for at least another dozen years or so.
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Drinking beautifully. Dark fruit with a silky texture dominate with a cacophony of accompanying influences that remain in perfect balance through a long rich finish. Loving where this wine is at this point in time.
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Cellaraid Grand Tasting (La Pepa): purplish ruby; very intense and pronounced, with sweetish black fruits, plummy, and some honey, cinnamon, liquorice, espresso, bergamot, dark chocolate, and a bit of steak; a really exceptional one which had exude a darkness that is so seductive! wonderful now, but I can see 10 more years with this
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In a wonderful spot. Mild brackish edge. Some tart bing cherry, a little sandlewood and leather coming forward. Sharp acidity. Very harmonious and enjoyable.
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An absolutely amazing and elegant wine right now. As I'm writing this a few days after, I won't try to recreate the details. That said, it was a sexy, smooth Chateauneuf that is absolutely in it's prime but has a long time to go if you want to cellar.
Perfect pairing with our charcoal grilled duck breast and berry sauce. This wine is drinking awesome now but is still on an upward path. There is a mouth fiesta with many layers of flavors. You get new nuances with each sip. Youthful red and blue brambly fruits, a spice explosion, smoke cured meat, maple and vanilla. Perfect acidity and the wonderfulness of this wine lingers on in a lengthy dry finish.
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Shows lots of freshness and energy with a decade of ageing. Requires decanting a few hours in advance to enjoy at its best and probably should be accompanied with food to be appreciated. Gorgeous aromas that develop in the glass with aeration. Still evolving with a long life ahead.
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Rich, warm, and large-scale, with surmaturé dark fruit aromas and jammy berry flavors. This is 2007 in spades but I had hoped Beaucastel could maintain some balance.
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Lovely but still tannic and needs more time. Will be even better in 3-5 years. Opened and decanted for 45 min. Evolved nicely into a dense and beautiful wine.
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Deep, dark garnet in color; almost opaque. Full, fragrant, attractive & complex nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & blueberries with overtones of kirsch, garrigue & floral notes, dried Provençal herbs, earthy/dusty, spice notes, some sandalwood & mint, licorice, beefy, leather, minerals, a hint of pepper & cedar. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of sweet cherries, tart cranberries & dark plums with herbs, exotic spices, anise, pepper, mint, minerals & toasted oak. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing at 10years of age, but it is still in its ascendency with the potential for further development with an additional 8-10 years of continued aging.
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Not sure that I've ever had a B that is this rich and forward. Still everything is balanced but the tannin is gone and there doesn't seem to be much structure.
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Decanted for two hours. I marvelous showing for a 10-year-old Beaucastel Do you savory and approachable but lots of upside. Before I pressed on the point score. I'd give it a 94 or 95. A nice accompaniment to Moroccan chicken stew
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Popped, poured, consumed over next 90 minutes. I've been drinking Beaucastel CdP since the 80's. I don't recall any other vintage tasting like this. In its current state at age 10, it's my least favorite vintage. Seems to be some good things in there trying to get out, but the dark fruit with low acidity screams over ripe to my taste. There is also a pronounced smokiness I don't recall tasting in a Beaucastel before. Did they char the barrels this vintage? I thought Beaucastel was all concrete and foudre. I have 5 more bottles so I hope this knits together and evolves into something more enjoyable. It did improve with air, so maybe it will. I will say that I have not enjoyed CdP from other producers in this vintage so far and though I'm not crazy about this, it's still better than CdP I've had from other producers in this vintage.
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In a very lovely place right now. Will drink my remaining bottles a few years apart over the next decade and change for kicks, but don't be afraid to pop one now. Agree that at this stage it is better enjoyed along a hearty meal.
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A very good Beaucastel, p&p, fresh, rich, well balanced at the start before putting on considerable weight in the glass, sweet, full bodied CdP, many years left, best with food at this stage 93-94
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Bricking nicely. Ox-blood, full bodied Cherries. Strawberries. Some wet wool off the nose Sublime. Dry. Well balanced. Silky smooth. Tastes like the nose An excellent producer. You can't go wrong with this excellent valued wine. Buy as much as you can. Cellars well
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Spectacularly balanced wine. Did not decant but waited 60 minutes. Velvet tannins and acids combine with big fruit and fair amount of heat (14.5). Over the 2 hours we drank it it smoothed out even more. Thankfully I've got 5 more!
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decanted 30 min and drank over the next 1.5 hrs - ruby red - earthy nose of raspberries and leather - full body with excellent acid balance - still somewhat tannic and alcohol is on the high side - but very pleasant with food and still significant development potential
Rich almost lush red fruit with spice, leather, some tobacco leaf and unmistakable earthiness. It's still on the young side, but was by no means in an awkward phase. Has a powerful elegance.
Chateau de Beaucastel Dinner (Ai Fiori (Langham Hotel on 5th Ave)): Still a fairly young tasting wine. From a warm vintage that worked very well for the Mourvedre that makes up much of the Beaucastel blend. Like the 2008, it has a fair amount of smokiness (this to me is more forest fire than cigar). Medium tannin. A hint that it's a young wine still and will keep changing. Nice red fruits. Very pretty.
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Two coravin glasses at home. This is certainly one of the more moderate 2007 C9dP. Still this is round and rich on the nose, with kirsch, dark fruit and licorice, just a touch burned bitterness / tar as well. Both alcohol (only 14%) and tannins are well integrated for my taste. Having said that this does not have the depth of some of the bigger wines, and there are plenty of better Beaucastel vintages for my taste. 91-92.
Still youthful, this a huge wine with lot of dark fruit, herbs and liquorice tones. The alcohol and tannins are finely integrated and there is an overall elegance and balance in this wine that attracts me. I will not open the next bottle before 2020 though.. 95+
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Ten years in the wine is a dark ruby. Generous nose of herbs and earth and mix of ripe and stewed fruit. The palate texture is rich with a bowl of mixed berries and spices, and the structure of tannins like well-broken-in leather and slight mineral acidity and gives a long complex finish. Matched with bone in ribeye at the Keg, wife loved it. Next day still delivered only more relaxed. Not much sediment.
Accuracy 2/2 Balance 3/3 Complexity 3/3 Depth 2/2
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1.5 hour decant. Powerful nose of liquorice, camphor, plum, currant, violet and all-spice. Flavours of anise, fennel, mushroom, earth, blackberry, black currant, thyme, pine, clove and pepper. Firm acidity balanced nicely with perfectly ripe fruit. Plump without being overweight or over-extracted. Entering a beautiful phase now but with enough heft to carry on another decade. Exquisite.
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A bit disappointing really... a bit overdone - prunes, dried fruit, quite lush but missing something on the mid palate. No complexity. I'd go to Priorat if I wanted this sort of thing... Objectively it is a very good wine, just nothing that excited me...
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At the peak of its drinking window for me. Complicating notes of olive, bacon fat, bbq spice, blackberry, cassis and faint straw (strange, but it compliments the bouquet). Rich and supple in the mouth, with some underlying tannins present but well concealed. This is such a sexy wine. Still has the structure to maintain this current state for another 3-5 years. This is so enjoyable, I'm sad this is my last bottle. Stunning wine!
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A Mixed Bag at Young Joni (Young Joni, NE Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, followed 1 glass over an hour. I don't know. This was certainly a disappointment. Folks, if I wanted to drink blackberry wine, I'd go to Door County. Now this was still in a bit better place for me than the '05 VT, but it really felt overdone and over the top. I generally think Beaucastel needs 15 to 20 years anyway, but I can't say i have faith this will come around. I hope to be proven dead wrong. The word here is ripe, ok overripe, liqueurish blackberry and baked cherry, kirsch, oak, pepper. The palate is also overripe black fruits, alcohol shows through, very concentrated, anise. Obviously there are those that just love this style. For me, I crave balance and nuance, and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find in CDP.
Relieved to see I don't own any of these! Typical over the top 2007 CDP. On top of that opened at the venue instead of decanted prior to arrival and served at mid high 60s which didn't help it. Not buying anymore new release CDP from any producer. Older vintages from the 90s back are another story. If you have these big, low acid, 2007 CDPs make sure you give them extra air and serve them closer to cellar temp.
This has become a wonderful representation of Beaucastel. The fruit is complex and the nose is so powerful. Still has at least a decade of really good life.
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Already great in your glass, due to its ripe, sexy style. Round, supple, even opulent, this wine makes no pretense to offering pleasure in every sip and sniff. Jammy fruits galore, with a big dose of barnyard, pepper and kirsch, this is ready to go. I suspect it will not make multi-decade old bones, but things like that can always surprise you.
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Informal tasting note- wine tasted with some friends before heading out to a U2 concert.
In any event this is a terrific bottle that is just starting to show what it has. Lots of CDP typicity- red fruits, herbs, barbequed meats etc.
Still plenty of tannin and structure- atypical for this vintage but par for the course for Beaucastel. Drink now or hold for 20 years in a cold cellar. I suspect this will be at its peak in 5 years.
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Dark ruby, light narrow rim, doesn't appear as 10 year old wine. Lots of dried fruits, cedar, great balance, very tasty, bit mineral and bit salty. Very long smooth finish, what a treat!
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Very big and opulent wine. Tasted blind and nose was reminiscent of a California pinot. I got alot of ripe red fruit, oak, and a touch of heat. However palate lost me (Probably my lack of experience w/ cdp). Pnp, mistake #1. This wine NEEDS a good decant. After a few hrs really started to open up. Dark fruit, a touch meaty, and decent acid. Solid Cdp, would hold for now and decant if opened soon. 92-93+
Day 2: Wow! What a difference, licorice, anise, dark fruit. Still agree with my initial assessment that this needs more time.
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Older, more sediment, still great fruit and lots of spice/pepper. I decanted for an hour but would recommend pop and pour, doesn't need the decant in my opinion as wine is fading.
Quite different from my last bottle 4yrs ago, as this definitely shows the sappy, sweet fruit of the vintage. This has a slightly darker character, I'm assuming from ththe Mourvèdre, along with a distinctly ripe forward profile atypical of the estate. Just a hint of heat as well. Moderate length finish adding some tar and sandalwood spice. A good wine, especially considering the hot vintage (negative for me) but shows some characteristics I do not prefer. With less acidity than expected, probably one to drink now and over medium term.
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From 375ml. My first CdP from the 2007 vintage. This is a powerhouse of a wine though retains balance and dare I say it 'finesse'. So close to being too flabby but acidity and bright red fruits save the day. Black pepper and licorice, char roasted meat juices and red pastille. Oak spice draws along the palate through to a lingering finish. This is a keeper for sure.
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Part of a blind magnum syrah tasting, where we included this, despite it only being 10% Syrah (according to the Beaucastel website). But it was a big disappointment. Some of the group felt it was still too young. Maybe its in a dumb phase? No notes of Brett, it just paled in comparison to the Northern Rhone wines that we were drinking.
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Encore une autre très belle bouteille de ce vin, vraiment nourri et approchable comme vin. Un nez qui embaume, des herbes, des fruits noirs, des épices et de la fumée, très beau et complexe. En bouche, c'est ample et dense, encore en jeunesse mais avec tant de complexité et un bel équilibre de l'ensemble. Des beaux fruits (mures et framboises) avec de la garrigue, du poivre blanc et de la viande fumée. Les tannins sont fins et la finale hyper longue et soyeuse. Superbe et pour longtemps.
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Dear o'dear. This was all over the place, but sort of what i have come to expect from Beaucastel.. stewey, volatile, and more BRETT than Bret Lee.. i just do not understand what people see in these Beaucastel wines.
A young bottle starting to open. Served and double decanted straight from my cellar. Powerfull and intense with a stunning and classic Beaucastel-balance which I just as impressive every time. Young and driven by the primary and secondary notes without in any way being closed. Such a stunning bottle that kept evolving in the glass. Wow.
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Chateau de Beaucastel vertical tasting (Wine-Route, Hashalom Rd branch): dark translucent red-purple quality ripe dark red fruits nose with spicy notes rich dark fruits flavours, firm tannins, excellent balance & harmony, good acidity level, sour plums, still very young and will continue to age well, sour lively fruits finish and aftertaste
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Great C9dP from Beaucastel, top vintage. Red and black fruits, floral and earthy notes, mocca, tobacco, acidic backbone, mediumjj to full body, well balanced, elegant, excellent finish!
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Drank along side an '05, '06 & '07 Vieille Julienne. While all wines were excellent, we preferred the Beaucastel. It's overall balance and finesse made this wine sublime.
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My first Beaucastel so expectations were flying high. Bottle was opened and allowed to breath for ~2 hours. I was expecting more on the nose as it was quite modest with black fruits and licorice, luckily no barnyard. The strucutre on the palate is really good, higher acidity and surprisingly "Fresh" for 10-year old wine. Nice warm finish.
All-in-all I was hoping for more, but luckily have two more bottles that I will open after 2-3 years time. A really well made wine but guess I expected too much.
A bottle with about 1/5 of wine left was vacuumed and left in the fridge for overnight. On day two the wine had opened more and was better indicating a good decanting will be beneficial.
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Tasted blind. Nose is deep but not expressive. Notes of alcohol, smoke, lavender, barleywine, and ripe blackberry. A dark fruit bomb, though I discern some syrah spice and some animal qualities. Spiced black tea on the finish. Modest black-tea-like tannins. Very low acidity. There is big concentration here. It's not my preferred style of wine, but I came to like it more and more.
Guess the wine: Probably GSM, probably Chateauneuf du Pape. Perhaps a ripe vintage like 2005?
Rating: 91
Non-blind p.s.: I’ve given this wine huge ratings in the past. I wonder how much of my ratings are influenced by my mood at the time. This wine has always had a lackluster structure--it’s a big, alcoholic wine with not much acidity to keep it lively and not much tannin to keep it serious. But I’ve always looked past that to appreciate the rich and complex flavors. Today, it seemed bloated.
First bottle of the '07 that we have opened. Two hours in a decanter. Black fruit, soy, anise, mocha and a little pepper on the finish. Modest tannin and bracing acidity. Vibrant, elegant, refined and delicious. It deserves a less rustic pairing than the beef short ribs we tried it with this evening.
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Châteauenuf-du-Pape 2007 - ten years after (chez moi): Oh dear; this is full, rich well balanced – and very young. Approachable, certainly, but not yet a real B. The creamy fruit of the 2007 is shining through. Big backbone (later a note repeated by others) here … will be long lived.
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I prefer a more modern style CdP, but this is a nice and elegant wine. No "wow" factor, and there are still some firm tannins on the finish (notes given without much air). I would suggest decanting this wine for an hour or two.
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Coravin fun - Ch. de Beaucastel (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Red and black berry and cherry fruits, tobacco leaf, herbs, slightly creamy notes. Quite a youthful nose underpinned by peppery spice. With time some barnyard and the pepperiness increases as well as a Garrigue note coming through. Lordy. on the palate it's juicy and, at last, the aggressive, boisterous nature is beginning to calm. Still dense and rich with a cornucopia of berry fruits, herbs and spices. Pretty damn good.
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Very nice, had heard from a friend that we might need to drink this sooner than later. No issues at all with little decanting required. That said, I would not give it much more than another 3-4 years, max.
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I loved this wine--soft tannins with a complex finish with earth. leather and fruiit that lasts for nearly a minute. I have been disappointed with several past "great" vintages of Beaucastel, but this definitely is in the upper echelon of southern rhone wines. I doubt that it will improve, but should last for a decade or more...but why wait?
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I have drunk this wine on four occasions and always deemed it marvelous. I love how the rich fruit is balanced by savory, even meaty flavors. Every time I drink this wine I think of the barleywine style of beer. I actually smell barley malt. I would love to try the 2007 Hommage a Jacques Perrin.
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Rule the Rhone; 10/27/2016-11/3/2016 (Northern & Southern Rhone): Very ripe fig, brighter fruits, black plums, dusty tannins. It opened up a lot during the time we were drinking it. Some opinion that it could be enjoyed now with a brief decant, but I'd want to hold onto our bottles a bit longer and let them get some more years of age I think. If pairing with food, it's the kindof wine that suggests meat. My second favorite of the tasting only to the Vielle Vignes which is just a haunting wine.
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Burgundy & Baseball - Cubs Win the Pennant! (Home): Late night pop n' pour. Not a typical Beuacastel, to be sure. The nose is full and dense with ripe, roasted black fruit and herbs. Palate is full bodied with lush, round black fruit. Very concentrated. Shows a lot of Syrah character. Big, ripe but balanced. Not sure how this one will age given the warm vintage.
4 Decades of Chateau de Beaucastel with a touch of Hommage with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Very different to any other Beaucastel we have tried over the years. Blind we would have said new world. Ripe, sweet, Jammy, lots of sweet ripe fruit on the palate, spicy, peppery, quite a bit of extract. Not sure if it was the very ripe 2007, maybe a slight change in style or just the fact of the fact they used more mouverde here but it felt this 2007 took an Australian vacation. Maybe it needs time but an 88 at best for now from us. Last time we had this out of context wine was the 2003 La Mouline and generally with a few of the 2003s and properly, if we ever get to, this is how we feel with the 2009 Cos d'Estournel
Surprisingly more evolved in colour than the 2005 tasted alongside. On the nose quite creamy and open with notes of candied cherry fruit, sweet spices, smoke, hints of oak. Very soft tannins on the palate. Very open and approachable with layers of fruit, good acidity and very good length. Quite spicy. Drink or keep. 92-94
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Minimal decant. Lacks the fruit and vibrancy of 2-3 years ago. Still enjoyable but the fruit is more muted. I have 4 more, won't rush on them, would rather see if this is a dump phase.
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I made the terrible mistake to open this wine after a mature and very fine claret. To drink the Beaucastel after that needed a paradigm-shift/calibration of my taste I was not capable of performing. Dark, sweet with intense liqueur-like fruit, lots of oak, very clean. I found it unready or overtly fruity I am not sure. And though I adore CdP wines, this was too much for me at that particular moment.
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Deep and mature black fruits dominiate. Wonderful stone dust and graphite notes. Outstanding and worth seeking if you want classic notes wrapped in a robust CnP.
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This may have been the best CdP that I've had to date. So good that I immediately regretted that it's no longer in my cellar... so I already bought more. Incredibly complex with a finish that lasts at least 45 seconds. This wine is drinking perfectly for my tastes... balanced with softened tannin, enough earth and game to hold interest and pair beautifully with lamb, while still having good fruit character and vibrancy. After every sip, I couldn't help but shout out "Mmmm....Damn, that's good!" I'm sure this can age another 10 to 15 years, but I'm going to enjoy the new purchases between now and 2020.
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Decanted the almost black wine at 55 degrees in cellar for 2 hours, negligible aromas after the 2 hours, however upon drinking the juicy fruit explodes in the mouth, very dense dark berry, earthy, herbal, fruit with a bit of acidity and minerality. A very long finish. We never detected much of a bouquet even after 2-3 hours at normal room temperature. A powerful wine with many years ahead . What started as a very pleasant Bastille Day celebration was quickly dampened by hearing the news from Nice, France. Vive La France.
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Better day 2 however the wee heat at the end didn't dissipate. Lovely nose of red currant jame (Not jammy though). Palate of red and black current - lovely. Very fine tannin. Another year or two would be preferable.
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My first Beaucastel. Appreciably dense but maybe not as huge as I expected/feared from the reviews here. Mostly defined on the palate by the framework of very fine tannins humming along in the background. Almost causing slight astringency, but then this is very young. The aromatics are the best thing about this. Potpourri of blackcurrant, riberries, vanilla, cloves, dried flowers and provincial herbs. A lot going on there. Quite fresh and possibly too young. Decanted for probably close to 2 hours. Terrific wine.
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Dark and sweet on nose. On palate, at first soft and floral fruit, cassis, then hot concentrated body, piney, tannic. Huge, and a bit pruny. A hint of tobacco on finish. For this drinker, this is too much of a juice bomb. The tannins don't really align with the rest of it, and the overall effect is disjointed, overmusculed and awkward. Not a complete miss, I enjoyed drinking, but i'd hoped for better.
Drank from a 375 ml bottle. Again about a year since I had this one. This bottle was little more tannic and backward then the last. Palate is intense, still tannic; dark fruit with notable tannins. Based on this bottle I would let this once sit at least couple of years.
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Purple colour. Heady nose of red and dark fruit. Palate of sour cherries with notes of cedar. Well integrated tannins with good balance. Good length. Will last another 20 yrs. Rather different to last tasting.
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Très beau! Bu après un CDP Xavier Vins 2007 (convenable),le Perrin étalait toute sa classe, sa luxuriance olfactive, sa complexité et sa brillante concentration. Un cran largement au dessus! Toutefois, on dirait que la douceur des 07 s'éteint peu a peu, comme si la matière du raisin laissait entrevoir le terroir minéral et structurant du vin? Les 07 semblent donc un peu moins séducteurs aujourd'hui et plus structurés en passant un cap, la finesse laisse place à la puissance intrinsèque du millésime.
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Half-bottle cellared since release, and about a year since my first try with the 2007 Beaucastel since release. Perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Dark fruits, meaty/savory notes on the nose. Ripe fruit and meaty/earthy notes on the palate. Absence of the over-ripe raisiny and alcoholic components noted a year ago are a definite improvement. Good balance and finish. Very good to excellent, it needs some aged complexity to cross the threshold to solidly excellent. The positive development over the past year is very promising.
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Needed some air time for the nose to wake up. An hour in the decanter and it was just barely there. After a couple of hours it started to fill out. Initially there was significant sour cherry, but with time it started to become more typical of the Beaucastels that I love. A fantastic dance of fruit, spice and earth. Let this baby sleep for a few more years.
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Decanted for two hours before drinking. The wine has a semi-opaque garnet red color. The nose is very tight, with just a bit of cherry cola and strong barnyard. I had to double check the label to be sure that there was no Cabernet Franc in the blend. The taste is unmistakably CdP. The front palate is hollow, however. The mid palate is Grenache driven but turns bitter very quickly. I wonder whether this might be due to the lack of destemming. The bitterness is very distracting. The finish is long, but again bitter and hot (from the alcohol). I have to say that I am very disappointed with this Beaucastel. At this price point, it can do a lot better.
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What a great wine! Dense and powerful. Unusually complex. The wine has aromas of bloody game, roasted coffee, ground black pepper (and other spices), green herbs, and ripe dark fruit. The wine is savory and rich with umami. It tastes like the main dish at a fancy restaurant, with charred meat and a reduction sauce. Tannins are ripe but strong.
This wine is fantastic now. I look forward to seeing how it evolves.
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Ok I am having fun with this beauty and cant seem to stay away from it longer than 18 months. I tasted this in 2013 and again in 2014 and keeping the same 93 points although I see this going north of 93 shortly.
The color, nose and balance of this CdP is maintaining with strides towards improving. The red fruits are still front and center and organic's and oak are providing more than subtle support.
Enjoy now or feel free to wait, either way you will not be disappointed! Now if I can stay away until its 10th birthday I will be rewarded again!
Cheers
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dark clear garnet, viscous, high gylcerin/ester This wine is rich, alcoholic, intense, but all in great balance. A heck of alot going on here with cherries, currant, brandy, anise, fruitcake, and garrigue. No hard edges, no imperfections, nothing to improve upon. The winemakers were able to figure out the holy grail of achieving real sur maturite without pruniness or stewed character flaws. Incredibly long mouthcoating finish. A masterpiece. 95-97
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Nice ruby color. Dark plum, cranberry, dark cherry, chocolate covered orange peel on the nose. Plum black cherry, hints of chocolate, a bit of tobacco. Great wine, but very early to be drunk. Tasty stuff as always.
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Bonhams Pre-Sale Tasting (San Francisco): Medium to light ruby. Appealing secondary perfume, complex red fruit and minerality. Mouthcoating with excellent acidic lift. Leagues better than the Coudoulet, and an altogether impressive, well balanced 2007 southern Rhône, which is an assertion I've rarely made.
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Santa Fe Mondiale - 2007 Chateauneuf du Papes (Luminaria): Wine #5. Single blind. Nose - very grenache driven, syrupy, hot, warm ripe red fruit. Palate - cloying, heat, long finish though. Overall - this never really came around and stayed a simple, single, one note wine. Just very different from all the others, and not sure I like it much. Called Beaucastel because of it's distinct difference from the other wines, which in retrospect seems to be from the highest percentage of Mourvedre in all the wines this evening. It was noticeable. I think this will be a long distance runner, though not showing well tonight.
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I would have to say that CdP is not my favourite tipple, nor am I particularly experienced with it, so my mark should be judged in that context. This was a wine that I could appreciate rather than love. There was certainly a darkness and a depth to the fruit. The tannin was a bit lighter than I had expected after 2 hour decant, and there was no over obvious smoky bacon which I sometimes find with Southern Rhone red wines
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What a pleasure to drink! Three hours in the decanter ahead of dinner, served after an older Hermitage that it blew away. It's developed quite a bit since I last tried a bottle about 2.5 years ago. Still plenty of power left, the palate had plenty of juicy dark fruits and a lengthy finish. Nicely balanced.
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Dark, deep, purple. Full bodied. High alcohol. Lots of dark red cherries, wet wool, dusty old furniture, slate, off the nose Very dry, mild tannin. Medium(+) finish. Taste followed the nose.
This was sublime. Perfectly balanced. Classic CNP at its best. One should go out and buy as much as this as they can possibly get as it should still improve in the coming years. I have a feeling its just getting started. Was nice having this as my last bottle of the year. Five more wondrous bottles to go.
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Treated ourselves to this for Christmas Dinner. Allowed to sit open for 6 hours. It was delicious. Long sit settled out the tannins leaving a smooth mellow elixir of dark fruit and chocolate with maybe a hint of tobacco. Finish was very long. Many years left for this one. Yum!
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for two hours. Aromas and flavors of cherry, wild berries, anise, coffee, smoked meat, forest floor and dried herbs. Leads to a very long, soft, dry finish. Full bodied. Complex with a rich texture. Paired well with a Swedish smorgasbord.
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Serious nose of leather and complex black fruit. Dark purple in colour. Mouth filling, smooth and unctuous with blueberries and typical liquorice, eucalyptus and herbs. Very long. Soft tannins. Will last 20 yrs or more.
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YES-sortof. Still youngish, but did not resolve my love-hate relationship with Bcastel. It is a very hard wine to find the right drink-time for; usually under-8-years is usually too soon, but sometimes 10+ can be tired. It is often very hard to get it with some secondary development; often mute. This one was a bit mute; clearly a big burly red (not rustic; classy burly) but a bit port-like (not a positive attribute in a red). You could tell it was good, but no real development. So, in the end, a bit disappointing. But, still a very good wine.
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Medium ruby appearance. Darker in appearance than most Chateauneuf du Pape from this vintage.
Evolving nose of ripe and candied black fruits, violets, roast meats and traditional herbs.
Full bodied palate with medium acidity at best and medium tannin. Lots of black fruit, spice and some Vanilla on the palate. Also some meaty flavours- maybe from the Mouvedre?
The finish is long.
This tasting was poured from Coravin from unopened bottle with no decanting, and is definitely ready to drink. Will likely keep for another dozen years, but as with most CDP, why wait?
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Decanted for 2 hours, enjoyed over the next 3. Moss, eucalyptus and pepper on the nose, with a palate dominated by fig and plum. Really nice overall, just need patience at this point to let it evolve a bit.
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Although delicious and a 93 rating, this is not Beaucastel's best. It was fruit forward, with dried fruits, fresh berries, spices, a bit of earth and minerals. What was missing for me was absolute balance. It seemed that the fruit was a bit more powerful than the tannins, which were obvious but just slightly behind the fruit, leaving the wine overall slightly out of balance. Very good finish. Overall, I won't turn this wine down! And at the right price, get a case!
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Decanted for 2.5hrs. Lovely nose It smells like prune, nutmeg and espresso. It tastes like blackberry, strawberry jam and green beans. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long and has low acidity. This wine has long life ahead. i suggest it will benifit from another 10yrs of storage
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Very happy I reached this wine on my 'to taste' list. Its even exceeding the positive reviews on CT (from 300 unique users at the time this review was written) . Very enjoyable, perfect on the nose, and develop the secondary spicy notes within about an hour in the decanter. I agree with the notes re: dark plums, blackberry and spices. Especially on day II, it is speaks better to the herbs, floral and they reflect both nose and palate. Long, nice finish (still feel the taste in the mouth five minutes or so after I finished the glass) Color wise, darker than other CdP, and probably to date the best Châteauneuf-du-Pape we had this year. Great with the meat for dinner (mostly lamb). Decant for few hours, and enjoy for few (in cold weather, even overnight).
94+ or 95? Yes, certainly a 94-95 material. I wrote 94 simply because I do not consider my experience with CdP sufficient. But, it is certainly a memorable Rhone wine, with years ahead. Very happy I have another one.
Edited (12-26-2015): As I summarize the notes for this year, I think I did not do justice to this one and it is truly a 95 material. That said, I will keep the score at my initial note (just to avoid grade 'inflation'). Certainly part of my 'case of the year'
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From memory: Decanted for two hours before tasting (magnum). Classic CdP nose with hints of dark plums, dried fruit, hung meat, garrigue, exotic spices and vanilla. Sleek, elegant and well balanced. Obviously a very nice wine, but at this level expectations are high. Hard to point out exactly what’s “wrong”, but there’s a certain lack of vibrancy here that makes it difficult to justify a higher score. It seems to have reached its plateau even in large format, and should drink well for another five to eight years. Hope my last bottle has that little extra magic that's needed to really make it stand out from the crowd.
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Terrific. I decanted for 45 min and had none of the predominant alcohol others mentioned. Spice, vanilla and blackberry on the nose. Tannins there but not overpowering. Good overall balance. Dark fruit on the nose. Pleasant finish.
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Half-bottle cellared since release, this is my first try with the 2007 Beaucastel since release. Perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Dark fruits, meaty/savory notes on the nose. Full-bodied, very ripe sweet fruit and a bit alcoholic, not very Beaucastel-y and not making me want a second glass. Stoppered and put in the fridge. Better the next day with some more earthy notes on the nose and palate but still almost raisiny ripe. Very good but not great. Not sure where this will end up but I'll try another in a year or two.
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Really an excellent wine. Lots of fruit and spices (pepper in particular). Little too warm and too much alcohol to really show me it's terroir. Medium tannin. It needs to be served quite cooled unless you prefer the overripe fruit.
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This makes me very puzzled. Had the 2006 some years ago and thought it had almost burgundian charachter, while this is more like a good portwine dominated by raisins and with some heat in the ending. Two very different, but also very good, wines. From a small bottle. Seems open to me.
Bright leggy ruby red. Raisiny, pruny, cherries and raspberries, tertiary licorice and vanilla. Concentrated ripe red fruit, a bit cooked and medicinal, mid palate garrigue, and a lengthy finish, both sweet and spicy. Its great but typical of CdPs its one dimensional, concentrated soupy fruit but not really complex.
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Dark red in the glass, this wine showed better then the last one I drank. It seemed to have a better balance and was very nice through out the meal. Very nice overall
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Tasted double blind and did pretty good in guessing this. Really excellent wine, not as solid as last bottle I remember, but still a great CDP with more aging required.
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Decanted for 45min and served over the next 2 hours. Lovely herby, floral nose and palate, garrigue, juicy dark fruits, smooth tannins and balanced acidity. I was a bit nervous reading prior notes, but I've had this bottle under proper storage since release and it was drinking perfectly. My first bottle of six, and I'd say I had the drinking window start of 2015 about right.
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Drank from a 375 ml bottle. It has been almost a year since I had this one and it is coming along very nicely, little faster than I expected . Still little shy on the nose but the palate is intense and balanced; clean dark fruit balanced with ripe tannins. Still quite primary but very approachable and enjoyable now.
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Very good example of a rather elegant C9dP - the nose is full of red berries and even some floral notes, the garrigue you would expect is quite subtle even. On the palate it is full and fruity, lacking some flesh actually make it to the first row - quite surprisingly it shows persistence and length and ends on red berry notes. Drink now or hold a few years. Quite expensive for the actual enjoyment, I am not sure about the development.
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Opened about two hours before drinking. My second of 5 and it may be extremely difficult to have the patience to wait until this wine hits its peak. Beautiful balance with smooth tannin and big fruit, spice, smoke and licorice. Yummy stuff.
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quality issues with these BPW '07 CDPs continue. is this heat damage? i'd venture that the vintage was just impossibly ripe and the wines have turned into oxidized mess, but that's not evident from the notes of others. this was pretty much undrinkable.
Decanted an hour and a half before we started enjoying this lovely wine. I'm not a CdP expert but I do enjoy them. I hihgly recommend a long decant...tasted at opening, the wine was pretty tight...two hours later it was sublime. Gorgeous fruit and well integrated tannins. Trouble now will be to wait four or five more years to get to my other bottles. Paired this Beaucastel with a 2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Panoplie...a very good wine in it's own right...but as one would expect the "original" is superior.
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A solid effort, I still have trouble getting behind the '07s. In my opinion there seems to be a lack of depth and finish. Far from the best CdP I have had from post 2000. I'm not buying time in cellar would add that much, but you never know.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #097; Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007 vs 2009 (By RvD): This wine scored second on a fabulous C9duP evening. The bouquet has beautiful fruits and garrigue as well as a beautiful dose of oak. On the palate dark berry fruits, beautiful garrigue, chocolate and currants, a firm amount of sweetness, but also beautiful acidity. Beautifully dosed oak and soft and round tannin with still a good bite. A very beautiful wine and the oak needs a few more years to integrate perfectly. This is a great and well balanced wine. The only negative remark I can make is that there is a bit heat in the finish. Unfortunately no bottles of this in my cellar, but if I had any I would wait until 2019 or a bit longer. 93 – 94+
Not able to add a formal note. Drank outside on a February evening while watching the sunset over a newly acquired oceanfront property in the Pacific Northwest. Not quite the way this infant wine should be treated but what the heck - it's a special bottle for my wife and I, and it was a good way to celebrate. Decanted for 6 hours. It's still young but coming along quite nicely. I'll hold my remaining 5 bottles for at least 5 years before checking in on it again.
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Very fresh nose of strawberries and floral notes. This was drinking nicely now, but still quite young. Good acidity on the palate, with medicinal red fruits, herbs, black tea and shows a spicy finish. Finish is longer than most other cndps tonight, I would hold for another 10+ years. Very nice.
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Lovely. Still a baby at 7 yrs, but very good. Blackerrys and licorish on the palate, smooth and viscous with a hint of beef broth. Clean with not much funk but that will come as the elements become more integrated. I think this wine's prime is still 5-10 years away and it should last much longer than that. This has been open 2 hours at this point.
At about 3.5 hours, the fruit (still present) starts to give way to leather, garrigue, cola and turkish spice. It's starting to taste like Beaucastel Chateauneuf. Still clean but starting to develop the mix of old vine grenache nugat and beefy mourvedre.
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Similaire à ma note précédente mais en mieux, une très belle bouteille! Beau nez parfumé sur les mures, la terre avec une pointe d'herbes. En bouche, SUPERBE...c'est intense et riche, avec une belle texture soyeuse. Des cerises noires, des prunes, du chocolat et un peu de poivre. Très longue finale sur des relents de terre. Excellent.
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I do not think that this has budged a bit since I lasted tasted it over a year ago: a beautiful young wine that is unfolding glacially. Though quite delicious with much airing, its deep flavors, impressive length and tight structure promise even more pleasure in the future. Another three to five years?
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Dark garnet color turning crimson at the rim with a reflective edge. The nose is perfumed with notes of dark berries, crushed currants, and earth with a hightened alchoholic thrust. The palate is rich, unctuously intense, concentrated, layered - wrapped in a silky texture. Flavors of dark cherry, kirsch, plums, licorice, black tea, hoisin sauce, dark chocolate, espresso and spice. Finishes long and juicy with hints of chocolate cake and earth. Best Beaucastel I've tasted so far. Drink now with 1-hr decanting or 2017 until 2032. 95+
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94+ Dunkles Rot. Man kann eigentlich die hohen sowie auch die tieferen Notizen nachvollziehen. Ueber 2 Tage ist der Wein sehr wandelbar. Im positiven;Sehr dunkelfruchtig,Schwarzkirschig,erdig,würzig,Lakritze zwischendurch leicht floral,leicht caramelisierte Noten,tief,ausladend sehr schönen Schmelz,immer wieder pfeffrig,leicht prägend. Seidige Textur,leicht ins süssliche gehende Erdbeerfrucht,zwischendurch auch leicht alkoholischer,absolut passender Säure und mit einer guten Balance. Langer leicht süsslich-dunkelfruchtiger Abgang. Sehr viel tiefgehende Substanz und ein Versprechen für die Zukunft. Leicht negativer;Manchmal(über die 2 Tage) dominiert von kräuterigen Aromen(Rosmarin),Frucht doch untergetaucht,leicht teerig,Soja,Alkohol besser spürbar und irgendwie karger. Ich persönlich habe aber keine Zweifel daran,das es,mit weiterer Flaschenreife, daraus einen wirklich fruchtigen,spannenden,komplexen, hervorragenden Beaucastelvertreter gibt.
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I'll admit I'm biased; love this CDP. Decanted for two hours, and it continued to mellow as we drank it. Clearly the group favorite of the night. Dark fruit, earth, some mellow spice notes, and a great finish - just a luscious wine for a great meal (good think I have more!).
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Decanted to a medium ruby color and a nose of intense raspberries. Palate is smooth and ripe, raspberries and strawberries, a little too smooth not much complexity here. Had this same wine a few months ago and found it much more impressive. After an hour of air it starts putting on some additional spice on the finish. Just and ok showing for this wine.
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Very Nice now but need to wait on my remaining 4 bottles. I did not take detailed notes as we had this with Christmas dinner. Everyone enjoyed this with grilled beef Tenderloin King Crab.
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Well... I've done verticals of Chateauneuf-du-Pape stretching back into the 1970's. Perhaps infanticide but this was very good, but not great. Opened the 2006 at the same Christmas meal, same result. Lovely but both blown out of the water by the St. Henri Shiraz from night before.
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With Shepherd's Pie on Xmas Eve. Decanted for most of the day
Still a baby but the potential is evident. It's drinking very well with a lot of fruit in evidence and brooding, but restrained depth. Medium bodied. Very fresh in the mouth. The rest stay in the case for a couple of years.
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Decanted 2+ hours. Drank alongside an '07 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel. This wine much more balanced and elegant with great fruit, earthy tones and a finish that makes you want to drink more. Still youthful with many great drinking years ahead.
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Didn't take detailed notes. Part of Christmas dinner party cellar rade. Not a wine I wanted to open as this has so many years ahead of it, but could not deny the request so we popped and poured this. Stunning is the best way to describe it
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A Chinese dinner: Dark garnet. While this has the expected generous dark fruit and weight from the hot vintage, it maintains an impressive and surprising freshness. Drinking well now but will obviously last. 93-94
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Opaque dark ruby. Quite viscous. Nose is rich and complex, redolent with Provençal herbs and red fruits. Mouthfilling, rich, full, brooding, this has lots of body and richness. A big wine with lots of time ahead. 5-13-16-9: 93/100.
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fruit really pulls together on the nose relative to the 2011. just a few years in bottle needed like that. has a darker fruit feel. '2007 was a hotter vintage.' still lots of spice on the palate, again, lots of exotic pepper. while the fruit in the aroma is starting to come around, the palate lets you know that this needs another 6-7 years to really fall into a sweet spot for drinking.
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First bottle from a case. Very ripe and intense with some heat on the finish. Saved a glass for day 2 and it had mellowed slightly. For me I'd prefer to give this some more bottle time so will return in 4 or 5 years.
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Absolutely a gorgeous wine, although it is still young. Seemed a little closed after an hour decant but started to come around after 2 hours. Wonderful expressive nose of blue fruit and black pepper. Very smooth with blueberry fruit, some light oak, vanilla and black pepper. Beautiful finish.
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This is still young, but drinks beautifully right now. Decanted over an hour. Deep concentrated dark fruits. Earthy, herbs, raisins, spices. The longer it was open, the more the raisins receded and chocolate appeared. The wine was on the light side though, with acicidity. Tannins are well integrated now. Long finish.
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Some CdP's that excceded my expectations (Tom and Betty's): Loved this wine. I know some don't like the lushness of the 07's, but I personally find it a great vintage. For those who don't, however, I believe this vintage will age just fine, so hold onto them. This one is still on the youthful side at 7 years from vintage. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has plums, raspberries, anise, spice and floral notes. Great juicy texture. On the palate, plenty of fruit, medium tannins, nice acidity. There is black and red raspberries, pepper and spice. Long finish. Worked great with a variety of homemade pizzas but especially the buffalo cauliflower and tofu pizza. Great wine that will continue to develop for a decade.
Sensuous, spicy and deep, there is a good freshness to the licorice and peppery red fruits that expand on the mouth. Sweet and savory, long and rich. Drink it if you like 'em young and on the lush side. Age it if you can wait and prefer more secondary notes.
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Medium plus intensity aromas of cherry, black berry, thick and rambunctious nose, leather, farmyard (but not dirty) and herbaceous notes. In the mouth the wine has flavours of red berry , black pepper, slight herbaceous notes, chewy, thick, rich and the alcohol feels quite high lending a cooling note on the back of the palate but not particularly jarring or dominant. It needs so much more time.
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Preceded at the tasting by a 1997 Beaucastel. Looked a bit younger, but a very similar color. Lovely nose, dominated by red fruit. The palate was very fruit forward, but still had a lot going on. One could see the relationship, and this one might be quite a bit better than the 97 was today in 10 years.
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Surprisingly forward - accessible now but will continue to develop complexity - reminiscent of the 1989 - lovely mix of sweet red fruit and savoury notes. Very focussed, well made wine - a real treat.
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Drank from a 375 ml bottle. This one still needs few years. Shy and tannic on the palate at first. It pulled together after about ½ hour. Sweet red fruit, strawberries, spice; the palate still dominated by ripe tannins but the flavours are intense enough to deal with it. Try again in three to five years.
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Beautiful nose of rose pedals, and dark plum. The taste is Black liquorice, cocoa, butterscotch, and ripe strawberries. The finish is at least 60 sec. Love this wine. I had this open via Coravin about 4 months ago. I took another glass and then just pooped the cork. It would benefit from 3hrs of decanting. So glad I have lots more. Maturity is 6-8yrs away and will live another 25yrs.
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From 375ml. Concentrated, mouthwatering sweet fruit with raisin/kirsch back-end adding some edge. Nice acidity and complexity. My guess is will improve with age.
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Really fantastic CDP. Beautiful aromas of black fruit, licorice, cinnamon, plums. Velvety mouth feel, and perfectly balanced with lush fruit on the palate, cassis, dark chocolate, black licorice, ripe plums, with a little kick into a very long finish. Felt like it went on for minutes. Really enjoyed this wine- drinks great right now, and a lot of life ahead as well.
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Why wait to drink....really? This is showing beautifully right now: there is great balance between fruit, earth, tannin, acid and flesh. A desiccated black-fruit note marks the nose and palate and is certain to become stronger with age, despite the longevity that people claim this vintage has.
Taste: M+ body, with silky, polished, and rounded tannins (m/m-), acidity feels balanced with the tannins at (m-). Flavors of desiccated black fruit, black plum, olive. Finish= long, finessed and warm, expressive of smoked and roasted meats, sanguine, blackberry sauce, tobacco.
This is really sexy right now.
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Extremely concentrated, dense, almost thick wine with extraordinary length. In a ripe style, almost slightly raisiny, but with good (ripe) tannins and acidity to balance. Almost too intense to drink now unless you like super-rich, intense wines -- but likely to be very interesting in 10-20 years, probably a very long-lived wine.
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Sweet fruit aromas with hints of toffee. Refined and relatively light in the mouth. Took on more weight after a while. Intense, with fine tannins and great acidity. Great structure, concentration and length.
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Tart and structured with the full on big mouthfeel that comes with Chateauneufs. Cherries and plums, with a wonderful structure. Looking forward to the other 2 over the next 10 years.
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Chateauneuf du Pape 2007 (Petroleum Club, Calgary): Dark red. Some pips, red and black berries - a nervous nose. Fresh and vibrant fruit/acid. Terrific depth. Well integrated. Long, mineral finish. This is beautiful and should be for another decade.
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Really quite exceptional. Bouquet is intoxicating, and the palate is complex, loaded with dark fruit, mocha, and glycerin. Lovely balance and length...will be better in 5+ years.
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Still quite powerful but simply delicious. Loads of blackberries, cherry kirsch and some Garrigue on the nose. The Palate is dense and concentrated but there still is a nice balance here. Tannins are nicely coated and this is super long. Already impressive, should age well for a long time.
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The wine was decanted about 2 hours before we tried it. This is a big wine with an overall fruity profile to it. I tasted cherry, raspberry, along with licorice and some herbs. There's also a subtle roasted edge to this. Good now but there's a long life ahead for this. I am happy that I have more!
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This wine is a all time favorite! It has complexity, style and amazing balance. The character is just my kind of taste. The vintage is beginning to develope deep layers of herbs and toasted bread above this is pork and wet stone and lots of ripe fruit in between. The finish is very very long, and keeps you wanting more!
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Opened an hour before tasting. This wine has evolved beautifully since my last bottle a year and a half ago. A lot is going on here with mineral and earth coupled with dark fruits including black cherry, kirsch and boyenberry. A smooth and lasting finish. I think this is a great wine to drink now and will have many, many more years as well for cellaring.
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Explosion of fruit and minerals and an almost never ending finish. the potential in this wine is astonishing. The very long finish displays layer after layer of different notes. strawberry jam over leather to burned caramel and herb garden to mention a few.
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Very impressive wine, followed the Insignia and did not falter. Powerful fruit, earth and mineral notes persist but are well-balanced. Wonderful experience.
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Wonderful smoothness, velvet tannins on the palate. Has the wonderful fruitiness and spice of Syrah/Grenache blends, but also has a floral component -- very soft, like lavender. Sexy on the palate, long lasting. Could probably use more bottle time, but it's totally enjoyable now!
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Young but already well integrated. The acids are well balanced allowing the fruits of red cherry, herb and a subtle spice palate.
Dark ruby but clear with a soft nose rising from the glass. This wine needs to be decanted if you are popping it now, but 5 to 10 years of patience will make you glad you waited.
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Robe très foncée, presque violet. Le nez est sur les fruits noirs, les épices, les dattes et le chocolat...pas mal d'extraction je crois. En bouche, ample et costaud en ce moment. Des mures, des figues et du cacao avec tannins charnus. Très long et puissant, pour la longue garde.
Decanted for two hours. Very approachable now. Notes of dark berry, tar, and grilled meat. Lacking a bit of the complexity and length to merit higher score, but a pleasure to drink.
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1.5 hour decant. Deep dark purple hue, soft tannins and good balance. I expected more from this vintage, but there appears a move towards more modern style wines at this once great chateau. Too bad.
Clear dark purple in colour. Clean nose of black fruits and spice. Dry, med acidity, med body, nice tannins, black cherry, licorice, and spice on palate. Love this producer. Always a great wine. This wine will last for a long time, after an 2 hour decant this was drinking very well now. I wish I had bought more.
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This was a delicious bottle! Surprisingly delicate and smooth, but full bodied. Lots of dark fruit scents and tastes - almost prunes w/eucalyptus, but in a very wonderful way. Great to drink now, but I'm sure will last another 10-15+ years.
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Decanted 5 hours exposing jammy blueberry, herbs, anise, and bright cherry. Medium bodied with hot alcohol on the finish. Needs quite a few more years to even out.
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Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $40+ (Bin 75): Dark core with dark crimson rim; dark raspberry, fig, sweet, a little brooding, floral; some cherry, seems to have some plushness from a component done in oak?, some Grenache bitterness, rich but I like the drinkability; was thinking Mordoree, but I am happy this was Beaucastel, a very strong showing with lots of upside potential.
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Decanted for two hours, and was rewarded. This is a warm CNDP, and has an almost Cab jammyness to the palette, but still retains its Rhone foundation. Lots of layers - and I am not great at describing them all so won't try! Save to say it is a good wine from a very good vintage - pretty impactful if not that subtle. Still early, but with a lengthy decant it certainly rewards. Will give it more time, but also won't be shy to have it from here on in.
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A very dark ruby color with a youthful purple still lingering just beneath. Textbook CdP nose of dark berries, cherries, flowers, pepper, smoke and licorice. In the mouth, moderately large but not overdone or overripe and nice depth to the fruit and herb flavors. Real concentration here, with long slightly bitter finish and moderate tannins. Nice persistence and grip. This is a young and complete wine just beginning to drink well. I bet it has a long and great future. 95+ points, with room to grow.
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I knew from previous reviews that this was still young but with a big family gathering I just had to open a bottle.
Deep ruby, inky. Aroma of black and blue fruits. Tastes black fruits, fig with juicy acidity and peppery/spicy edge. Full body with tannins surprisingly well integrated Long finish. Was by far everyone's favorite wine of the night.
Wow! I can see it is still a bit young but unlike a couple recent reviewers I don't think you would be remiss in opening a bottle now (if you have a couple you can keep in reserve). Everything is well integrated and this wine is just going to get better and better. I will be waiting 3-5 years before I open another.
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Seriously, do not drink this. Do not decant it, don't touch it, it is a monster. I've had in the last 2 years the 89, 90, 97, 00, 05, 06, and 10. This 07 is a different beast. The cork smells like the piece of thyme that I remove from a red wine short rib braise after 8 hours. It is so rich and concentrated with kirsch, garrigue, herbs, and fresh berry, that it is like a wall. It is too rich to finesse anything because it needs soooo much time. The only pleasure I had was recognizing the absolute unique essence that only this domaine can provide. It is singular and completely identifiable with it's sauvage character, sniper like focus, and bottomless purity. I gush because I've tasted incredible things from close vintages, and if this goes anywhere close to that it will be something beyond anything I've tasted. 95+.
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Readers should note that this blockbuster of a wine has a very big A-type personality which will lead consumers to love it or hate it. This take on what nature gave the property in 2007 is big, in your face, intense, loud and full bodied with tons of curves! If you like purist examples with minimalist winemaking practices, I would recommend shying away from this wine (and pitying your poor soul).
That said, this wine packs serious punch. Infinite amounts of Kirsche, blueberry, wild game, black licorice, rock salt and wet creekbed jump from the glass into your nose in jaw dropping concentration - quite literally filling the room. There is a bit of heat, but in such a ripe vintage to think the wine should be anything else should be considered snobbery. When it first enters your mouth, the focus achieved for the acidity is unbelievable - the delineation is remarkable (very oddly reminiscent of a 92 Leroy Vosne-Romanee). You really taste what you smell (plus a bit of wild cherry, white pepper and oak), the telltale sign of a remarkable young wine. This adolescent will require patience to achieve secondary (and could quite possibly feature dominantly tertiary olfactory) experiences. What strikes me is the burgundian delicacy and saline minerality that accompanies its power.
Given the vintage, many people will talk negatively about roasted aromatics and flavors. This is rubbish and a prime example of an opinion being wrong. The roasted charicteristics are much more a signal of the gaminess (no doubt from the high levels of Mouvedre) than a stewed characteristic of over-ripeness.
If you like to create infanticide by drinking young wines, please drink up as there is still a decent amount of baby-fat around the edges. The oak on this should dissipate (the tannin is already well-integrated) over the next 3 years or so and offer a profound experience from 2018-2030. Yes, the 2007 Beaucastel CDP should hold on for that long, if not longer for those who have the necessary patience to wait on what could one day be a legend at age 30...
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as it was not the first Beaucastel 2007 we drank (0,37 bottle) our opinion confirmed color dark and intense, very exciting and complex bouquet as well as taste
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Yes I know I have rated this wine higher in the past. From 750: Tastes very over ripe, and bordering on tasting port like. Very little acidity to reign in the exuberant, if over ripe fruit. Very expressive nose, but disappointing and clumsy on the palate. Tannins barely noticeable, and little sediment thrown. Not sure where this wine is going. It's certainly not the '89 or'90 Beaucastel. Don't think I'm a fan of this vintage.
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Glengarry Wines - "Superstars of the Rhone Valley" tasting (Glengarry Wines and Spirits, Victoria Park, Auckland, New Zealand): Warm and ripe nose - the mouvedre is certainly apparent , but the richness and heat off the nose feels grenache focused. Earthy and broad with a hint of roast peanuts. The palate is well mannered and rich with tell tale tree bark and leather nuance. This wine has closed down since the last time I drank it. Very clean and slightly more modern in style than previous vintages, this will age very well. 94++
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Decanted for 2.5 hours which is about perfect. Abundant fruit, incredible nose with hints of black cherries, raspberries, parchment, cassis, carob, and grass. Incredible intensity and a 60-75 second finish with excellent integration and grace. Could use a couple more years but drink for a hedonistic experience!
Darkest garnet in the glass with a nose of black currants. On the palate, medium to full-bodied with the same black currants, blackberries, blueberries, licorice, spice, black pepper and cherry. Lengthy finish. This wine is not as hot or disjointed as other 07 CdP. In fact, it's approachable now with an hour or two of air, but I would cellar it for at least 3 years to allow the tannins to mellow a bit.
PHMG WAG: the Southern Rhones (Chez Lyon in Eugene, OR): This remains a dark garnet color and has an open nose. There's garrigue, black cherry, plum, fig, pepper, and licorice. Some meat and kelp on the backside. Still great the next day w/o gas. Tons of time as it's well structured w/o being intrusive.
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Not one of my favorite bottles. Dominated primarily by garigue, very ripe black fruit, licorice, leather and meat juices. Medium body with a lengthy slightly tannic finish. Decent complexity, but I prefer a bit more fruit and freshness.
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Lush, Meaty, and mouth-filling. I was surprised how much this wine has come together since the last one I had about a year and a half ago. This a big wine filled with both dark and red fruit, wood, silky tannins, and lots of leather, earth and tobacco.
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Alcohol :: 14% Medium ruby red. Sweet and seductive here with the sweet fig paste, red cherry, kirsch accompany by blackpepper and floral. Expressive and high tone. Savory tone from the start waving around the palate till the end with sweet spices, licorice, black pepper and lots of sweet dark fruits. Tannin is soft and ripe, well integrated with good backbone. I also like the minerality here giving freshness and softness to the wine. However, everything seems right except the mid palate when a bit hollow and the finished is kinda disjointed. This is really quite different from the previous bottle.
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stunning nose of spices, but this wine is for me .....too much of everything, somehow seductive......, fat concentrated (too?) sweet black fruit, butterscotch, long+ finish, puh......, may need a lot of more time......, 88- 91+?
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We thoroughly enjoyed this wine with bison burgers on our dock. A beautiful wine with a great balance of still fresh fruit, spices and a silky smooth finish that lets all the harmonious flavors linger. This wine is just starting to enter into its zone and has several more years ago of it before its peak.
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Absolutely terrific. Flavor, balance and complexity. Drank during movie in basement without anything alongside. Just stands alone perfectly. Drink anytime.
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Rhone - Highlights from north & south (Portimao): Served during a Rhone lecture I held during an offsite in Portugal. Young but already quite drinkable. Dark fruits, underbush and minerals, soft tannins. Not sweetish as many 07s, so the Mourvedre and Syrah did their job I guess. Good complexity and balance. I prefer this to the pure Grenache CdPs from 07
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Return to San Anontio (Ducru Vertical); 2/21/2013-2/24/2013 (Monty): Terrific showing from this massive wine. Avoids the liquor-like overripe fruit of many of the '07's. Darker fruit profile than the Clos des Papes, more plum and dried fruits, with leather, and terrific spicy quality. Coarse tannins on the palate, with blackberry and garrigue really dominating. Very long finish. Great dark fruit, spice, and poise in this ripe year. Mourvedre really shows. Best young Beaucastel I've had. 94-95+
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Den første timen var denne meget skuffende, var mer som en Cotes du Rhone enn top notch CDP. Men etter ca 2 timer endrer vinen karakter og blir betydelig mer balansert, "myk" og rafinert. Kompleksiteten i vinen blir mer og mer fremtredende jo lenger vinen blir i karafellen. Blir sikkert enn meget flott vin om 10 + år.
I enjoyed this bottle. Very nicely balanced, elegant in style. Not an 'in your face', high etoh bruiser cdp. Drank in company of 20 bruisers. Although I expect significant development with age, quite nice now. Subdued, reddish fruit, spice, sandalwood.
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Violets and leather. Truffles and flowers. Tastes of black plum, spice, pepper, fig, and prunes. Herbal, eucalyptus, and hint of chocolate. This was very pretty and very drinkable now. A little fruity and will improve over time.
Chateauneuf Du Pape at The Orchard (The Orchard, Kennet Square, PA): Black cherry, vanilla, spices, good depth, young, tobacco. Almost comes across as sweet compared to the 2000. As it opened the fruit turned darker and the wine put on weight and depth. Lots of potential here, and I will try to wait until 2020 or later before I open my only bottle.
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Terrific pairing with lamb. Tasted with 2000 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape-- side by side. One could tell the 07 was young but it is developing wonderfully. 00 was just amazing-- silky smooth. 07 had dark purple hue, berry nose, dark berries, stone, and gets better with time.
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What a terrific wine. Needs 3h of air, but then opens up with fantastic flavor and loooonngg taste with dark berries, stone, lakrids and a touch of chocolate. Just wonderful!
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Wonderful CdP. Alluring nose of pure red fruit, pepper, and seabreeze. More fruit on palate with chalky tannic backbone. Sampled at 30 min intervals after opening, peaked after 2 hours of decant.
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Mini Beaucastel Vertical: This was the wine of the night. While the 05 was all black cherry, the 07 is all bright red cherry, garrigue, pepper and some very subtle cocoa notes. This also needed several hours for the deep, rich fruit to fully open. Quite excellent.
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Aromatics of blackberry and lavender on the nose. Serious concentration of fruit with an unreal purity that I have not tasted In years. This full bodied wine is very polished and was among my top cellared wines, that fortunately I timed perfectly to share with friends!
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Very pretty and clean nose of kirsch liqueur and spice. The palate is super smooth and resolved showing no hard edges and silky tannins. This is almost too easy to like at this stage, although there is a slight bitter element on the finish to remind you that it's a young CdP. It is not hot or overly extracted like some 2007's. enjoyable now.
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Another great bottle from this vintage. Very drinkable in its youth. Enjoyed this thoroughly and excited to watch it's development over the next decade. This is a beauty with room to move up from 92.
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Decanted for 3 hours. Absolutely stunning and enjoyable for such a young CdP. On this occasion, the only thing that I can say differed from my previous tasting was the nose was slightly muted. Beautiful, bright flavours with hints of chocolate, leather and cigar. This will become an superstar.
Wine of the night up against the 2007 Telegraphe, Donjon, and a 2006 Telegraphe Blanc.
Wonderful balance of savory and sweet, though somewhat shutdown. Took a little over an hour to open up. Somewhat light nose of cherry, baked spice, liquor, meat. Starts with medium bodied dark/red fruit and finishes in back of the palate with layers of savory flavors. Long finish. Will improve.
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Popped and poured- Probably should have treated this with a little more respect than that ! At first I found this surprisingly approachable, with a nose showing ripe, sweet red fruit and cherry liqueur with complex and ever changing secondary notes of composting leaves, motor oil, permanent marker, leather, smoke, tar and smoked meat notes. Oak use was notable, but not excessive. On the palate, this is quite full bodied without being overextracted. Nice acid balance, and although the alcohol level is somewhat chestwarming it's not problematic. Lots of upfront sweet, red fruit mingled with spicy notes and smoke. Round, integrated tannins, and a long finish. Still tightly wound, though, as it seemed to shut down a little, and continue to evolve throughout the course of the night. Nicely made- very seductive. One to revisit over the next 15 years or so.
Elegant, relative reserved nose. Round, fruity, harmonious taste. Nice wine. Would I drink it again? Yes. Would I pay 33 € for another 0,375l bottle? Probably not. There's so much else out on the market.
Friends were cooking Provencal food and sadly this was the only Rhone wine I had on hand. My last experience with this wine was fantastic, but I would have preferred to sit on this bottle. The wine showed a lot of potential with excellent balance and depth, but this never had a chance to open. I will have to buy more and hold.
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Lovely wine. A bit more structure than other 2007 CDPs I have had, but I guess that is the Mourvedre. Very approachable for a young Beaucastel but my guess is it will last the course. Meaty aromas on the nose and excellent dark cherry fruits. Good length and excellent balance. Very good.
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Outstanding effort by Beaucastel. Big massive with nice acidity. I will wait a few years before I open the next bottle. Can use some additional cellar time.
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With just 20 minutes in the decanter, the nose sprung from the glass with its aromas of kirsch liqueur, fresh market herbs, earth, plum jam and fennel. Supple in texture, with a long, rich, lush, ripe, red and black fruit filled, peppery finish, this was the perfect wine to get an early jump on our pre International Grenache day celebration.
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One of the best wines we've had in recent memory, this was amazing - Dark, full bodied with a nose of cherry, blackfruit, plum, kirsch, spice and vanilla, amazing structure and balance, silky smooth on the palate with terrific length, outstanding! (95 Points).
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Silky tannins, amazing concentration of ripe red and black fruits. Deep sweet cherry core with notes of cassis, blackberry and herbs. Long rich finish. Great now with greater potential with more cellaring
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Perhaps the bottle was poorly stored, it was a restaurant purchase, but this wine made me think of the phrase "The emperor gas no clothes..." this was sickly sweet and hot, full of alcohol and glycerin that it reminded me of a young port. It has spice and so on but -serious ICK! Did Cheateau Beaucastel get moved to Napa Valley while was not paying attention?
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à Minogami par Still. Un nez discret d'anis, d'épices, de cerises. La bouche est très pure, veloutée, le fruit dense et mûr. Il y a des arômes de réglisse noire prononcés, entremêlés de subtiles cerises, avec même des nuances étonnantes de violette! Il est tout d'un bloc, mais quel bloc! Une concentration attendue d'un tel millésime, mais sans aucun excès. On a laissé la matière première s'exprimer dans toute son opulence, les tanins mûrs sont enfouis sous ce fruit abondant. Il faut lui laisser 10 ans pour s'affiner et s'affirmer comme un des grands Beaucastel de cette décennie voire davantage. 94-95 + pts
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Big, rich and young. Blackcurrent perfume and almost Barossan. Nice but hopefully a little better on the 2nd day. I will hold my remaining bottles for a few years and try again.
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Decanted 3 hrs. Easily one of the darkest, most compacted Beaucastel to ever cross my lips. Though certainly somewhat a typical for this estate, the purity of the fruit concentration was something to behold; never jammy or overtly ripe, but simply a massively compacted core of bright dark red cherry fruit. Around the edges one sensed some Grenache-ness, spice cake, new tire smell, etc. Very long on the finish. Tremendous upside I think.
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Family member over... paired with 4 Wisconsin cheeses. Went down a bit muted... It WAS good, but from what I read this was supposed to have a "sewer" nose... What do I know.
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Decanted for two hours. I notice so much spicy stewed tomatoes, melted licorice, dark-roasted coffee, plumeria, hoisin sauce and salty rock. Longer than a fortnight, concentrated and very robust. There's deft balance on the evokingly, nascent finish; velvety and approachable tannins - with a backbone for decades of aging potential, even though this has New World aspects as well. Layer upon layer of coffee and berry. There's spice on the velvety mid palate. Different from any other vintage and honestly seems more like something from Manfred. For years of inspective observing. Drink 2014 -.
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Killer with brined game hens grilled quite mercilessly under bricks. Very young and will surely be great wine for 20 years or more, it was jammy but not in a bad way - just huge fruit with just a touch of copper, blood, and Earth - delicious.
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I had no intention drinking this so young, and the distraction of company kept me from taking proper tasting notes, but I was quite pleasantly surprised with how delightful and lush it was with rabbit. Deep perfumes, rich red fruits, fennel, with some nice minerality. Somone described it as primal and that works. If life were perfect, I would have waited to open or bought more for later, but I still enjoyed it now nonetheless.
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Smokey raspberry and dark fruit notes with a slightly sweet undercurrent, almost like a faint Agua Fresca or Sangria. There is a smoothness that is unusual, without noticeable acidity, but certainly does not make up for a somewhat monolithic flavor profile. I experienced a finish of up to 2 minutes, which would be remarkable if the wine had been more complex. Did not improve with being open 24 or 48 hours. Parker rates this 96. I don't. Good, not great.
Day 5: After letting this bottle sit on the counter for another 5 days (about 40% remaining, air removed with Vacuvin pump), the flavors seem to have developed a bit. The Agua Fresca notes have been replaced with a hint of classic honey/vanilla. It's also developed a little more acidity, which was missing during the previous days. I'd give another star at "91". Very good, but not a blockbuster.
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A good, perhaps not great Beaucastel, though quite outstanding for the vintage in my opinion. Oozes dark, rich, deep red fruits, some spice (which may be part flavor, part alcohol), hints of woodsy garrique, good acidity and moderate fine tannins. A pleasant wine, with just enough complexity to make it interesting, but at a ripeness level - though not syrupy - that turns it into a more ordinary new world wine that lacks the special-ness I expect of an excellent Beaucastel.
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Beautiful nose of red fruit and some earth. In the mouth it's silky and luscious, with cherries, fig and some red candy - without being overly sweet. It is reaching a very approachable phase in its evolution and it's tannins have settled down to a level where they are still present but not overpowering. It still has some alcohol, tannin and acid where it counts, though, and I think it will continue to mature for many years. This was a great bottle of wine.
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Dense wine with a very warm bouquet. Thick and plummy with scents of nuts (peanuts), caramel and dried herbs. Close to unctuous in the mouth, Currently the wine keeps its tannin hidden but the wine still has clarity and form. This is quite unlike earlier Beaucastels as it is clean and closer in style to more mainstream, more heavily grenache based wines. I imagine that in years to come, the grenache component will become less dominant and the mouvedre will assert itself. Fascinating wine and should improve over the next few decades. I will be curious to see if it follows the maturity curve of earlier vintages... 94++
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Earthier nose, a little musky, herby nose. Fuller, rounder, rich dark red fruit. Good structure to the wine, meaty and succulent red fruit. Good long finish.
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More perfumed with hints of spicy black florals. Has more acidity which provides a refreshing lift to the black granite finish. Spices and garrigue. A more elegant expression. Nice and quite complete.
from 375ml... Still very young, but much more drinkable after 2 years than last one tasted. Rich deep dark fruit and nicely balanced. A top notch year.
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So absolutely, unbelievably good. The nose is intensely earthy and fruity. The palate is lush, full and loooooooong. It tastes like a fresh, juicy plum, but isn't overly fruit-centred. The thing I love about wine is how there are so many different incarnations of "excellent". Bordeaux, Burgundy, Shiraz, new world, old world... Each one has it's own elements of "excellent". This wine is the epitome of Chateauneuf.
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Hard to rate at this stage of its evolution. There's plenty of fruit and all sorts of spices but the 14.5% alcohol is very noticeable and overpowers the wine. I am hoping that it will all come together in due course, but I am not entirely sure... In any event, not much fun to drink today - wait 5+ years.
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I served this in my wine course. Intensely primal right now. Blackberry fruit, great minerality, a bit of cured meat and smoke in the nose, rich mid palate, long acidic finish.
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Truly outstanding. Nose is fine with red fruits and some sweet candy and licorice notes. It starts smooth with red fruits - raspberry, cherry and a hint of strawberry - followed by just the right acidity, herbs and spices with some heat bridge to an amazing finish where wood/smoke and soft, silky tannins round it out. Great composition and balance.
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A very ebullient nose right out of the bottle, this wine was drunk after a crazy, long day with grilled cheese and was the perfect end. Didn't bother decanting as the wine is young and I used proper glassware for plenty of swirling, the nose if tart cherry, dried cranberry, on-the-vine raspberry and strawberry. Not as much non-fruit aromas as I expected but still a lot going on. Palate is lush and full figured with plenty of fruit and a finish that lingers for a good length. Very, very good!
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Beaucastel charity dinner @ Tanjong beach club: The nose is highly expressive here, unmistakbly a CDP with its complex aroma of sweet licorice, kirch liquor, spices, Provençal herbs and . The perfumed aroma of violet and lavender at the background only added better depth and fragrance to it. Rich and untouosly texture, with good mid palate depth that is so sappy which contribute by the rich healthy dose of red and black currant fruits, raspberry all firmly backup by good minerality, ripe tannin and acid backbone. Polish and energetic. Very fine. 91-93
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A very fine wine. Nose made of pressed red berries, particularly raspberry. A beautiful grenat glass. The legs are unusually heavy for a Chateauneuf du Pape. A slight synesthesia of aromas joined by some pepper and an acidic background: it is gorgeous. A more complex final still developing berries. It is multidimensional. The soft tannins are melted in this structure. It is definitely ample
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Chinese local dinner/Shum Cheng/Nang Kee/HK. Last wine of the evening. Not decanted. Young. Red fruit, notes of light berry jam. Light body, not showing full potentials. But enjoyable!!! Open for a short window?
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Chateauneuf du Pape Tasting (Wine Route Savion): Exquisite, complex nose – mostly ripe fruits and earth. Full bodied and round. Still a bit aggressive needs a few years to calm down. EXCELLENT (98$)
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Tis a puzzle. The wine was not shut down but, rather, just lacking in fruit. Decanted 9 hours. Muted nose that, to us, never did offer up the gorgeous southern Rhone smells. Hard pressed to pick it as CDP if tasting blind. Black, tightly structured, firm but not powerful tannins. Alot of depth, soils and minerals, and finishing with a tarriness that I like. Is it going to become great? Or is it going to stay devoid of fruit as it is? I'll revisit this in 3 to 5 years and see but if it doesn't develop, I'll have no need of it.
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Ruby red, light colour in the glass. The bouquet offered hints of violets, dried raspberry, flowers and blood/iron that meld together into a fresh and complex body which is slightly acidic and ends with a kirsch taste that lingers on for a while. You can still taste the fruit after 50 seconds. This is very young to be drunk now and we can only imagine how this multilayered CDP will develop in the cellar. Overall the complexity should give way to the soft and fruity body. Let's see.
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This is very nice. First aroma's after opening were fine red fruits (lots!) and a bit jammy (candylike) but still very fresh. After an hour in the glass the nose came gorgiously together. This will be awesome when the tertiar aroma's kick in. Still very approachable now but my advise is wait, it will be better. Try next in 2017.
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Birthday wine. Decanted for a few hours. Primary on the first day with some raspberry notes, strong pepper, and oak on a medium finish. On the second day this showed much more complexity with some soil and mineral notes emerging and the finish went on and on. A great wine that will be much better in time.
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Absolutely beautiful. Decanted for about an hour out of a 750ml bottle. Only a small taste as this was with a tasting group of 10 people (too bad it was so big). This is such a young CdP, but is really drinking amazingly well. The fruit is incredibly vibrant, complex and rich. This is still readily available at my local BCLDB signature store and I really want to buy more, but it is pretty close to the top of my budget at this point in my cellar development. I want to drink my bottles now, but also want to see how it progresses!!! I should have been born rich!
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I'll give it an 89, being at the top end of "Very Good to Excellent". The next higher grade, "Outstanding", above 90, naaah, not so much. To place this wine within 3, 5 or 8 points of the CdP superstars of this vintage is utterly absurd, being such superb works as the Marcoux Vieilles Vignes, Usseglio Deux Frères, Janasse Vieilles Vignes, Clos St. Jean Deus Ex Machina, etc.
A nice wine, but the best I can describe it is "nondescript". It tastes like a very nice typical CdP, but that's about it. Nothing special in the nose, nothing special on the palate. I taste kind of a generic, not terribly tannic, reasonably accessible wine, plus a little bit of pepper, and some alcohol, and not much more. There's a reason why the Beaucastel luxury cuvée, Hommage à Jacques Perrin, or the Deus Ex Machina, sell for $600 and more, and this one sells for $75. Namely, it's a very nice $75 bottle of wine. Nobody's ever going to be chasing after this wine in coming years, and it will never ignite a bidding frenzy at an upcoming Bonham's auction.
This wine was serially tasted in double-blind fashion over a two-hour period at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Ken Johnson. The robe is opaque ruby and the nose shows moderately intense aromas of blackberries, garrigue, licorice and vanilla. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity and big sweet tannins. The flavors mirror the nose, with a somewhat heavier oak influence than most vintages from this producer. The long finish ends with a whiff of heat. This is a well-made Châteauneuf which will need time to fully strut its stuff. It may warrant a higher score in the future. Drink 1/15-12/25.
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I wanted to see what this was like so cracked open the bottle. Obviously it needs a nice long decant. On the nose, its initially muted. However with a little time. it opened up with garrigue, red fruits, earth. Alcohol is prevalent. Young ruby bright red colour. Holy moly on the first sip I can already taste its power and finesse. Its too young BUT this is going to be awesome when its ready. The finish is beautiful and the wine is really good. Compared to the Coudoulet a year ago? This is the big brother. I'd easily give this wine 95-96 pts right now off the bat for its well balanced and good finesse. Not at all over the top, but just simply a beauty!
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Very good - full of Vibrant fruit, subtle Pepper and acid backbone. I like my CDP young...but this is probably too young. It will be significantly better in about 2 years.
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Excellent. Awesome CNP. A little disappointed by acidic bight on the finish but we are pushing the window. Should have let it be for a couple more years but that's what the next one is for - lol.
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The nose pops with kirsch, garrigue, kirsch, pepper, black plums, blackberry and truffle. Thick, round, concentrated and potent, this delightful, complex wine ends with suave textures and a lusty, spicy kirsch finish. This reminds me of what 90 Beaucastel tasted like in its youth
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No score this time. Had a half-bottle two months ago, which was fantastic. This one, which was purchased from Sherry-Lehmann on Saturday and was kept at a constant 55 degrees until opening, was closed down and didn't open up even though we decanted for 3 hours last night. So much potential, but I would strongly recommend that it stay cellared for at least 3-4 years.
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Decanted and poured, this showed similarly to a previous bottle. This seems to have benefited from an additional year of bottle age. The large scale, muscular structure remains; however, this bottles shows additional nuance and more forthcoming aromatics. This will continue to improve with additional bottle age.
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Notes of plum sauce, fig paste, roses. Focused attack, with tart red and black fruits, notably cherry, plum, and blackberry. This is layered, not as ripe as either the '04 or '05, and will benefit from short-term cellaring to loosen up the finish.
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On openning - Nose - nice fruit, tannic, abit of complexity. Palette - Fairly tannic, overwhelms the fruit. The fruit is there, and likely delicate, but it is overtaken by the tannin. There is also abit of alcholic heat. Score - 91. After 1 hour decante, some of the tannin receded and the fruit emerged. Score 92. After a further hour in the bottle - not much better. Score - 92, or 93 tops. I have tasted and preferred the 2008. It is likely that the 2007 has more tannin and simply needs time. In short, I openned this bottle too young.
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92-95(???) Pts. This wine is too young for me to judge, huge Chat du Pape. Big dark fruit and spice. I can't wait to enjoy this wine when it resolves itself, but for now I would guess a 4+ hour decant MIGHT help bring the fruit into balance...AMM
2nd night...Last glass and a half, was stored on the counter with the cork stuck back in the bottle. 93+ Pts, this resolved most of its lack of focus, and was a clean beam of dark red fruit. Wait for this one...AMM
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Exceptional. Absolutely one of my favorite wines of the world. Decanted 6 hours. Way to young to drink but sexy, opulent, foul, and carnal all the same. Loads of beautiful cherry Grenache fruit with the tannic earthiness of Mouvedre. Grenache is dominant now. Loads of herbs/garrigue, large whiff of lavender, a bit of leather, and black-pepper smoke. Just awesome. Drank with Leg of Lamb. Almost a sin to drink a wine this good.
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Decanted 1.5 hours. I was concerned about this wine not being approachable however it is drinking beautiful already. Not much on the nose but a little alcohol on the end. Red fruits and spice on the palate. Silky smooth with a great finish. Already looking forward to the next bottle. Drank with herb crusted rib roast.
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Tasted at an '07 Southern Rhone tasting. Very approachable at this stage, and preferred by the group over the likes of Vieux Telegraphe La Crau. Well balanced, great finish, and expected to age well.
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Rich aromas of very ripe dark cherries, plums, kirsch and a hint of fine wood tannins. Lovely flavors of ripe, sweet black cherries on a sappy mouth coating with refined tannins and minerality completely burried by the fruit. Even thought this is a massive wine, it manages to be quite precise and almost transparent with a very good back-end cut. Huge but well balanced and deliniated with acids and tannins that drive an extremely long finish that doesn't evern quit or bite.
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From a 375ml at Jean-Georges in NYC. This was extraordinarily good despite its youth, and far surpassed the coudoulet from '07 which I had earlier in the year (as expected). Red and black fruits plus a hint of fig, not too tannic. I'm a big fan and glad I have a bottle of this at home.
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Prettiest nose of the tasting; lot of fruit showing here. Very primary on the palate, lots of power and spice. Almost unfair to pour this with the 08s tasted just before it. Has a slight diesel-like hint on the nose too, that I could see turning into the signature Beaucastel dirt/funk over time. Delicious wine. 93-94+.
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Lunch with Pierre Perrin, Chateau Beaucastel (Chez Patrick, 26 Peel Street, Central, Hong Kong): Dark purple-red translucent colour. Nose is very tightly closed....precise but all fresh box-wood. Palate is very nice indeed......velvety, rich ripe black cherry-driven pure fruit, vanilla pods, cream soda - very young and primary but drinking beautifully. Tons of rich vanilla ice cream on the finish. Great length but slightly inky and headachey resonance inside the head because of its youth. Absolutely delicious......which is saying something because my normal preference is for much older wines, such as the 1988 we drank alongside this.
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Simple red fruit on the nose, like a Napa Cab with talc thrown in. Better on the palate. Structured, concentrated, tightly wound. Still relatively simple, though. $120
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Tasted at the LCBO tasting counter, bottle openned today. Nose - nice fruit. Palette - interesting fruit, some complexity. Abit of tannin. Balanced. Nice. I'm looking forward to openning my 2007. Someday.
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The Ultimate Wine Experience (Binny's South Loop - Chicago, IL): Really stunning and profound wine. Has a bit of everything - and by a bit, I mean a lot. Spice, creamy, gobs of fruit and pungent sulfur. Light on its feet but well structured with multiple layers.
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One of the finest young Chateauneuf-du-Papes I have ever tasted. Intense, dark, and brooding. (You know this wine is going to be something very special in a decade.) But the ripe Grenache red fruits carry the day. You could totally drink this now, but why? $110 www.austinbeeman.com
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Loin de l’archétype du Beaucastel habituel, on est ici en plein dans un style fidèle à 2007, sans tomber dans l’extrême. L’encépagement procure probablement au vin une meilleure stature que les bombes de grenache, de même qu’une bonne acidité qui laisse présager le meilleur pour l’avenir. S’il ne m’a pas vraiment marqué, je ne m’inquiète pas pour l’avenir.
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Churchill's: Smackdowns (Maumee, OH): Missing the magic from last time, seems to be a little closed down? The nose is fairly open, with dark fruit. Smooth attack. Slightly simple this time, though, and very much so for the price. Some oak showing. Medium tannins and body, medium+ acid. $111
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K&L Rhone Premium tasting (K&L, San Francisco): A bit more meaty than other CDPs, good cooking spices. Palate is very balanced, long pleasurable finish. Very good, but nothing special yet.
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Premium 2007 Southern Rhone and 2006 Guigal Single Vineyard Cote Rotie (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Medium color, certainly not saturated looking. Not showing much on the nose, which is surprising since it is relatively ripe, sweet, and open in the mouth. Mourvedre fruit and tannins arrive late. Just a bit of alcoholic heat at end too, but enough wine to stand up to it. This was clean, very pretty, and quite approachable-in a word, quite "un-Beaucastel-like". A completely different animal from the '05 at the same stage, which was bigger, more tannic, and completely closed. I imagine that this will appeal more to lovers of Grenache-based Chateauneuf than to old time Beaucastel fans.
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Tremendous - more complex than the 2000 Beaucastel tasted alongside, but still a bit tight. Raspberry, cassis, tannic, leather, long finish. Bracing acid.
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color: very deep intense almost opaque purple nose: med+ intensity, red flowers, spice, ricp opulent purple fruit, velvet ... palate: med+ intensity, incredible sense of earth and power and muscle ... grainy tannins dry acid is med tannin is med plus body is med plus alc is st 15 finish is earth, cherry, clay, dirt, black cherry, hard backed earth ...finish is med+
30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 5-10% Syrah
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Decanted for 3+ hours and was still a bit closed when I first started drinking it. Deep dark colour. Nose was tight but there was some leather, earth, slight floral. Very concentrated body with some sweet red fruit and plums hinting out behind grilled meat, leather, earth, pepper and some chocolate. Medium acidity very long finish. Still a lot of tannins. Scored based on current profile. Will definitely be mid-90s with some age. I picked up a half bottle as I really wanted to see the potential and as much as I enjoyed it, I felt guilty for not just putting it away. Definitely considering getting some more in a variety of sizes.
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This was quite the surprise in my experience trying Beaucastel. There was just so much fruit in here. Really shows what a crazy vintage '07 was. At first, that slightly candied, sugary Mourvedre thing I've gotten from Mourvedre blends in Cali came through, though this was much more complex then those wines. Slightly spicy. really fascinating. This really started picking up through out the night. Gained more depth, the up front fruit faded a little showing a lot more behind that initial exuberance. Each sip kept getting better. I'd hold this for 5 years minimum.
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Nick and Colleen's Engagement Dinner at Ma Langue Sourit, Luxembourg (Luxembourg): This wine was the star of the evening for me. CdP's are Leslie's favorites and Beaucastle is one of the great CdP's with 2007 being the outstanding vintage of recent times. We decanted for 1.5 hours due to the youth of the wine. It had intense aromas of pepper and candies red fruits. The mouth feel was like a big spoonful of Fruit de Bois jam! Unbelievably bold and full. Spice, earthy, licorice and layered with complexity. It was a lot of wine to go with a rapade de Lapin. This wine will improve over the next 5 years for sure and probably 10.
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Ma Langue Sourit (Luxembourg): Great wine. Decanted for a good hour. Amazing mouth feel. Bold and focused. Red fruits, earthy, liquorish... complex. Highly enjoyable on its way up. Hold.
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Cherry, lemon verbena and lavender with a raisined, tarry note on the nose. Full and warming with good minerality; understated, but complex finish. Needs at least another 3 years. 4/5
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From a 375. No decant. Enjoyed this greatly. Supple fruit on the nose, silky mouthfeel and a delightful, medium-long finish. Paired with pork tenderloin.
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sock your knocks off good. Inky dark purlpe. A nose of fruits, and bbq meats, and earthy tones. In the mouth you got all of that and more. Licorice, currants, minerals, spices and peppers. It was a great accompanyment to the simple bbq chicken we served. This is an great CdP. Get some if you can.
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BBQ'ing with Brian, Karen, Ken and Kelly (The Scotts (Landenberg, PA)): Surprisingly very elegant, soft and silky. Feminine. As it opened the mouvedre started to show a little. I didn't find it very tannic it all. I will pick up a couple more to stash away for a long while. Very nice.
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CellarTracker Texas Offline; 5/21/2010-5/22/2010 (San Antonio): Nice nose of sour red fruits, leather, vanilla, oak, pepper, black fruits. On palate, sour cherry, leather, sweet black fruit, pepper. Finishes long with a nice acid spine. Infanticide. 94 for now, has some upside.
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Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of flowers, berries, plums and a bit of currants. Rich and juicy flavors of berries, plums and light notes of blueberries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. I know we killed a baby here but man is this drinking so well right now. Quite the surprise. If you want to open one right now for the pure hedonistic pleasure it'll bring. Otherwise, hold. Hold a long time.
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One of the best wines I have had in years. Powerful and focused. Plenty of fruit and plenty of tannin. Drinking great now (I decanted for 5 hours) and I assume that it will get better with age. This wine is relatively easy to find and I am going to buy more.
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A bit tight and tannic. No decanting on this wine and it needed it. Earth, floral, grilled meat and leather on the nose. Palate is showing some complex flavors and a tannic sensation is evident. Medium finish and I would like to revisit this wine with some serious decanting. 93+
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3 Decades of Chateau Beaucastel with Tomas Perrin. (Ambrosia Event Center. Victoria, BC.): Nose of dense fruit but it comes off very carbonic. Lots of tar, menthol and sage. The palate is very tight. Massive drying tannins dominate while bright acidity keeps this fresh. Lots of current, plum, menthol and herb notes. Long finish accentuates some earthy notes. Delicious, hold at least 10 years.
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Decanted very briefly (20 minutes?). Super fleshy and ripe dark fruit up front, plowed over with garrigue-driven hot stone. I can't believe how well this is drinking! On the palate it is so complete, this measly note will not do it justice. Wraps it all up with a very satisfying, several-minute finish. Drink it now and you will love it. Drink it in 5 years...
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Nose is full of dense cocoa and cherry. At this stage in its life, this is a weighty, dense, powerful Beaucastel. Very pure fruit, with a dense mid-palate. I really enjoy the spices and herbs that come through on this wine - cinnamon and clove are most obvious. This wine isn't closed at all right now. The "classic" Beaucastel funk, damp earth, and forest floor are nowhere to be seen at this point - so if that's the profile you're looking for, I'd wait on this for a WHILE.
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Strikingly pure aromas of plum, grape, licorice and violets, tinged with iron and garrigue. Parker's descriptor of "pen ink" seems apt. Dances on the palate, yet packs a punch, like Muhammad Ali. A dazzler.
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Medium garnet. Very primary nose that is however intense and complex. A slight hint of barnyard. Palate is ripe intense, balanced with a broad palate and a long finish. Wow will this be good! I think the best since 2001.
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Churchill's: 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape (Maumee, OH): Open nose, ripe black fruit. Smooth like whoa. Concentrated and super-elegant. I'm sure this will improve, but this is amazingly accessible and ready to roll right now. $111
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Decanted and poured, this wine showed density and texture on the palate with youthful dark aromatics. The bouquet shows black fruits, tar, rocks, pepper and black licorice. This is a muscular, large scaled wine that will benefit from bottle age.
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Drank one of a few half bottles to see how the wine evolves. Very young, as expected, and while its a nice drink after decanting at least an hour, this will age nicely. Was expecting a little more, but still good.
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The nose has petrol, motor oil, white pepper, mushroom and plum. The palate has more plum, soy, blackberries, but not overly ripe fruit. Long spicy finish. Not as balanced as the Clos or Janasse, with a higher acidity. This is one of the more reserved '07's that may be less enjoyable in its youth than some of the bigger wines, but it may also benefit more from age.
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No formal notes, but brought this bottle to a wine party and it was probably the top wine of the evening, which included many other high-end great wines. I just bought 6 more bottles.
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VVW tasting. Sweet nose, showing red fruits and minimal provencal herbs. Softer and a little round on the palate (compared to VT and VD), displaying deep but one dimensional berry flavors that are candied. Firms up after an hour in the glass. Minimal tannins and structure, I'm not sure how this is going to evolve. Note: no horsey, bretty flavors at all, this was very clean but somewhat uninspiriing for a Beaucastel.
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Yeah. OK. I realize it's irresponsible to open this at this point. That said, here goes...
There's some tannin, but it's not overpowering. There's alchocol; a fair amount of it that should soften over time. This is brilliant and not undrinkable at this point. There's a rich, stewed fruit quality on the nose and on the palate, there's bright raspberry and blackberry, stewed plums, fig, a touch of persian spice/ allspice and a hint of the leathery, beefy quality that will come out more in the years and years (and years to come).
This is supposed to be the best vintage in many years, and that may very well end up being the case.
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Possibly the best young Beaucastel I've ever had. The nose is intoxicating with floral notes, bright red fruits and an array of spices. The palate is rich and ever changing - from darker blue and black fruits ending in bright raspberry and cherry. The spicy finish is long and very pleasant. Almost tastes like a barrel sample but wow, what a barrel.
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1/2 bottle I always try each vintage on purchase, the nose is not huge, but shows tarry, pure dark kirsch, slight mushroom and bit of alcohol but the palate is just wow!violets, cherries, mushrooms, and the longest silky plushness, goes for a long time and glides down with complexity. this is the real deal and has the texture which exceeds recent vintages, tannins are in there but are masked with all the fruit, shows the glycerin that I recall from 89
not a huge bruiser either, but needs 10-15 years ( that is after just drinking a perfect bottle of 89)
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The nose had cherry, plum, tar, anise and ecualyptus on the nose. No funk, brett, or barnyard aromas at all. The palate was full of dense, ripe red fruits wtih hints of the tar and mint coming through. This was the first time that I had tasted a CdP this young, and I was thrilled that this wine had such a great showing. The brett hasn't bloomed here yet, so this wine tastes very clean and fresh. I enjoyed that, even if the funk is a signature of the Beaucastel... I was fine without it.
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Farr Vintners Tasting - London; 11/17/2009-11/18/2009 (Vintners Hall - London): Ding dang do - what a nose!!! Very complex, deep nose of multi-layer fruit, earthy notes, mushrooms, dry herbs, some anise in there - very beguiling. But whats this? The palate is out of whack with the nose - there is a weird tang at the back of the palate that unbalances the wine. Still young, so I would hope this would sort itself out over time but a shame the palate doesnt match the nose. I actually prefer the 2006 to the 2007.
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2007 Chateauneuf tasting at Beltramos: Gorgeous dark, intense red fruit, medium/full bodied, earth, spice, anise, garrique, this has it all. A potential 89 in the making? This anchors the other end of the spectrum from the more feminine, elegant, but equally complex Vieux Telegraphe in the vintage.
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Tasted the 07 Beaucastel last week at a Beltramos 2007 Rhone tasting. It’s a very impressive wine. IMHO, the best Beaucastel since the 2001. Better than 2005.
I tasted it over a 2 hr period from bottles that were specially air shipped for the event. At first I was not impressed with the wine. It was thin and not integrated. Not that interesting. After a couple hours of air, the wine changed in a big way. It put on lots of weight and became better integrated. Solid amounts of fruit with great structure. It’s a very serious wine that is not as flashy or forward as many of the other 2007 rhones. It requires lots of decanting or 10+ years. 95/96 pts.
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Young CDP is funny; it can be so open and delicious in its youth or completely closed and not enjoyable. This was thankfully open at the moment with black cherry and raspberry on the nose and palate. Very clean and fresh with plenty of juicy ripe fruit. A delicious mix of power and elegance. Hard to imagine this wine is related to some of the bretty beau’s I have had in the past.
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Powerfull nose of licorice, ripe black fruit, mushrooms and ripe peperonis... Extremely powerfull in the mounth, very ripe black and red fruit (not jammy), refreshing acidity, very very long with ripe and silky tannins... enormous, must buy wine
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Farr's Christmas tasting. Cask sample. Red WOTN, easily. This is a beauty. Intense fruit all over the place, all wrapped around Beaucastel terroir. Caught at a good time before bottling, this may shut down. But when it comes out the other side this will be a legend. This cask sample could be drunk now - amazing. 93pts from Sal, which is saying something.
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4/16/2024 - sh6k Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wonderful powerful but not overpowering. Big nose and palate of dark fruits and tobacco and an intriguing herbal perfume (lavender?). Long finish. For me, everything that’s great about good rhone and syrahs — big flavor punch that still is able to meld with food (was great with a cheese / white asparagus / cream pasta and another dish with a vin jaune sauce). Tannins are definitely present — lots of time left on this one but for me the perfect drinking window.
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4/6/2024 - Adam T 12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better than my last bottle. Still alive and kicking. Definitely mature.
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4/5/2024 - p.schw. Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perfectly balanced. Plush and silky, still lots of fruit. There’s already a well integrated part of tertiary aromas - it’s got the perfect mouthfeel. I don’t see this getting any better. Will drink my last bottle within the next months
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3/29/2024 - nocowine wrote:
Earthy, spice, and subtle fruit on opening. Improves over time with increased complexity and more of the fruit. Excellent. Have 2 more bottles and will decant next one.
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3/16/2024 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
****See previous notes
This is in the zone. It won't get any better. All tertiary tasting notes now.
Wine has faded to a beautiful looking translucent ruby-brown color.
Amazing mouth feel. Medium plus finish. Lots of leather. Just lovely.
Roast top sirloin tonight.
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3/9/2024 - Winer1956 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes from a 750 ML bottle. Mature, complex, and subtle. Pairs well with lamb chops. More refined than the Beaucastels of the 80s, which may appeal to some but not to others. The smell and taste profile include red fruits with forest floor and other subtle earthy elements.
Not likely to improve IMO.
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2/17/2024 - whitmanlholt wrote: flawed
Corked! Not the worst tainted bottle I've had, but clearly present. Dumped the bottle down the drain. Bummer.
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2/16/2024 - NY Wino Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Another disappointing 2007 CDP and sadly this is one of my favorite wineries. This wine is plummy, over extracted, yet thin, tannic and the finish is a bit harsh.
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2/16/2024 - KL1975 wrote: flawed
Flawed bottle? Notes of rum pot and baked notes, port-like, alcohol very dominant, disappointing. Hope it was a defective bottle, because I have two bottles left…
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1/14/2024 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened 30 minutes before drinking but it would do better to be open for a couple of hours. It was a little tight and earthy to start but the fruit came out over time.
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1/6/2024 - melzar wrote: 91 Points
Black olives on the nose. The palate is a fruit bomb, and this is just not my style . Reminds me of California Zinfandel. So totally unlike the Beaucastels of "89 And '90 which were, for me, memorable wines. This wine is well made and many of us will like this style.Therefore, the rating does not reflect my personal taste.For me it's an 87 at best.
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1/3/2024 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 94 Points
this continues to shine. nose is still fruit fwd with blueberries, blackcurrant, spice, pepper, and attractive herbal notes, earth, tobacco. palate is full bodied and smooth with sprightly acidity that keeps it fresh. berry fruit along with a strong herbal and mineral core. this is in a sweet spot that should appeal to fans in both the young and aged CdP camps.
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12/23/2023 - WineKnut Likes this wine: 94 Points
Last tasted in November of 2020. No formal notes. Stupendous balance with red fruits moving to the front over dried dark fruit flavors. Savory underpinnings add interest without overwhelming.
Beautiful.
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12/22/2023 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 96 Points
En magnum. Double decanted. Deep ruby red with a steeped red rooibos tea rim, close to garnet but not quite. Feral nose full of raw meat, macerated crushed red berries, mild leather, kiln dried tobacco, spiced red plum, minerals and more. Gets fresher the deeper you sniff. Also loses the animaliness with more time in the glass. And a hint pf a medicinal note emerges with time as well that adds an additional layer to the complexity. Super smooth and long, melted tannins, full bodied, excellent fruit extract thay is ripe and sweet, and a tangy dry finish. Flavours are so well blended they're difficult to tease apart, but they include spiced black plum, soft red fruit leather, black tea, goji berry, iron, bison jus and dried sweet black cherry. Fully mature and drinking so lovely right now! Not quite at the fully dried and spiced red fruit stage yet; still containing vestiges of black fruits. So torn between wanting to sip and analyze this and just drink and enjoy it. Spectacular! Easy 96 points!
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12/20/2023 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Chateauneuf du pape tasting (at my home): Appearance:
Deep, dark ruby with purple undertones
Nose:
Rich and complex, with aromas of ripe black fruit (blackberries, blueberries, plums), licorice, fig, spice, and earth
Palate:
Full-bodied and powerful, with a firm structure of tannins and acidity
Flavors of ripe black fruit, licorice, spice, and earth
Long and lingering finish
Overall:
A classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the 2007 Beaucastel is a powerful and elegant wine with a long aging potential. The wine is well-balanced, with ripe fruit flavors, firm tannins, and refreshing acidity. The nose is complex and inviting, with aromas of ripe black fruit, licorice, fig, spice, and earth. The palate is full-bodied and powerful, with flavors of ripe black fruit, licorice, spice, and earth. The finish is long and lingering.
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12/16/2023 - Gwen Lim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Was expecting funk after reading all the notes prior opening but total opposite - lovely bouquet upon uncorking that was alluring… and bottle breathed it for 3-4 hours. Delicious bottle and prefers this so much than the 03 bottle I just had. Fresh, optimal level of acity, dark berries, some spice - with a little finish of dry wood that tasted slightly odd at fist. Blew away after some time.
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11/28/2023 - Zed57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
It is settling nicely. Figs, blackberry and coffee glides effortlessly into your mouth with a persistent embracing finish. It’s in a good spot but we still have lots of time to enjoy this beauty
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11/18/2023 - Highlander wrote:
Have enjoyed 5 of these prior....opened this last bottle with a fairly easy pull on the cork....wine was not corked, but rather the seal must not have been perfect as the wine seemed older, over the hill and past its prime. Opened a second bottle shortly after and it was its normal beautiful self, so I will chalk this up to a bad, undersized cork.
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11/12/2023 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfect cork 100+ years! Decanted for 2 hours. Quite a lot of sediment. Red rooibos tea core with a mahogany rim. Funky nose full of horsiness, sweaty saddle, dried red berries, stewed red plums, Christmas cake, macerated raisins and dried garrigue. Very complex! Medium full bodied, juicy acidity, gobs of fruit extract, high melted tannins and tre smooth with an off dry impression on the finish. A tad hot. Not nearly as funky on the palate as the nose. Macerated red berries, leather, sanded cedar, compost, funky organic earth and a snappy spicy finish. Lisa says "it's like dirty beautiful goodness"! Quite long and spicy warm on the finish. Seems a bit bretty and hot overall. Not the best showing based on past experience, but still worth 94 points to me.
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11/8/2023 - MC wrote:
Decanted 1 hour. Very nice at first taste, with dark red fruits, some earth and leather but in general still quite primary but in a nice way vs. previous bottle a year or so back. This did close just a bit after an hour (so 2 hours after decanting) but overall I like where this is now, and think it will improve. A-
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10/29/2023 - Turtlerider Likes this wine:
Hmmm...This bottle had a serious funk on opening. Even after 2 hours it was still detectable, similar to the funk I get from the 96 Cos D'Estournal we have had on a few occasions. That takes at least 6 hours to fade and I read (after finishing my wine) that some people have allowed the 2007 Beaucastel to decant for 12 hours.
Overall, it was an OK glass of wine, but the funk distracted from the rest of the glass.
Maybe I'll try it again tonight.
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10/1/2023 - barryjkeller@gmail.com Does not like this wine:
Could not get past the alcohol :(
Tended also (I thought) to a porty style
Didnt enjoy
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9/20/2023 - tantotinto wrote: 94 Points
First taste immediately after decanting. Note from four years ago still applies. "Black fruit, soy, anise, mocha and a little pepper on the finish. Modest tannin and bracing acidity. Vibrant, elegant, refined and delicious." It may be even better now. No rush to drink the next.
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9/14/2023 - Sperls Likes this wine: 94 Points
Getting even better than the last bottle. All that you want in a cndp in the right spot. Dark fruit, some sweetness, tar, spice, white pepper, chewy, long finish and still even a bit tight.
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9/1/2023 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 95 Points
An object lesson in letting a wine breathe. PNP and observed over more than an hour. Bright red, faint translucence. Bright and precise on the palate, cherry, blueberry, minerals. Deepens and darkens with air and time. Soft but still well-defined tannins. Nice acidity, excellent balance. Finishes moderately long with sweet cherry notes. Over time the finish lengthens and turns to black cherries. The mouthfeel becomes smooth, and the wine develops notes of anise and milk chocolate. Over the course of an hour this went from 90 points to 95. Decant it for at least an hour. Or just enjoy watching it evolve in the glass if you have the patience. Drink next 5 years, could go longer.
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8/28/2023 - peebal wrote: 86 Points
I don’t think it’s a flawed bottle. I just thing old Beaucstel is and has largely always been overrated Plummy nose, flabby on the palate, and short. I had this bottle ten years ago and it was fun. This is not.
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8/27/2023 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 94 Points
First bottle of the half case box I bought. Opened about an hour before drinking. That was enough though longer wouldn't hurt. Great balance between the fruit, the earthiness, somewhat lush but with a medium tannic finish. All around great. Can easily last a bunch more years
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8/15/2023 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 95 Points
Love this wine. Drank with braised pork. Concentrated fruit, complex, well integrated. Drink or hold
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8/6/2023 - Isaac L wrote: 94 Points
Birthday bottle. Had with smoked brisket on the bone. Good fruit concentration with noticeable garrigue and tertiary character. Blackberries, tar, cocoa, cedar, pepper, smoke, and caramel. 14.5% alcohol was present but not obtrusive. Well integrated with tannins still present, this has easily another 15-20 years of life on it.
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8/2/2023 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bright clear medium garnet, approaching more of a ruby color. Deep purple fruits on the nose. Incredible blackberries, coffee, tar, and mulberries. Tons of life left in it.
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7/31/2023 - pikemasterflash wrote: 93 Points
Really good tonight and better than the first glass a couple of days ago (salvaged via Coravin). Feeling like this was a pretty good QPR now at $75. Purchased these bottles from PremierCru. For those of you old enough to remember, now I wonder if I even drank the real thing...
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7/27/2023 - matiasox@gmail.com Likes this wine: 97 Points
Phenomenal wine. Nose: funky musty forest floor, sweet licorice, blackberries, cocoa. Palate: smooth, balanced, some spice and blackberry acidity. Cocoa, tobacco spice, mushrooms, I can drink this wine all day long.
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7/24/2023 - thesternowl wrote: 93 Points
Served to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep ruby color with a slightly orange rim. Medium+ viscosity and some moderate staining of the tears. There appears to be some sign of sediment as well. On the nose, the wine was intense with notes of dark cherries, a mix of red and black bramble fruits, licorice, some leather and dried gravelly earth. I don’t detect any use of barrique but maybe some large format oak. This has an old world nose to it that was really lovely. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose and while the fruit had some power, it came in a body that was pretty fit and tidy. Alcohol is medium+. The finish is long and had some stoney minerals too. I called Brunello di Montalcino from a warmer vintage like 2009. Whoa…2007 Beaucastel! Damn, they hit so different than most other CdP’s. So much more restrained! But now that it has been revealed and I’ve allowed more time for it to breathe in my glass, I totally get its sense of place. One of my big takeaways is that I need more experience with these wines, particularly with age because that’s when they become more interesting to me. This is drinking well now but I expect it will continue to do so through 2032 with ease.
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7/23/2023 - z747gdgh45 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Intense ruby color.
Intense nose of red fruit, grape (almost Dimetap at first), chocolate covered cherries, maraschino cherries, strawberry jam, plum, cotton candy, leather. Interesting smokiness to it as well, like smoked red fruits - everything is well-integraged. Taste wood, cedar, the red fruits. The secondary flavors especially linger for a long finish. Great wine!
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7/14/2023 - pfleche@gmail.com Likes this wine: 97 Points
Fantastic! A touch of smoke, prunes and a smooth finish, this wine is divine!
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7/12/2023 - Drinkslogger Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ready now and should continue to drink well for the next 10 years.
Nose: Wood, cigar box, sage, mint, basil, dark berries, bright berries, cloves, cinnamon, cumin,
Smooth, good structure, blueberry, cherry, strawberry,
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7/1/2023 - Sperls Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar notes to Dec 22. In a great spot but will age for a long while I believe.
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6/24/2023 - Mike1369 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic drinking wine. Lots of dark fruit, notably plum, blackberry, currant, and hints of fig. Some lighter berry overtones in the background. Tannins work well on the back end where charred hickory, cloves, and earthy, bricky, clay overtones help to form a long lasting finish. Grilled prime strip and lamb sausage were a perfect pairing here.
This was awesome and I will remember it as such. That’s what really makes a great wine, your memory of it.
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5/31/2023 - Martin Amis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full-bodied and delicious. Terrific nose. Great with steak.Structred. Tannins there but doing what they should.
Revisiting six months later. My understanding is that 2007 was a hot year, and this is a little cooked. A touch raisiny. Less noticeable as it opens up. Still tasty.
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5/21/2023 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Jumped out of the list of Lunch at L’Ami Jean , Paris in terms of value and albeit we had our worries that this would be a monster akin to younger bottles of 1998 ( we actually sold all of our allocation of this on this worry after trying it in 2016 and rating it 88)
But on the day with no decanting and not much fanfare the wine performed, has definitely the feel of a hot ripe vintage, but its also with a balance and is no way heavy or burnt. A lot of Grenache bright fruit on the nose, herbs de Provence and a dark fruited finish. A very pretty wine for the price and really makes us regret selling this . 93
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5/19/2023 - d'Artagnan wrote: 95 Points
Dégustation horizontale Châteauneuf du Pape 2007 (Ville Mont-Royal): Un nez profond de fruits noirs, avec un côté iodé, bord de mer. Bouche plus fraîche, moins riche et moins grenache. Des tanins très fins, un superbe équilibre, une longueur impressionnante. Il fait très HJP. Pas mon préféré au niveau aromatique, mais c’est très impressionnant. 95 pts
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5/6/2023 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Luis goes to Cahill Bistro: Pop and pour may not have been the best treatment, drank a small glass over an hour. There's garrigue, forest floor and very pretty fruit. But it does seem 2007ish in a big and fruity way. I'm going to hold my bottles a bit longer and pray.
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5/4/2023 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another Great Luis Tasting! (Cahill Bistro): This was a PnP. I believe this wine would have benefited from a decant. 2007 is a bit perplexing to me...big fruit, big alcohol from a hot summer. I think the alcohol will calm down more and the fruit and some tertiary goodness are on the horizon (at least that is my hope)....However, not sure what to think after tasting this....Yes fruit is definitely there, but so is some heat from the alcohol....the question is which will calm down more, if at all? Will the heat/alcohol become more pervasive or will the heat subside with time? Stay tuned to the bat...errr...wine channel!
OK....enough fun, down to brass tacks on the wine. Big fruit, some roasted meat and some spice, with an earthiness and leathery layer lurking under the fruit and alcohol. My best advice....a 2-3 hour decant and serve with food if drinking now, or hold (like I will) and pray the wine gods look favorably on you! 92 today....??? tomorrow...but fingers crossed!
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4/9/2023 - canan wrote: 94 Points
Loads of dried cherry and raspberry fruit and a lot of mixed spices. Starting to show some aged flavors while remaining a lovely airy feel to it.
Tannins are farily polished but still present and I feel that it is a good point to drink right now. Seems understated in its boldness which makes it really enjoyable! Great wine!
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4/8/2023 - Evanbdavis Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ripe, brooding and mouth filling, the 2007 Beaucastel CDP rouge is in an excellent spot at the moment. A lovely nose of dried strawberry, licorice, black raspberry, sage, lavender, leather, smoke and star anise. Very complex, The palate is silky, round and rich with a wealth of fruit left. It is less lifted and a touch less focused than the outstanding 2007 Charvin, but there is a complexity here and a wild gaminess to this wine thanks to the many different varieties in the blend. It is a delicious, charming wine that delivers great pleasure now, and for at least a decade more.
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4/1/2023 - Montecalvo Likes this wine: 92 Points
dark red to purple. Nose was accessible immediately upon uncorking. Cork in great condition. Very clean nose for this wine. No bret at all. No oxidation either. Primarily fruit driven at this point. Great concentration with a big mid-palate and finish. Needs quite a bit more time.
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3/26/2023 - DoctorBartolo Likes this wine: 94 Points
I have been revisiting this vintage over the last four years and last night - drunk with a classic French chicken and tarragon recipe - it really came into its own. The tannins are well integrated now. Decent acidity to cut through a cream sauce and a wonderful understated red fruit selection. You can also sense the heat and sunshine of the Rhone valley. A wonderful wine at its zenith.
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3/12/2023 - Axone Likes this wine: 93 Points
En demi-bouteille.
Epaulée 12 heures puis carafée 2 heures.
Excellent vin très équilibré, pas marqué par la chaleur du millésime. Beaucoup de potentiel encore..
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3/9/2023 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Based on previous note, I brought this ought for a steak dinner. While this is not a pairing I would normally think of, the previous note made me think it might be fine, and it was really great! I do like this better with food anyway, but it was quite a complementary pairing!
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2/21/2023 - patrickomatic Likes this wine: 94 Points
Jammin. As with the other older ones I’ve opened, no need to decant really
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2/18/2023 - CADomer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark and savory with blackberries, ripe black plums, and meaty minerality. In a great place. Shows some of the warmth of the vintage, but really well balanced and delicious.
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2/8/2023 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS; Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape (By VD and @ VD): In the bouquet creamy dark berries which are still a bit primary. On the palate also creamy, juicy and round with beautifully ripe dark berries, laurel, salty licorice, fresh acidity and round tannin with a soft bite. Truly delicious wine with mature as well as youthful impressions.
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2/8/2023 - DanielAVTL wrote: 94 Points
* Wine 3 of 4, CDP vertical tasting at al Coro. Opened and decanted 3-hours before dinner.
A peak expression of prime Beaucastel, truly magnificent, one of the best I've tasted from the timeless chateau and the winner of the entire evening (for me at least).
Spectacular nose, developing from truffle, earth, pine forest and herbs, to dark cherry, plum and dark chocolate. Such range, and constantly changing, I could not keep my nose away for a second. On the mouth, perfectly integrated tannins, structured, rich and full-bodied, beautifly round mouthfill and a 35-40 second finish with notes of cigar, game, cherry, herbs and truffle again.
A tour-de-force in CDP, from a great vintage, at the exact right moment in the wines' lifecycle.
94 points on the night. Drink now through 2033.
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2/7/2023 - winemaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Previous notes apply. Beautiful wine.
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2/5/2023 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 95 Points
Unfortunately my last bottle of this beauty, which I have enjoyed 6 times over the last 5 years. Quintessential CdP, full of garrigue, black fruits, kirsch, rich mineral aromas and a concentration that is so impressive. This is at its apogee but wasn't showing any signs of decline, it's just too bad that it has increased so much in price the last few years.
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1/30/2023 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
super nice with full minus body (as others have noted) but not overwhelming (and I can be sensitive to brutish wines)...red / dark red fruit with high acidity and some spices / umami to kick... feels relatively young -- not too young to drink at all but I would guess this bottle could have gone another 10-15 years without breaking a sweat
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1/18/2023 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Ch. de Beaucastel (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Ahh, my monolithic friend. Baked, dense, red over black fruits with a savoury underpin, touch of alcohol prickle, cedar and raisins, baked herbs, a little liquorice. And on the palate there is plenty of (slightly less baked) fruits, a little raisin, tannins are drying, gripping the mid palate and roof od the mouth, coarse flour textured but in support of the huge fruit, finishes savoury and a little garrigue. The most approachable this has been
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1/13/2023 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine:
Rich, powerful, complex, long, edges bit rough so still needs to roundup, slow oxed for 4 hours which wasn’t enough so best to decant this 3-4 hours
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1/9/2023 - vvWine.ch wrote: 96 Points
(Verkostet aus der Magnum im Rahmen der C9dP Probe von Peter Buser) Mittleres Rubinrot, dezente Orangetöne. In der Nase vielschichtig, verspielt, betörend dieser Duft, dunkle und rote Beeren, Erdbeermarmelade, getrocknete Kräuter, Orangenzesten, Grand Marnier, wow, das ist eine wahre Nasendroge. Im Gaumen hochelegant, reiffruchtig, sehr feines Tannin, keinerlei Alkoholdominanz, das hat Rasse und Präzision und endet langanhaltend und feinwürzig. Top ausgewogen, Gänsehaut. Aktuell auf dem Peak. 96 vvPunkte www.vvwine.ch
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1/7/2023 - wetlandwino wrote: 96 Points
just a fantastic wine. After three hours of decanting, this CdP really shined. The palate was the star - complex dark fruit with great body and a long finish ending in an integration of acidity and silky tannins. This wine understandingly paired this with a rib eye from Ruth's Chris. Just great.
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1/6/2023 - WStubble wrote: 92 Points
Stood up for a few days in the cellar, the usual pop and pour, sound cork. Good, not picking up a lot of heat, also no Brett at all which I kind of miss. So far a good bottle, drinking with grilled steak so will see how it goes. Definitely not on the downslope yet, can keep for some time in the cellar.
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12/26/2022 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 95 Points
3 hour decant, then spectacular
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12/20/2022 - Sperls Likes this wine: 93 Points
In a great spot. Dark purple color, black fruit, herb, pepper, that cndp blood/horse-note, chewy, medium+ finish. Fabulous w Cuban food. Feels like it still has a numbers of great years ahead of it.
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12/19/2022 - Winance Tom Likes this wine: 97 Points
Smooth and tasty, enjoyed with friends. 15 years was a good cellaring period.
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12/16/2022 - Vancouver Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last of a 1/2 case purchased on release and stored properly since.
Medium ruby in appearance with some definite lightening at the rim. Less color than a bottle drunk about 18 months ago.
Fully evolved nose of kirsch, baking spice, herbal elements (thyme etc.) and some tobacco. Just a hint of fatigue on the nose.
Medium bodied with excellent flavor concentration and a long savory finish. Very little acidity and structure compared to the last bottle drunk which suggests its time to drink up.
In summary very well done, but also very surprising that this has evolved so much in less than 2 years. Maybe some bottle variation at play here.....
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12/8/2022 - nycebo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Smooth tannins, lovely and extracted fruit, medium finish, mouth watering. Peak time to drink.
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12/8/2022 - Jerhro Likes this wine: 96 Points
For a blend it’s a scrumptious fruit forward delight. At 15 years of age it has left behind many of its rough edges and would be even smoother and near perfect with a few more years in the bottle.
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12/4/2022 - winemaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous! Fully mature, soft tannins. Garrigue, cherry and other red fruits with some savory notes. Long.
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12/2/2022 - cyc wrote: 91 Points
This vintage seems fairly highly regarded, but in my opinion this wine is a bit out of balance and may take some more time to come together. It was not nearly as good as the 2004 I had recently (both were Oenotheque bottlings ex-chateau)
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11/26/2022 - de Joersch Likes this wine: 93 Points
last week the 2006, today the 2007 ... both are wonderful. The 2006 was less body, less long (90) ... this 2007 is right after opening a dream ... I guess finally 95 ....
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11/25/2022 - Rudolph Schmidt Likes this wine:
Wish I could bathe in this....
Raspberry, cassis, licorice, espresso, smoked meat, herbaceous.
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11/10/2022 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
I like this wine, my wife loves it. It's rich to the point of being ripe and that really dominates this wine. My wife loves wine with rich fruit and I like more of a minerally profile. This has some mineral notes, and a fair bit of tobacco. Still, I didn't want to stop drinking it.....
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11/7/2022 - asgerG wrote: 91 Points
D2h. Consistent. Great balance
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11/6/2022 - El_Dougo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Third tasting note on this vintage and all generally consistent.
Nose driven by strawberry red fruit, toast, baking spices and smoke.
Palate more black fruit and savory. Dry, med acidity, totally integrated tannings, med alcohol, full body, med+ flavor intensity. Long finish. Definitely holing up although I would drink now.
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11/5/2022 - Grinner wrote: 95 Points
Wines after the Wines! (Bar Purlieu, Eugene, OR): No formal notes. Decanted 1 hour at Bar Purlieu. Very savory wine tonight! Similar to my note 2.5 years ago:
"Garrigue, wet underbrush, iodine/ kelp, smoked meat, and saddle now showing off. Kirsch and plum notes expand on the palate."
Now-2027.
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10/29/2022 - snowstrm Likes this wine: 96 Points
A fabulous wine! Perfect balance of fully integrated tannins and acidity, providing an energetic extremely well-balanced wine. Fruit dominated by cherry, kirsch, with lots of bright red flavors throughout. Long finish. Popped and poured and within 15 to 20 minutes in glass it was displaying all its greatness.
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10/24/2022 - acheng wrote: 93 Points
A top notch beaucastel. Everything in place. Kirsch, Provençal herbs and long finish. Drinking well now.
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10/22/2022 - Gfar wrote: 96 Points
Absolutely stunning and beautiful. Deep length, herbs, bright and stewed red fruit. Beauty in a glass.
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10/15/2022 - vlzat Likes this wine: 95 Points
30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 5% Cinsault and 15% Vaccarese, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul and Bourboulenc
Full body, deep garnet color. Exciting, black fruits and pepper aroma complemented by truffles notes. Black currants and blackberry palate, following by wild berries but gentle acidity, rounding, liquorice and mineral on lingering finish. Rich, bold and complex, powerful but well balanced, completely integrated tannins, gorgeous wine. Food friendly, well pairing to stewed beef in red wine sauce. Serve 16ºC - 18ºC. Open one hour ahead. Drink now to middle of the next decade.
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10/12/2022 - Vas19 wrote: 91 Points
More acid than I expected, relatively in balance although there are a lot of ripe, dried fruit notes. A big wine. Improves a bit on day 2. In a good spot, but doesn't seem like it will fall over anytime soon.
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10/8/2022 - asgerG wrote: 91 Points
DnP. Consistent, albeit a trifle more fresh. Or maybe due to being paired with cheese?
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10/8/2022 - Highlander wrote:
Excellent! 3 hours in the duck....just wonderful. Tannins fully integrated, on the nose a bit of leather and tobacco with wonderful cherry, possibly cranberry added. Palate was consistent with nose. finish was long and smooth. With proper air, this is in a fine drinking window.
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10/6/2022 - asgerG wrote: 89 Points
Consistent
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9/24/2022 - GuanYu Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Wonderful nose of blackcurrant, redcurrant, plum, smoke, sweetened spice. Full-bodied, good structure and soft tannins. Plenty of acidity and fruits left. Very long finish. For a moment, the wine tasted like a refined claret due to the abundance of black fruits. This wine would cellar well over the next 2 decades.
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9/4/2022 - asgerG wrote: 89 Points
Enjoyed over a couple of weeks using CV and finally opened. Very mature and a bit hot. Complex bouquet with garrigue and too ripe Grenache stuff. Tannins almost resolved, intense, a bit too ripe fruit but I reckon it will work well with a rustic beef stew. Drink now-onwards
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8/29/2022 - El_Dougo wrote: 89 Points
Different, less pleasurable experience than previous bottle. This time slo-ox only rather than decant like last time. Lovely ruby core under the light but with a noticeable brickish garnet periphery not only on edge but also transcending the glass. Cork intact, dripping with inky viscosity, although a noticeable bleed along one side but only 1/4”
Nose initially smokey and spicy with strong currant, blue, and black fruit but soon gave way to an oxidized odor about 90 min in which ultimately eclipsed the complexity of the nose.
Palate intact: Acid still there and quite fresh. Fruit still there: strawberry and herbs. Tannins totally integrated making for a soft, light to medium bodied enjoyable drink. Finish, however, short to medium.
In the end 89 points after considering all the points. Quite a let down considering the last bottle, the price, and the Beaucastel CdP rep. I am chalking this up to unusual bottle variation and happy to have 3 more for the future.
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8/28/2022 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of black raspberry, cherry, currant, black tea, herbs de Provence and forest floor. Ripe black and red fruit, black tea, dried herbs, forest floor and ripe tannins. Long finish. Medium to full bodied. Drinks like a young and vibrant wine. Served with reverse seared pork chops.
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8/13/2022 - JSLevine05 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opened and decanted for 40 min prior to drinking. Presenting a deep almost inky purplish ruby, the 2007 Beaucastel comes bounding out of the glass with scents of blackberries, black currant, and blueberries; along with truffles, lead pencil, gamey meat, and dried herbs. Despite the surprising amount of sediment left in the bottle, the wine is still young and powerful with a wonderful line of bright acidity, sweet tannins and a mineral brightness. The finish is long, chewy and lingers with with hints of dried flowers, star anise, and licorice.
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8/6/2022 - AndrewWill Likes this wine: 97 Points
Pulled from a 15-year slumber at Beaucastel, this 2007 does not disappoint. The warm nose offers plum, Fig Newtons, Band-Aids.
Plum, cassis, mixed berries on the palate. The tannins are still going strong! This drinks like a young wine and could benefit from 2-3 more years in bottle (in an ideal world). In reality, drink now. This is fantastic.
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8/6/2022 - Marc wrote: 94 Points
Volatile. beautiful purity of fruit. hot. very Grenache. very atypical for Beaucastel. leather and candied raspberries. tannic. it is reminiscent of clos des papes 07, but more tannic. Lots of Band-Aid and sur maturite notes on the nose. rich and balanced, with superb concentration. While this is atypical fro beaux, it is totally representative of the vintage. At 15 this is only in early maturity. May very well improve. Over the next 15 years..
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8/5/2022 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Beautiful, less burly, but still quite ripe. It's not to the point of being sweet, but more than I generally prefer. Still delightful, well balanced with a long finish.
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7/24/2022 - Vine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Alas, all good things come to an end. My last bottle of 24 purchased long ago. As is tradition I had it with my brother in law with BBQ steak (and we also had the 2009 to compare). Brilliant, complex wine.
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7/23/2022 - Song103 wrote: 91 Points
Slow ox for 6 hours then decanted 30 minutes before dinner. Nose of blackcurrant and some spice. Nice palette, but tertiary has yet to develop and did not evlove much during a 2 1/2 hour period. It was completely outclassed by the 1997 Gruaud Larose. Numb phase or needing a longer decant? Next bottle in 3 years to find out.
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7/16/2022 - bradfriedlander Likes this wine: 92 Points
Has aged well. Soft tannins. Full mouth feel. Sustained finish. Layers of subdued fruit.
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7/10/2022 - chatters wrote:
Initially a little rustic on the nose, very garrigue, slightly baked red fruits, a little peppery spice. In the mouth it's juicy, savoury with drying talc textured tannins, sweet red fruit shows less baked on the palate, long, a little peppery spice on the finish. Yum.
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7/4/2022 - Sir JMusic wrote:
Carried this wine back from France and opened it on our 43rd wedding anniversary. It was delicious
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6/4/2022 - El_Dougo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted half bottle 1.5 hours and paired with pan seared lamb chops. Ideal pairing made all the more interesting by a wine 21 year old “youthful” wine.
Ruby color of medium intensity in the glass, perhaps a slight garnet. Another CT review mentions crimson and I’d go with that.
Nose very primary - far more fruit forward than expected. Cherry, raspberry, plum, blackberry and later blueberry. Also hints of licorice, spice, and vanilla. Little to no tertiary, at least not yet.
Palate yields plenty of acidity and alcohol, youthful in primary fruit and tannins. Well balanced. Medium finish.
This isn’t what I expected but not in a bad way. Far younger and more vibrant, but missing the CdP spice that I’ve come to expect. I will continue to contemplate…
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6/4/2022 - LIE-user Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice surprise. Herbs and wet stone. Will not get better anymore, drink within the next 5-6 years.
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6/1/2022 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - top 80s Bdx with Rhone ringers (Fix, St James, Sydney): {cork, 14%} [Gordon] Rich, developing nose of plums and jam. Still very young and even a touch pointy and raw, although some mellowing is more evident on the palate where the ripe grenache has some spicy maturity about it. Full-bodied, a touch blocky perhaps. But balanced and interesting none-the-less. Medium/long finish with fine grainy tannins. Will keep happily. Easily the pick of the pair beside La Crau.
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5/25/2022 - King Julien wrote: 94 Points
Decanted about 30 min. Ready to go and quite nice, both nose and palate.
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5/21/2022 - GFischmann Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very balanced and age well. Still some red berries. Very nice
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4/30/2022 - Kierkegaard wrote: 94 Points
At a nice spot right now. Double decanted and served after 2 hours to a Rib-eye
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4/22/2022 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
- Crimsom color. It's balanced with a medium/full body - Such a delight - such an amazing wine! Deep red color with a ton of life left in it. Excellent balance between acid, fruit, tannin and alcohol. Notes of chocolate, dried spices, and a slight sour cherry. Classic. Drink now or hold for another 4 to 6 years. What a beautiful wine!
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4/9/2022 - nywine68 wrote: 95 Points
In a beautiful spot today. Intense ripe fruit without being over the top. Figs, prunes and plums. Loam, wet earth and black olives. Tannins hidden in the background of a big round body. Good balance and freshness on the finish.
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4/4/2022 - wetlandwino wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful after decanting for 2-3 hours. Balanced tannin and acidity with a relatively long finish. Drinking great now, but we'll see how my last bottle matures over the next year or two.
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3/26/2022 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 95 Points
Quel beau nez de fruits rouges mûrs, d'épices, de poussière...comme dans une vieille librairie ! Un vin fruité...saveurs de fruits rouges bien mûrs...cerise, ainsi que des épices. Les tannins sont fins. Complexe, texturé, chaud, harmonieux...très élégant ! Très longue finale sur une pointe de chocolat noir (50 %). Magnifique pour un vin de presque 15 ans ! Boire d'ici 5 ans encore.
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3/20/2022 - MC wrote:
Similar to my last note this really does need the time to open - 2+ hours - and yet still not sure what to make of it as seems a little overdone right now. B+/A-?
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3/19/2022 - centropomus Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful bouquet of spices and simmering black fruits on open, shifting to a more herbal chalkiness and bright red currant and cherry after a few minutes in the glass. Thank goodness that I insisted that it not be decanted - would’ve destroyed that evolution completely. The palate was beautifully balanced with fresh cherries, black currant, black raspberry, garrigue, all on an iron and graphite spine. Finish goes on and on, tannins are perfectly integrated, and the acidity brings it all together. Absolutely gorgeous.
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3/18/2022 - bitdrerik wrote: 94 Points
Eðalklúbbur, vínsmakk #3 vor 2022 (Marbakkabraut 12): Ég skoðaði hvað fólk á CT væri að umhella þessu víni lengi. Virðist vera sem flestir séu að umhella í 1-2 tíma. Ég opnaði flöskuna hellti víninu í karöflu (m.a. til að ná seti í burtu) og svo aftur til baka í flöskuna. Vínið hefur svo líklega staðið í 3 tíma áður en við drukkum það.
Það er ansi dökkt á litinn. í nefinu voru dökkir ávextir. Mjög samþjöppuð lykt sem erfitt er að greina í sundur. Líka var þarna að finna lyng eða runnagróður. Mjög þægileg og flott lykt.
Í munni þá var líka að finna dökka ávexti. Mjög mikill ferskleiki og frábært jafnvægi.
Ég skrifaði síðast þegar ég smakkaði þetta vín (fyrir rúmum 2 árum) að ég héldi að það myndi líklega ekki batna. Miðað við þessa flösku, sem hefur verið geymd nákvæmlega eins, þá gæti það alveg átt eftir að batna. Gef 94 en rosalega nálægt því að skríða upp í 95. 3 flöskur eftir hjá mér. Býst við að taka þær á þriggja ára fresti.
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3/14/2022 - pikemasterflash wrote: 92 Points
One of the few times I am going to say that it was better on the second day. Much more fruitier and in balance. Maybe the first day it was too cold or not allowed to fully open?
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3/8/2022 - drmarclevine wrote: 95 Points
Oh, baby! Decanted to remove sediment. Opened powerfully after about 30 minutes. Black cherry, tree sap, sous bois, camphor, and even some beef blood, combining to produce a heady mix of compelling aromas. Rusticity and charm in warm embrace. I couldn't stop sniffing.
Pure cherry juice in the mouth with Christmas spices brightening the mood. Muscular and direct with just enough edginess and verve. Medium weight carrying a ton of intensity and finishing clean. No evidence of the cloying sweetness so many '07 CdPs suffer from. Fantastic experience and the best bottle of Beaucastel I've had in a while. Paired wonderfully with lamb chops with a mustard/cornmeal rub and potatoes Dauphinoise.
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3/5/2022 - d'Artagnan wrote: 95 Points
Wow! Cette bouteille a fait sensation. Un vin concentré mais très ouvert, plein et tellement savoureux. Long et épicé, avec une profondeur exceptionnelle, une complexité et une ampleur aromatique fantastique, sur des notes de fruit noir et d'anis. Magnifique. 94-95 pts
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3/5/2022 - Wine_Poobah Likes this wine: 96 Points
Rich and earthy red cherry and black fruit (black cherry, black currant, blackberry). Somewhat “dusty” flavor and finish with notes of graphite. Bold, rich, acidic, and tannic — stands up well to food. Extremely tasty.
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2/27/2022 - Texas Corkscrew Likes this wine: 96 Points
Lots of fruit - absolutely delicious, best wine on the table.
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2/25/2022 - Zed57 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Meaty, licorice with cranberries, Kirsh and a fascinating funk. I can’t put my finger on where it is at. Need to be careful with this one.
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2/25/2022 - rm97 wrote: 93 Points
drank from a small glass - otherwise likely higher
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2/21/2022 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slick bricking around the edges. Decanted 1 hour and the bouquet blossomed and with BBQ ribs, this was a perfect match.
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2/12/2022 - PJT Likes this wine: 87 Points
Coravin pour - Licorice and dark fruit on the nose. Dark fruit and meaty on the palate. Good but not great.
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2/11/2022 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted off lots of sediment. Colour is midway between ruby and garnet. Swirling sheets the glass before legs slowly form. Crazy good nose! Dried red fruits and even a touch of dried blueberry, light cedar, warm spices, camphor, licorice, meat jus, dried herbs, especially bay leaf, sous bois and on and on. You just want to keep on delving deeper and deeper into the bouquet and it doesn't disappoint! More and more aromas are revealed adding to the already insane complexity! The entry on the palate is gobs of sweet red fruit, melted tannins, perfect acidity, high glycerine and an overall full but perfectly balanced body. Added in to the sweet red fruit there are fully mature flavours of licorice, tar, stewed red plum, even some stoniness, garrigue, leather and more. The finish is super long and lingering, fruit-filled, slightly astringent and so soft and supple. Spectacular wine!!! 98 points all day long!
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2/7/2022 - Morrisson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vraiment magnifique avec encore beaucoup de vie et un bel équilibre. Il parait plus vieux sur son apparence que dans la bouche. Ce CNP offre beaucoup de matière sans être lourd. C'est un heureux mélanges de fruits noirs et d'épices avec des saveurs tertiaires qui commencent a se pointer. Difficile de voir comment il pourrait se bonifier d'avantage. Définitivement a boire.
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2/6/2022 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Umwerfenden Bouquet mit Himbeere, etwas Kirsche, Blaubeere, Tabak, Veilchen, Graphit, Eukalyptus; sehr ausgewogen, feines, bereits abgeschmolzenes Tannin, noch primäre Frucht-, aber auch beginnende Sekundäraromen. Langer Abgang, gute Zukunft.
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2/2/2022 - gaveaux Likes this wine: 92 Points
Super. Drinking really well. Decanted for an hour. Such a rich aroma, dark fruit, garrique, full body, spice and a long finish
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1/25/2022 - rm97 wrote: 94 Points
Lovely
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1/5/2022 - DH90 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark ruby red color with slight separation at the rim. Lovely smells of black plums and blackberries with dense concentration and a long finish. Some residual acidity and soft tannins suggest that this wine will continue to drink well for years to come.
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12/31/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
NYE: Ringing in 2022 (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Very dark red/purple color. One hour decant. This was big and spicy too, like the '05, black fruits, lush dark berries, garrigue, lush, smoke and underbrush, but well balanced too vs. the '05. 92+pts.
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12/31/2021 - galewskj wrote: 91 Points
New Years Eve 2021 (Kevin and Vicki's house): Baking spice, red fruit, garrigue, kirsch. This was drinking fine but previous bottles have been better. I'm not sure when I'll open one of mine, maybe 5 years?
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12/26/2021 - olemski wrote: 84 Points
Decanted about an hour. Very dark. Aromas of licorice, earth and a hint of iodine. A bit monolithic. In the mouth it is reasonably balanced, but its lack of generosity and any sign of complexity makes it far from harmonious. Good length. It went perfectly with roast duck and roast potatoes, but as a stand alone wine it fails to satisfy. It has no charm. Probably my least satisfying Beaucastel so far. (My points try to conform to the original descriptions of Parker's scale, so this is good - but not very good.)
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12/24/2021 - vanderpee Likes this wine: 94 Points
1 hour decant. Very nice, very long. Not overly powerful as I read in some comments, but it definitely shows the warmth of the vintage. I believe it is at its peak now and will not improve more. Really enjoyed this a lot.
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12/4/2021 - Chair Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very powerful, atypical Beaucastel. Still fully intact and monolithic. One is moved to say that this vintage could go head to head the most powerful California Cabs. Very dark fruit, slight medicinal notes.
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12/1/2021 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 91 Points
in line with some of the critical comments, this Beaucastel has roasted fruit but frankly I didn't find it totally offensive (and I'm a big fan of more elegant / red fruit / bright wines)... rating is 91 which is less than many vintages of Beaucastel for me but certainly drinkable and for some might even be better due to the ooomph / power (but not me)
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11/25/2021 - viking92067 Does not like this wine:
Huge fan of Beaucastel. This was acquired new. I thought CHITOWNCDPGUY was spot on when he said: "Kind of burly and quite ripe. Wait on the rest of these in hope that it mellows out a bit." This bottle was unlike any Beaucastel CDP I have had in the past and I have drunk my fair share. It had none of the flavors I associate with CDP or Beaucastel. It was overly ripe with no complexity. Disappointing.
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11/6/2021 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very nicely. A beautiful CdP.
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10/29/2021 - Nanda wrote:
Yikes, I want this to be an example of producer over vintage ... but alas it's a mess of ripe, unstructured fruit.
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10/29/2021 - acyso wrote: 70 Points
"I wanna start clapping" (Chicago, IL): This is not good. Age has ravaged the fruit in this wine, leaving a decaying, brown, pruney mess. Jammy, but jam made from windfall plums that had been on the ground for a week. Another bottle that reinforces my belief of what a miserable failure the 2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape vintage was.
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10/28/2021 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 89 Points
I did not enjoy this like a bottle on 12/19/14. This was surprisingly on the lighter side (still a fuller wine) and it had nice flavors but no "oomph!" or "wow!" to it. And at what I paid, I deserve that!
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10/18/2021 - vinodolphin wrote: 94 Points
A real treat on my birthday. As good as ever. Still boasting deep flavors with dark fruit, tobacco and a long velvety finish.
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10/15/2021 - Jack wrote: 95 Points
Still early but very good.
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10/6/2021 - rm97 wrote: 93 Points
Took about an hour to open up. Last glass made me want to give a higher score, but will hold on that for now.
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10/5/2021 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Coravin tasting
see my previous TN
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10/4/2021 - Vancouver Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is the fifth or sixth bottle drank from a case purchased on release and stored properly ever since.
The wine is definitely starting show some lightening - color now light ruby.
The nose shows complex and fully evolved aromas of kirsch, baking spice, minerals (iron and stone) vanilla, melted licorice and some herbs (rosemary and thyme). In spite of the lightening , the nose shows no sign of fatigue.
Medium plus in body with lots of structure and acidity- very structured for an 07 CDP. The mouthfeel is gorgeous and the bottle didn't last long paired with some reverse seared ribeyes and Saturday night NCCAA action-always a good sign. Lots of similar flavor characteristics on the palate with a long finish.
Great stuff that can be drunk now or kept "indefinitely" in a cold cellar
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9/26/2021 - jaumealaska Likes this wine: 93 Points
Paired with its American cousin of the same year. Both drinking well in their mature window. Dark smoky meat and plums to the nose. Some garrique. Full body of dark fruit. Tannins are resolved. Delicious.
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8/29/2021 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Kind of burly and quite ripe. Wait on the rest of these in hope that it mellows out a bit. Ripe dark fruit, some wild spice, and a lot of very earthy flavors. Smooth with a long finish.
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8/29/2021 - Tree512 wrote: 90 Points
Garrigue on the nose (especially thyme and lavender), plums on the palate. Not quite expansive on the palate - I would decant. But not a lot of acidity or tannin, so I would drink sooner rather than later. Perfect for people who like fruit combined with classic CdP flavors. Not a great Beaucastel - I much prefer more classical years.
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8/28/2021 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Euming's 40th Birthday (Kingyo, Telok Ayer): From a magnum, this was yummy, if perhaps just a little young. I liked the nose, with its drifts of dark cherries and blackberries along with savoury bits of earth and meat, spice and garrigue. Clearly in an adolescent stage, but very attractive. The palate was even more youthful, certainly tighter suggested, but no less attractive. It unfolded in layers of dark berries and black cherries, earth and spice; with a lovely lift of garrigue and lavender on the midpalate and beyond. All this was couched in a lovely frame of fine tannins and bright acidity, leading into an elegantly long finish. Not yet fully resolved, but was absolutely delicious even so, with a burgeoning complexity just beginning to show. With time, bits of earth and spice and grarrigue all started coming out really attractively. A really nice wine, still in its adolescence. Give it 5-6 years though, and this should be absolutely lovely.
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8/28/2021 - SGoenophile Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dinner at Mountbatten Grrill. This is a big wine, emphasizing power over elegance. Lush ripe fruit with a sweet undertone. Full body, enhanced by the 14.5% abv. This is a tasty wine but I have a marginal preference for the elegance and better balance in the 2001 and 2005 vintages.
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8/14/2021 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Avec l’âge, Beaucastel développe toujours de la finesse et celui-ci ne fait pas exception, sans toutefois renier le côté puissant et solaire du millésime. Ce côté plus chaleureux est peut-être aussi dû à la plus grande proportion de grenache qu’à l’habitude. En effet, 2007 fut un millésime propice au grenache, mais plus difficile pour le Mourvèdre, qui représente habituellement une proportion plus élevée de l’assemblage de ce vin.
La texture est ronde et garde une certaine richesse, un peu d’alcool certes, mais surtout une jolie gourmandise, sur les fruits rouges. La finale est longue, savoureuse et d’une belle complexité. 93 pts
La régularité de ce domaine au fil des décennies est admirable.
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8/12/2021 - azzah Likes this wine: 95 Points
A big flavoured wine brimming with red fruits, red licorice, garden herbs, salt bush, spice. More savoury that fruit driven, particularly the longer it was open. At 14 years, it’s perfect to drink now.
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8/1/2021 - O'Meara Likes this wine:
This is a fine Beaucastel. For perspective, it’s more refined than the 2005, but more weighty than the 2004. It’s full flavored and fresh, yet light on its feet. I decanted for 90 minutes and drank over 90. It did not really improve after the decant, so I would say we are in the window, where it should stay for at least several years. Enjoy a bottle now if you have a few.
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8/1/2021 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
Plum and soy sauce on the nose. On the palate, black cherry, plum, currant, and notes of cocoa and savory herbs on the medium to long finish, with moderate tannins and moderate acidity. This is excellent, and it was an excellent value at about $65. At the $95 I see it going for now, it would be an average value. The Cellartracker drinking window looks about right.
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6/13/2021 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
Coravin tasting
Dark ruby
Intense tertiary aromas of ripe red fruit (cherries, plums, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries), dough, oak-vanilla, dark chocolate;
Developing;
Dry, high acidity, med+ tannins, high abv, med+ body, complex, long aftertaste, med+ flavors intensity consistent with the nose;
can drink now - suitable for further aging.
requires at least one hour of decanting.
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6/5/2021 - gaveaux Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark fruit, rich and spicy. Long finish, had with a burger but probably needs something bigger
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5/31/2021 - FrancoisD Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mûres, groseilles, violette, réglisse.
Velouté et longue finale.
Miam!
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5/24/2021 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted blind. Fragrant nose with notes of black fruit, chocolate/cocoa, earthy flavors, and menthol. The palate is intense with dark fruit, and a hint of vanilla and a slightly noticeable heat component. Showing the hot vintage, but it tasted a lot better than the descriptors sound. Quite long finish. Lovely and well balanced wine, despite the vintage. Probably good to wait another 5 years. 93+
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5/20/2021 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Fairly dark. Very ripe red berry fruit opens this one. There is a lot more to this wine though, it develops some nice CdP character after a bit, bonfire, roasted meats and pepper. Dry out earthy blackberry flavours and a nice dry finish.
For a 2007 this is pretty nice, Drank with a steak or something this would be great. After the 2 elegant Clos des Papes this seemed very ripe.
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4/24/2021 - RBurgundy99 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great. Nose a little closed on pnp, opened up substantially as the night went on - still a good amount of ripe red fruits mixed with earth and a hint of spice. Stewed fruits in the glass with some leather and spice, medium acidity and soft tannins. Lots of life left - will save my remaining two for a while yet.
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4/17/2021 - ChopperWine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Serious color change towards brown with a purple undertone showing its almost 15 year age. This was one hell of a Beaucastel - massive in aroma, body and taste. Enticing bouquet of leather, moss, soy, mushroom, smoke and stewed fruit -- I could live in that aroma. Gave it a 2 hour breather before diving in. And over the next several hours, it only got better and better. On the palate there was loads of smoked meat, a lot of raisin, blackberries, herbs, some old oak and olives. Medium acidity. Full bodied, mild tannins with some faint alcohol. Long finish.
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4/5/2021 - jviz wrote:
I’m wondering based on some of the notes here from good tasters whether this was an off bottle. PnP, non blind, this showed roasted and pruney. Everything about the hot vintage on full display and feels like it’s about to fall apart. I couldn’t finish a glass.
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4/4/2021 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 93 Points
First bottle of a six pack. Dark red color with some fading at the edges. Earthy nose with bright cherry notes. The palate shows dense fruit, black cherry, roast meat. Bright, lively earthy notes (is that a thing?) with some air. Firm tannins, bit dusty; needs a few more years to soften. Good acidity and balance. Lovely warm spice notes on the mid-palate. Finishes long and bright with lively acidity. First rate now, but it will be interesting to follow this as it ages. I'd suggest a decant for 90 minutes or so. 93 points with an upside.
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4/2/2021 - Nutty08 Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Not a great showing. Outside tasting, sampled a few times over the evening. This was hot and syrupy, with tired fruit and muddled spice character. Lacking freshness and spine. I really enjoyed this wine younger, but seems to be quickly on a downward trajectory if this bottle was representative (no reason to think it wasn't)
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4/1/2021 - boomecho Likes this wine: 95 Points
Two hour decant. Interesting fresh mushroom and barnyard nose with some heat. Brick red pour was dark purple, almost opaque in the glass. Full bodied and a luxurious mouthfeel. Layers of fruit....black currant, cassis, blackberry with notes of 5 spice, macadamia and mineral. Pleasing med long black currant finish with nut hints. Truly delicious.
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3/21/2021 - Esmags7 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really nice - pretty fruit forward (dark, complex fruit) with good minerality and spices. Acid and tannins were well integrated but provided lots of structure. The legs were the most impressive part - 30+ second finish. I'd score higher but it was missing that "fifth gear" that might be achieved with more time and complexity.
I decanted for ~90 minutes and it kept getting better. Well kept bottles clearly have lots more time.
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3/9/2021 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 93 Points
I might have said 92 pts (for now) but the guests were over-the-top on this Beaucastel... this has nice power, and power that deserves more age frankly, but still drinking nicely now with some red and dark red fruit, barnyard, with the boldness is some nice acid for balance... well done, had heard from my guest 10 years ago that the '07 in So. Rhone was a block buster and he was right (happily I bought 12 bottles)... funny cuz '07 in burgundy was a lighter / brighter year that is drinking well now / young... hoping I have one of the '07 Beaucastels on my 80th bday (2042)
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3/8/2021 - pigdaddy wrote: 93 Points
decanted 45 min. deeply colored & brilliant dark ruby; boldly fruited aromatics, yet none of the roasted qualities of many of its vintage peers; full-bodied, while showing seamless weight; ripe & concentrated, surprisingly balanced even so; still possesses solid structure & evolutionary potential.
first .750 ml from a case; considerably better balanced & more attractive than anticipated (experience w/Beaucastel going back many decades) from the '07 vintage experience w/other producers. while it lacks some of the rusticity & funk of older examples, this bottle was quite attractive & youthful.
lamb meatballs in spicy tomato sauce w/feta, mint & orzo; roasted hakurei turnips & their greens w/guanciale & sweet chili sauce
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2/23/2021 - lawrence5468@rogers.com wrote:
For my 65birthday
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2/20/2021 - lolo66 wrote:
Coravin pour - tasty right out of the gate. Not much acidity, but just enough to keep this rather ripe amalgam together. Smooth, lush, and enjoyable all the same.
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2/18/2021 - La Grappe wrote: 92 Points
A mature colour, and the wine itself is now tasting quite mature, with rich, raisiny, almost port-like fruit and good length. Probably at its best now: it can be kept but it seems fully developed.
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2/10/2021 - billcow wrote: 96 Points
2 hour decant. Perfect cork. This wine is a classic and it knows it. Still strutting it’s stuff in 2021 and could be good for another ten years. The smoothest black fruits, purest expression of Beaucastel style with a classic combo of textbook CDP barnyard funk, smoked meat, a kiss of absinthe and overripe blueberries. A pure expression of nature, terroir and a killer vintage. Unforgettable.
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2/7/2021 - Hollowine wrote: 92 Points
In a lovely spot right now. Highly encourage opening one if you have them. Past few TN do it justice.
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1/31/2021 - MC wrote:
Decanted 2.5 hours. This didn't give much on opening and at 2.5 hours a little better, but honestly not really singing yet. Red fruits, but still seems thin and a bit of varnish on the nose. Not a bad wine, just not sure what to make of it right now. B+/?
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1/31/2021 - Lemmy-W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and decanted for 2 hours before consumption. Lovely wine, but it was last 2007 I had. :-(
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1/31/2021 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for about an hour and drank over 2.5 hours. In a really good place now and starting to mellow. Tanins are finally resolving themselves. Lovely wine for the ages.
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1/26/2021 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful wine. Black raspberry, red cherry, dark plum fruit. Notes of baking spice, orange peel, stewed tomatoes, red licorice, white pepper and savory herbs. Acidity has mellowed a bit after 14 years but still has a nice long finish. No rush on this one if you have some, these will go on for quite some time.
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1/23/2021 - King Julien wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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1/23/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Virtual CdP Tasting (Home): Very dark red color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 3 hours. Oh yes, this was singing tonight. Heady aromas of raspberry, scorched earth, tar, orange peel, smoke, purple flowers, roses, soft dried spices and a little smoke. The palate is lithe with impressive energy, bright and full bodied but so lifted and pure, a mix of mostly black fruit with some dark red berries, soft tannins, scorched earth, plush texture, white pepper and spices on a long finish. Best bottle of this I've had to date - really coming around now. Unanimous WOTN. 94(+)pts.
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1/21/2021 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Its been just over a year since my last bottle and this one is the best yet. WOW!
Dark, rich ox-blood in color. Full bodied.
Loads of baking spice, stewed dark fruit, a little jammy
Silky smooth, unctuous, slightly astringent, grippy,tastes like the nose, with a medium plus finish. This wine is singing right now. Just amazing for the price point. Such a classic. There is a reason I am always buying this wine. Cheers!
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1/20/2021 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; we each brought 2 or 3 bottles (@ RW): Beautiful and complex bouquet with herbs and spices and some pleasant stable smells. On the palate the same impressions, dark berries still, cigar, good acidity and tannin with still a pleasant bite. Very beautiful and complex. This wine can last another 5+ years.
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1/19/2021 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 94 Points
the nose on this wine is outstanding. so fragrant, with blueberries, blackcurrant, spice, pepper, very strong herbal overtones, earth, tobacco. full bodied. acidity present, but this is anything but sharp. this vintage has hit its stride and is showing off all it has going for it. lovely long finish with a peppery note that lingers. this is still fruit fwd but the herbal qualities on display seem more pungent here (in an attractive way). highly recommended.
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1/10/2021 - Vancouver wrote: 94 Points
This is the fourth bottle drank from a 1/2 case purchased on release. Color showing some lightening- now light ruby- going to garnet. Still opaque though.
Complex and evolved aromas of macerated cherry, kirsch, , melted red licorice and some herbs (thyme) and pepper.
Full bodied with medium tannin and still very fresh acidity. Very structured for an 07 CDP. The finish is definitely long.
Drink now or hold for another decade (not sure it will improve though).
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1/3/2021 - wino121 wrote: 92 Points
Vinturied into decant, consumed over several hours.
The last one I had was in 2012, this bottle was a bit more past the hump IMO, the MV has become slightly out of balance.
Still enjoyable but the 2010 Flanagan Syrah mopped this one up.
I’d personally drink it now thru 2023/5 absolute lastest.
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1/2/2021 - melzar wrote: 93 Points
Highly extracted, and not my slyle, but this wine succedes in what it tries to be. Goes well with my daughter in law's cassoulet. Tastes young and full of fruit.
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12/31/2020 - pikemasterflash wrote: 93 Points
Quite good and in perfect balance. Drank over two nights.
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12/31/2020 - olemski wrote: flawed
Corked. Hideously corked.
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12/28/2020 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 95 Points
A blend of tradition and modern. Good fruit and structure -- no "barnyard". JD gave it a 96 10 years ago.
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12/27/2020 - Larre Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine, but this bottle was not as delicious as the last one in 2017. Overall elegant, but lacking the symmetry and harmony to merit a higher score. Still a joyful experience. 94?
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12/19/2020 - randyjc wrote: 95 Points
Exceptional wine - impressive focus and purity, lush mouth feel. Red fruit, herbs and earth.
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12/16/2020 - mutlynch wrote: 99 Points
after a great deal of patience we finally tapped into this wine, great vintage, at its peak with 7-10 years left easily
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12/13/2020 - PSPatrick wrote: 94 Points
Second virtual CdP wine tasting (blind). (Zoom): Wine 4 of 4. Concentrated sweet red and dark fruit, pastille, fresh herbs, intense spice notes, liquorice, gamy notes and stony mineral notes, with supporting acidity, fine, high-class tannin and superb length. Very dense and concentrated. Well balanced.
Very complete by day three, except for some warmth on the finish. Great wine!
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11/29/2020 - belfast taxman wrote: 91 Points
When you fall off a horse (see my recent review of Domaine Giraud Tradition 2009), the best thing to do is get back on. This was full on but so much better balanced, with the alcohol in particular in line. Decanting for a couple of hours helped but further time in the glass eventually resulted in a smooth velvety texture to the wine. Earthy blackberry fruit with a complexity that was allowed to feature rather than be overwhelmed.
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11/26/2020 - WineKnut Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tonight this CDP was singing. Perfect for our Thanksgiving dinner where we opted for sage and lemon pork loin in pan sauce, garlic mash, creamed spinach, clove and nutmeg candied yams and good old canned cranberry jelly. This bottle of the 2007 still showing quite a bit of power and enough breadth to match up with the entire meal of rich fall flavors.
Perfect cork. A beauty in the glass. Inviting nose. Rich mouthfeel. Complex palate. Long finish. Huge enjoyment. A true classic and enjoyable now
5+13+18+9=95
Came from a trusted reseller and this bottle obviously had the benefit of very good cellar conditions before it arrived at my table.
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11/25/2020 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just lovely with good meat and a bit of sweat.
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11/22/2020 - La Grappe wrote: 92 Points
A deep colour; dark cherry and bramble fruit, slightly spicy, rich, full and long. Still vigorous and should keep well for 5+ years, but it is very attractive now.
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11/21/2020 - brich Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really great. Beautiful and spicy. Some reviewers think it has peaked but I disagree.
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11/19/2020 - mukden wrote: 89 Points
YES-now. This is now a-point and will not get better: bookended by the 2005 and 2008 it does not seem half as good. Mundane .
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11/14/2020 - Adam T 12 Likes this wine: 89 Points
First bottle in 2 years, no change from my prior note. Fruit is almost entirely gone. Nose has secondary characteristics. The palate is just flat. Dominated by alcohol really. Maybe this is going somewhere, will open up again in a few years?
2007 was the first year I started stockpiling Beaucastel. For those who have experience with aged Beaucastel, is it typical for these to shut down and then open up again in the future? 20 year anniversary? For me, wish I had just drank up during its young, fruity phase. Was a knockout when young!
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11/8/2020 - Vine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Contender for "bottle of the year". Fresh and wonderful. Did not decant but opened it up 4 hours before dinner and just let it sit. I have 2 bottles left out of 24 purchased and it is still a fabulous bottle of CDP.
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11/1/2020 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent and in a good place to drink. Decanted for about 30 mins before enjoying with steaks.
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10/25/2020 - chatters wrote:
Beaucastel reprise (Ben and Estella's place, Parramatta): From Coravin. It's a bit forward, gamey, still has that baked fruit character, almost a touch of taint, slight volatile. Sharp acid note, alcohol warmth, red and blackberry, still quite monolithic for me, but this one also has a smidge or taint and VA. Not entirely flawed but defo drink up...
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10/12/2020 - La Grappe wrote: 92 Points
A very attractive and totally charming wine, rich, full, slightly sweet, suave, elegant and long. Perfect now, but should keep well.
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10/4/2020 - texaswinelover wrote:
Delicious last night, not over the top, just well made and well done. Beautiful balance. No heat.
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9/25/2020 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 92 Points
Stewed notes are starting to dominate, which I don’t prefer, I think I’ll drink up my last few bottles soon.
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9/12/2020 - sfbikeguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine. Drinkable as soon as it was opened. I'd drink it again, but I am unsure it's worth the price.
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8/29/2020 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Le Beaucastel 2007 se boit très bien en ce moment. Frais et d'une finesse charmante, il m'a franchement épaté. 93 pts
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8/28/2020 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Needs a lot of air. Too goopy when first opened.
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8/23/2020 - chatters wrote:
Chateauneuf du Pape lunch (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Quite gamey initially then rich, very rich, ripe, concentrated black and red fruit, baked herbs, a little cream...might be a tiny smidge of taint here as well. On the palate it has sweet dark fruits, blocky, grippy tannins...this is still fairly monolithic for me. Hmm.
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8/21/2020 - ralaspech wrote: 92 Points
Nose of licorice, leather and earth. Opened further with time to reveal some red fruit aromas. Tastes of muted candied cherry, fig, and licorice with interesting tertiary notes of coffee, leather and tobacco. Heavy sediment. Improved over 2 hours--would decant longer next time. Enjoyed with steak at SeaBlue with Lisa, Claire and Chris.
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8/11/2020 - LoireFan wrote: 91 Points
Perfect condition, disappointing.
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8/9/2020 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of black raspberry, black cherry, black tea, fig, garrique and anise. Black and red fruit, garrique, fig, anise, black tea and fine tannins on the palate. Very long, layered finish. Full bodied. Served with smoked pork chops.
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8/8/2020 - scandleriv Likes this wine: 95 Points
The wine was superb. Definitely good earthy flavor, but the grapes shone through as well. Very delicate texture - like a Pinot, but with a clear Rhône flavor profile. Super fun and inimitably drinkable.
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8/3/2020 - La Grappe wrote: 91 Points
A dark colour; rich, slightly sweet, spicy, intense and long. A very good Beaucastel which is still vigorous but which is beginning to soften as it enters middle age.
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8/2/2020 - Frank Schneider wrote: 95 Points
Magnum ! Double decanted 5 h in advance. STarted good but evolved over 3 h and was a real beauty in the end. Smooth , warm , herbal silky stuff. No heat !!! Lovely ! Esp for the hot 2007 !!!
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8/1/2020 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Bu avec la gang de FOUDUVIN au resto AVV
La Suite de Sherbrooke. J`adore ce domaine, mon pref
en C9DP. Un beau 13 cépages!
C`est très bon mais quelques coches en-dessous du 2006 bu
il y a quelques semaines pour l`anniversaire de Guy et Mario.
Celui-ci est moins complexe et moins en forme, tout
de même délicieux. De belles saveurs d`épices et
de fruits noirs. Pas très long en finale mais super équilibré.
Faut dire qu`il a souffert de la comparaison
avec les autres rouges bus lors de ce souper!
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8/1/2020 - FrancoisD Likes this wine: 92 Points
bu avec les amis de FDV
Ouverture sur les saveurs compotées: framboises, fraises.
L'acidité est bien en support (groseilles), et la bouche est soyeuse malgré les touches poivrés.
très bon.
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7/29/2020 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great with 2 hour decant. This might continue to improve, but is certainly approachable now.
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7/28/2020 - bonedoc wrote:
2007 janasse: bright lively, silky and concentrated…. Sometimes I like this version more than it’s bigger brothers as it is easy to drink
2007 ch beaucastel: pretty, aromatic, silky, elegant in style but no lack of fruit.
2007 grand veneur origines: biggest, delving into the coffee, dark fruits realm
All very good, and showing well now, paired with wood grilled steak. All ratings were 93-94
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7/19/2020 - Morrisson wrote: 93 Points
Toujours consistant dans la qualité le beaucastel! Déguster avec une pièce d’agneau. C’était Magnifique! Une très belle combinaison. Pour ma part, je trouve que cette bouteille est à son apogée. Les tannins sont parfaitement intégrés mais le vin nous offre encore une belle intensité et beaucoup de vigueur. La complexité est au rendez-vous avec encore de belles saveurs de fruits et d’épices. La puissance a fait place à l’elegance Et la subtilité.
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7/13/2020 - dbg wrote:
Compared to the remains of last night's 2007 Usseglio mon Aieul, this is relatively restrained and enjoyable. But still a lot riper than a "normal" Beaucastel, with some pruney/raisiny character.
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6/28/2020 - jcasey555 wrote: 92 Points
Drinking really well. Nice aged color, sediment has dropped, really smooth balanced tannins.
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6/21/2020 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 97 Points
PnP. Medium dark boysenberry red. Big nose of spicy, dried and almost inky red and black berries, garrigue, cured tobacco leaf and an overall rich warmth to it with a bit of ethanol lift on the end. Medium bodied with sweet, rich fruit. The acidity is in the background and there is not a tannin anywhere in sight. The flavours are a melange of sweet (ripe) red and black berries, overlain with Herbs de Provence, melted red licorice and lots of spice on the finish. Incredibly smooth, sweet and savoury, full and rich and overall beautifully delicious!
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6/21/2020 - IvanKrazy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking beautiful right now but this wine looks like will drink well forever! Captivating nose of olive oil, cassis, black fruit and aged Modena balsamic. Beautiful.
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6/5/2020 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 94 Points
3 years since my last bottle. Decided to pnp a bottle given some of the recent favorable review here. Initially muted, then with sandy tannins showing, this needs about 1h in the open bottle to find its balance. Great C9dP and an amazing achievement in the 2007 vintage. This is neither showing the overripeness and the bitter tar notes, nor the excessive alcohol (14% here) many other wines do, in what is a very difficult vintage for my taste. Instead, there is great freshness but also good depth and complexity. With more air there are also some red fruit notes and some tertiary flavors joining the dark fruit. This is great to drink now with 1h+ of air given the wine's impeccable balance , but should also last for another 10 years as the structure is clearly still there. Bravo! 94
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6/1/2020 - Purple Tooth wrote: 93 Points
I had this over 2 days...Day 2 definitely better, giving me the impression that this needs more aging. On day 1 it was ripe, clearly hot, and sweet. It rated 91/92 on quality on day one and 93/94 on day 2, so the score is the average.
Day 2 it had calmed down, letting more of the ripe fruit to show with nuances of garrigue and roasted herbs. The finish was dry and super lengthy and probably the best part of the experience. I remember slowly sipping this, just for the finish to bloom. Glad it was my only bottle...not for me..Drink or Hold
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6/1/2020 - Plabella Likes this wine: 97 Points
Beaucastel doesn't get better than this. The Perin family has made great wine at extremely competitive prices for years. This wine with dark fruit a beautiful nose is no exception.
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5/30/2020 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
CDP Corona Tasting...gotta love it!: This wine was double decanted to get rid of sediment, poured into small jars around 4 pm, transported to individuals for the tasting, poured into glasses and tasted at 6:30 pm, tasted over the course of 2 hours. The wines were tasted single blind (we knew what all the wines were, but not which one we were tasting). The wines in this tasting were as follows:
1. 1998 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
2. 2000 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
3. 2009 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin
4. 2007 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
5. 2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The group's top 2 (which received almost all 1st or 2nd place votes) were the 2003 Clos des Papes (Number 1) and the 2000 Pegau (Number 2). My order was as follows: (1) 2000 Pegau, (2) 2003 Clos des Papes, (3) 2009 Janesse, (4) 2007 Beaucastel, and (5) 1998 Telegraphe. As a side note, my number 5 did not end up there because it was a bad, on the contrary, it was good, just happened to like the other wines better!
2007 Beaucastel - Very nice wine! I am sure my score is very conservative, but it scored relative to the other wines I drank with it (all scored fairly conservatively). The nose was a little disappointing, especially for a Beaucastel. There was fruit and grilled meat and herbs present, but the nose was somewhat subdued, especially compared to the top 2 wines. The palate was very good, and showed plenty of dark fruit, beef jerky, and some herbaceous flashes. The finish was medium to medium-long. A very enjoyable wine! This wine was number 4 for me (in an excellent line-up). 92+ points. I feel this wine will show better with some additional bottle age.
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5/30/2020 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Single-blind Chateauneuf du Pape (Everyone's House): Single blind covid-style, so each wine delivered in a small jar. This was not as good of a showing as the last bottle, but wines tend to lose a point or 2 when you're drinking them blind. I swear there was a slight dill pickle component to this, and I'm sure Beaucastel isn't using any American oak. This wine was very complex, with so many flavors that it was difficult to pick them out individually. Black fruits, grilled meat, baking spice, herbs and tobacco.
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5/29/2020 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Disclaimer up front is that I am not a fan of 2007 vintage CDP. Outside of Vieux Donjon, Beaucastel is the only other CDP from 2007 that I actually enjoyed. All others are way overdone, pruny, and volatile. With that disclaimer aside, this wine is extremely well made and is much more in balance that I was expecting. After a 1 hour decant, this opened up beautifully in the glass with a wonderful nose and very long finish. I enjoyed the red fruit, classic S. Rhône varietal expression, grilled meats, and a touch of funk. What I wasn’t expecting, but thoroughly enjoyed was the tingle of blueish fruit on the finish. This is a beautiful wine that is entering its maturity window where it will remain for at least another 5 years if cellared properly. This even stood up to the Waygu NY Strip that I paired it with, which was impressive.
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5/28/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Virtual Single Blind CdP Tasting (Home): Very dark red color. Splash double decanted and served 2.5 hours later. Drank a glass single blind over 3+ hours. This was fairly brooding out of the gate. It did develop more on the nose over the first 30 minutes; sweet spices on the nose, red fruits, pepper, garrigue and dark berries. The palate is full bodied, young, blackberry, black currants, very high toned kirsch, dried green herbs, dried garrigue with dark red berries and rather peppery finish. This does have the complexity and depth, and there is a lot there though it was not really that giving yet. I would say it probably was at its best 3 hours in, so hopefully this, like most Beaucastel's, will be better at twenty years. 91+ to 92pts.
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5/28/2020 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of my favorite regular beaucastel bottling i have had. Sooo much concentration of fruit here that is still very primary, no lack of lift or acidity even for a hot year. Alcohol is contained. Very nice balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity. This is far from its peak, needs another 10 years at least but already very promising
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5/15/2020 - Grinner wrote: 95 Points
Woodward Cellar Emptying; 5/15/2020-5/16/2020 (Woodyville): Uuuuh-mami! A great wine that is nicely evolved from the last time I tasted it. The fruit has moved to a supporting role with garrigue, wet underbrush, iodine/ kelp, smoked meat, and saddle now showing off. Kirsch and plum notes expand on the palate. Now-2027
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5/15/2020 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 96 Points
Just phenomenal at this stage, so well integrated with a strong backbone, the nose is full of herbs and roasted meats as expected. Fantastic weight and such a long finish. Perfect right now for me.
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5/9/2020 - denb Likes this wine: 96 Points
Really nice. Ready to drink now. Very alive, but not too tight even for a 2007 CdP.
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4/30/2020 - gothamfreerider Likes this wine: 95 Points
Subtle notes of coffee, berries, mid notes of dark chocolate, soo silky smooth! It’s fantAstic!
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4/24/2020 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Open for business.
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4/12/2020 - Rickets wrote: 98 Points
2nd bottle of 6. By far the best wine I've had in a long while. I imagine this is just entering its drinking window. Really hard to pin down the nose - cigar box, earth, blackberry? Palate is much more clearly defined with lots of secondary notes - black currant, fig, leather, and spice. Medium finish. All the elements are in place. Plenty of structure and life left for the next 2 decades at least. Drink or hold.
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4/10/2020 - gaveaux Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for an hour. Dark fruit, plummy, rich body, earthy and barnyardy, spice, Great tannins and really long finish. First bottle of the case!
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4/9/2020 - Tartiflette Does not like this wine:
Must finally realise that this wine and me doesn’t get along. Too much barnyard and too sweet. I miss acidity and more finesse.
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4/5/2020 - La Grappe wrote: 92 Points
Attractive, red berry fruit, concentrated, silky and with mature, slightly tarry flavours. An excellent example, which is very good now but should keep.
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4/3/2020 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured, and drank over 2 hours. This wine always blows my mind. Good from the get go. Becoming softer as the years go by, but easily 20-30 years left in this bad boy.
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4/3/2020 - jlgnml wrote: 95 Points
Wow. Virtual tasting and dinner with best friends who bought the food from EL Ideas here in Chicago. I decanted for a hour. Beautiful color, no bricking, no tannins. Sweet palate, crushed dark berries, heavy palate feel. Wonderful mouthfeel. Definitely in a good spot.
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3/31/2020 - randyjc wrote: 96 Points
I first drank this several years ago and ignored it since. Great move on my part. The wine is, truly, a spectacular wine. Barnyard, gamey nose but occasionally with kirsch and black cherry (we drank this over 3 hours). Medium-plus body, the mouth feel is opulent and luxurious. Deep black fruit flavors but with good grenache influence. Well integrated. More tannin than would be expected, presumably due to the Mourvedre. On the finish though the acidity returns and makes for a lengthy and engaging finish. All components knit together. Exceptional bottle of wine.
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3/23/2020 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 100 Points
Perfection in a bottle. Can't imagine how a wine could be better than this. Our last of 18 bottles; it was a great ride with the very best being the last!
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3/21/2020 - Yappetizer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely nose of sandalwood, baking spices, nutmeg, dried herbs, prune, plum, black fruits dominant. Palate of more black fruits with savory touch, grilled meat, medium acidity, still youthful and fruity, with delicious powdery and elegant tannins to end with long finishing.
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2/27/2020 - La Grappe wrote: 93 Points
A deep colour, and very ripe, noticeably sweet, but silky smooth fruit, with a touch of tar; long and quite elegant. Still quite youthful, but very attractive now.
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2/23/2020 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
- Ruby color and aromas of raspberry, cherry, chocolate and vanilla. It's balanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium body. Smooth texture.
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2/18/2020 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
This is not the classic Beaucastel that I would expect, but it's still and excellent CdP (from 375ml).
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2/15/2020 - premiercru1973 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mature and ready to drink. Like many 2007's this one is evolving rapidly.
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2/9/2020 - Dale M wrote: 93 Points
Like many, 07 is often a bit OTT for my taste, but the 07 Beau was really solid when I had it last in 2012. That being said I was actually surprised at just how much I enjoyed this last night. Ripe and flamboyant for sure, and while it veered towards baked or stewed fruit, it never crossed over, in fact it was remarkably fresh for such a large scaled Beau. Just starting to hit some secondary notes, you had to look for them, but they are coming round. Really hard for me to think what to do with my last bottle, if it drinks like this one, I’d say enjoy it now, and wait on the 05’s and 10’s for long distance runners.
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2/8/2020 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle appears to be far more youthful than the last. A lot more dried blackberries,plums, stewed cherries leather and coffee grind. The palate was more earthy expansive and the fruit was still there various red and black berries. Lots more echoes of fresh dried fruit on the finish.
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1/29/2020 - Christian De Lafoye wrote: 95 Points
Drank with friends (JL, YL) at local steakhouse. Sommelier decanted. The Sommelier described this 13 year old wine as fresh. Cork was removed cleanly. We noted slightly green and vegetal taste on the front end. Throughout the evening the wine opened and expressed delicious grenache juice, fresh fig, current, and sweet coffee notes. Wonderful with a steak and good conversation.
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1/27/2020 - JCGuthrie wrote:
This seemed a little one dimension to me, with a muted nose and mostly olives on the palate. To be fair, this didn't get any air, as it was a backup for a flawed Pegau. It did get better with some time open, but not to where I was hoping based on the vintage. I should hold my remaining bottles a few more years, as I suspect I'll enjoy them more with additional time in bottle.
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1/20/2020 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 97 Points
This wine is a personal favorite of mine. It has a delicious and complex array of flavors, including black cherry and raspberry preserves, black tea, dried figs, lavender, and black pepper. Although the wine's mouthfeel is only moderately big, it makes a huge impression on the palate, with flavors coming in several waves. The sensation is not unlike vintage port. Tannins on the finish are still firm. This is a wine I would like to follow for at least another decade, though it's well into its drinking window if you'd like to drink it now.
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1/8/2020 - acheng wrote: 92 Points
Finally, a Beaucastel that lived up to expectation. Drinking wonderfully right now.
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1/4/2020 - Klugi Wine wrote: 94 Points
Excellent Beaucastel with a bouquet of dark fruit, herbs and some tobacco. Good flow on the palate with refined tannins. Drink now or hold for another decade.
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1/3/2020 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A ripe plump beiacastel. Nice backbone of dark red fruits with iron and sandalwood notes, with a bit of spice. The ripeness seems to overwhelm complexity, as this isn’t as tight or deep as other vintages. Quite enjoyable, seems to be for drinking now.
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1/3/2020 - Verb Likes this wine: 94 Points
very consistent with my last tasting note: ruby red with brick rim - raspberries, raspberries and more raspberries on the nose, with nuances of black pepper and leather - full body with excellent acid balance and soft resolved tannins - I thought it was a bit lean when drunk alone, but with food it shined - very nicely developed and enjoyable fully mature CDP that is probably at its peak now, but it should hold at this high level for many more years
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12/22/2019 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Reddish plum in color.
Dark fruit, (plums and dark cherries) faint anise, hint of cedar
Dry, tannin has softened, medium plus finish. Fruit is fading. A little bony. True finesse wine at this point. I think this wine will have more to say as it journey's forward in its development. Looking forward to my next bottle in 18 months or so.
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12/17/2019 - FredericoWines Likes this wine: 93 Points
Unlike last bottle, this has a lot of new oak after an hour if breathing, then faded away at the second hour giving way to lots of plum and blackcurrant as well as herbal note. Spicy taste and sweat tannins. Very fresh and have lot of life ahead. Yummy stuff.
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12/16/2019 - tantotinto wrote: 94 Points
First taste immediately after decanting. Note from a couple of years ago still applies with the exception that the acidity is less pronounced. "Black fruit, soy, anise, mocha and a little pepper on the finish. Modest tannin and bracing acidity. Vibrant, elegant, refined and delicious." It is in the zone... Two hours later and just added a point. It has moved up a notch or two.
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12/10/2019 - Frank Schneider wrote: 94 Points
Ready , juicy and not overdone. Fresh and herbal. Rock n Rhone !
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11/30/2019 - PSPatrick wrote: 93 Points
At Rainer’s birthday dinner. At the end of a nice evening with good food and wines. No formal notes. Dark ruby colour. Red and dark fruit, pastille, herbal notes, spices and some liquorice, with supporting acidity, ripe, well-integrated tannin and superb length. Truly lovely spice component. The wine was dense and concentrated and well-balanced. Very complete. A great wine!
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11/28/2019 - unrelenting wrote: 93 Points
full bodied, a bit of earth. so good now that I'm not sure how much longer to wait for thee rest of them.
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11/17/2019 - prelypchan wrote: 95 Points
Starting to really blossom. Loads of developing tertiary notes of game and leather, while still preserving the cherry grenache flavour. Still early in the game here, but entering a wonderful drinking window.
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11/13/2019 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Half hour of air. Initial scents dominated by very heavy vanilla. That blew off, replaced by overripe black berries, clove?, raisins. Quite dark, fairly heavy texture, alcohol noticeable but not to the point of wrecking the experience. Big and somewhat jammy, a bit too much stewed fruit for me. Don’t think it is going to get better.Not a bad wine but not a great one either, considering name and vintage.
Score : 91 relative to expectations: -
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11/10/2019 - WStubble wrote:
Pop and pour. Slightly earthy on the nose, with a hint of raspberry. Big on the palate, ripe and well balanced, tannins seem to be mostly resolved. Will see how it progresses through the evening.
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11/10/2019 - bitdrerik wrote: 93 Points
Meðaldökkur litur. Komin fram öldrunareinkenni í lit. Smá brúnt eða appelsínugult í jöðrum. Í nefi mátti finna soðbrauð, feiti, hveiti, græna papriku soðið blómkál og hunang. Ekkert alveg mest spennandi lyktarnótur í heimi. Þegar vínið var svo smakkað þá fundu menn frekar dökka ávaxtatóna. Svartar plómur, sveskjur. Það var líka talað um málmbragð og einhverja þunga blauta tóna (stígvél eða blauta sokka). Þar fyrir utan var vínið í mjög flottu jafnvægi og tannín mjög þægileg. Mér fannst þetta vín ekki koma eins vel út og síðast þegar ég smakkaði það (fyrir rúmu ári) en alls ekki slæm frammistaða. Ég held að það sé alls ekki farið að dala þó líklega eigi það ekki eftir að batna úr þessu.
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11/7/2019 - King Julien wrote: 94 Points
Decanted about 30 min.
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11/4/2019 - KeithSurg wrote: 93 Points
Rich, earthy, complex. Drink now.
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10/27/2019 - sdsull wrote: 98 Points
In a blind tasting of Southern and Northern Rhone wines (including heavy hitters Chave, Chapotier, Guigal, Clos de Pape, etc) this wine bested them all. Was first rated the best Southern and then pitted against the winner of the Northern flight (06 Chave) was rated the Wine of the Night. Good news - I have 4 bottles left. It is in a great space right now. Popped and poured...
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10/24/2019 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Incredible. Such a great spot right now, but has many more years to go.
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10/15/2019 - andolini wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Dark purple. Dark red fruit, plums, a bit of sweetness on the finish. Not as complex or earthy as previous Beaucastels. Didn't change in glass over the course of an evening. Drinkable but not my favorite showing.
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10/3/2019 - JCherniak Likes this wine: 91 Points
Colour is a brownish purple. Decanted for about 30 minutes. Nose is still a bit tight with dry black fruits and leather. The taste is peppery to start, followed by anise and stewed plumbs. It is very smooth and well integrated, with some notes of tea at the end. This bottle started its private life in a condo without great temperature control, so it might not be representative.
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9/30/2019 - dbg wrote:
Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red, sweet red fruits and spice on the nose. Medium-full body, a bit over-ripe and verging on pruney, not typical for Beaucastel. I'm less impressed than many others. Very good as a cocktail wine.
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9/22/2019 - AJPHopson wrote: 94 Points
This was a good bottle from a great vintage. The wine was quite a deep, solid ruby red in glass and the nose was fresh cherry, a spicy note that I couldn't identify, and smooth menthol. As the evening wore on the menthol became more prominent. On the palate the fruit was a touch more dried than the nose suggested, there was plenty of spice, and that long menthol note. The finish was very long.
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9/7/2019 - pikemasterflash wrote:
Very good. Did not disappoint. Very much in balance and delicious right now.
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8/31/2019 - Plabella Likes this wine: 96 Points
delicious wine dark fruit full body balanced and integrated tannins
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8/23/2019 - KPB Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Inky ruby, very aromatic nose showing roasted plums, blackberries, coffee, hints of menthol. Powerful with noticeable surmaturite, a bit harsh on the palate, almost bitter. Lacks balance. Not a great Beaucastel (at least at age 12).
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8/14/2019 - Verb Likes this wine: 94 Points
ruby red with brick rim - raspberries, raspberries and more raspberries on the nose, with nuances of black pepper and leather - full body with excellent acid balance and soft resolved tannins - I thought it was a bit lean when drunk alone, but with food (grilled chicken thighs marinated in soy sauce) it totally shined - very nicely developed and enjoyable fully mature CDP that is probably at its peak now, but it should hold at this high level for many more years
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8/10/2019 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 94 Points
Really enjoyed all of these bottles, with this being my second to last. Such a pure and classic CdP, lovely fruit and minerality.
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8/9/2019 - MC2 Wines wrote:
A bit of a change on the heels of the Rioja which was just in the perfect drinking window and spot on. This is still young for my tastes (although I know some enjoy the higher power and higher fruit that is still there). Can still feel a bit of the heat of the vintage. But restrained for '07.
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7/18/2019 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nez complexe de sous-bois, poussière, viande, vieux caoutchouc ainsi que des notes de pétrole (son côté floral) et d'épices avec soupçon de caramel. Quelle belle structure ! Un vin ample et harmonieux. Longue finale. Délicieux !
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7/16/2019 - SonnyChiba wrote:
A good wine, best with food. Hadn't drank a Beaucastel in awhile, was hoping it would hit me better, but I really just don't enjoy these as much I used to.
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7/2/2019 - ozyloy wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured over 2 hours.
On the nose, this had blackberry, strawberry, dried herbs, oak, spices and dairy cheese. Over time, there also developed hints of prune, jammy fruit and honey.
High acidity in the mouth, with a medium(+) body, medium(+) flavour intensity of sweet & ripe red fruits, dark fruits, oak, garrigue and a faint touch of spice and black olive. Full rather firm tannins, medium(+) finish.
The materials are all there, but this still has quite some way to go. The fruit depth is good but on the strong side and the tertiary notes have yet to properly emerge. Give this a few more years or a good decant.
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6/29/2019 - Decanthor Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is my first Beaucastel...and it will definitely not be my last. Wow, this is crazy good. So complex, I cannot find the words. Full bodied, yet fresh and elegant. But somehow powerful. It seemed to fascinate all guests, each who have their own preference in red styles. Truly magical. I have a strong preference for Bordeaux varietals, but this Rhone wine definitely showed me what top-tier GSM can be like.
It was great on PnP and with minimal air in the glass. I didn't notice that much improvement over dinner, but we were drinking two other wines, so I cannot be certain. No tasting notes can do it justice, but I definitely got a BBQ meat vibe from it. We paired it with cheese, salami, sausage, and then a little left for the steaks. It was wonderful with everything. I will be buying this wine regularly from now on.
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6/27/2019 - MC wrote:
Similar to my last note but I would stretch the decant time to at least an hour. A-/?
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6/25/2019 - Verb Likes this wine: 94 Points
ruby red with brick rim - earthy nose of raspberries, black pepper and leather - full body with excellent acid balance and soft resolved tannins - very nicely developed fully mature CDP that is probably near its peak now, but should hold at this high level for many more years
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6/19/2019 - Nmilau Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent wine, not the best vintage ever had from this winery but still very good. Quite young and I’m sure would open up better and improve over the next 10 years at least. Lots of orange rind combined with the heady chocolate, coffee and molasses that are more common.
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6/17/2019 - WineDuq Likes this wine: 91 Points
Interesting Beaucastel. Very ripe, full bodied wine with a rich, silky mouthfeel. A bit too much on the roasted/baked spectrum for me. A bit of prune along with red fruits, cedar and fresh earth. Long finish with mostly resolved tannins. Just a bit much for me, lacking somewhat in raciness and freshness.
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5/25/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior note after a 1 hour double decant; delicious & ready to drink, no rush I suspect
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5/23/2019 - d'Artagnan wrote: 92 Points
Dégustation horizontale Châteauneuf du Pape 2007 (Restaurant l'État Major): Nez qui me parait moderne, un peu de caoutchouc, fruit noir. La texture est soyeuse, presque huileuse, ce qui m’évoquait la Janasse. Bonne fraîcheur, c’est très long, un peu en surmaturité, bien équilibré. Il a un petit coté bretté qui me plait moins et il est servi un peu chaud. 92
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5/15/2019 - maxima wrote: 90 Points
Pas méchant mais moins bien que mes autres
de souvenir.
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5/13/2019 - Lemmy-W wrote: 91 Points
have read about bottle variation, maybe this was a good (or actually a bad) example of it. somehow, not as close good as previous one. :-(
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4/19/2019 - martin_e Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gorgeous wine, but may be not a “typical” CDP (if such thing exists), i.e. if you are looking for dry fruits, prune, and figs, I couldn’t find them. On the nose it comes with licorice, raspberry, and when decanted enough, clear notes of honey (amazing). The taste is a mix of mostly red sweet berries like raspberry and possibly gooseberry. Very balanced and fully mature wine, ready to drink
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4/17/2019 - Plabella Likes this wine: 96 Points
One of the great CDP wines. Year in and year out this wine is delicious. Dark fruit, well balance and a great mouth feel.
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4/5/2019 - isbjoern wrote: 93 Points
Close competition with the "Hommage à Jaques Perrin 2013" for wine of the evening. This is a stunning wine which suprised us all with a freshness, elegance and precise fruit no one expected to find in a Chateauneuf from 2007. Fine olive notes on the long finish. Drinking perfectly now. Great wine! - 93 points
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3/19/2019 - DENNISREITZ wrote: 97 Points
- It's balanced with a full body. Fleshy texture with a long finish - We agree with KFrench notes completely! Just Delicious! Spectator 96!
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3/17/2019 - hfindlay Likes this wine:
Offered this wine after a house concert and among the wine cognoscenti it was the favorite — even over a 2000 Monbousquet and a 2005 Spottswoode. It delivered the goods as promised: beautiful purpley garnet color, swirling aromas of baked cherries and strawberry, plus garrigue and cloves. Medium-bodied, red berry and cassis flavors, plus all the secondary notes one longs for in a Châteauneuf like leather, black pepper, Asian spices.
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3/14/2019 - dbg wrote:
Another 375, cellared since release. I was going to wait a few years before opening another one of these. The last few have been up and down with respect to over-ripe and roasted notes. The last one wasn’t promising but a 2007 Vieux Telegraphe yesterday was so good that I wanted to try again.
Perfect cork and fill. Dark red core, minimal lightening at the rim. Immediately on opening, nice nose of cherry, garrigue, savory notes. Medium weight, good balance, but some over-ripe and roasted notes are holding it back. Still very good but just not matching the excellence of the 2007 Vieux Telegraphe. This has the tannin and backbone to age, just don’t know if the raw materials are there based on first impressions. Will come back to it over the course of the evening to see if anything changes.
Left a half glass in the fridge for the next day and it showed similarly, though not as overtly ripe and roasted. No idea what that means for aging but if I were going to drink another one in the near future I’d open and decant in the morning.
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3/10/2019 - Otaku Oenophile Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasty stuff.
Garrigue and cherries on the nose with with black currant on the attack and the same nose on the palate. Very firm tannins. Short finish.
Don't get that pen ink note like I did in the 2015.
Drinkable now but unsure on it's evolution.
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3/9/2019 - Highlander wrote:
Call me crazy, many have, but I'm not sure this wine is ready yet. Decanted for over an hour and there was still an overriding tannic taste. Perhaps this (like many CnP's) is in a dumb phase. Wait another 18 months to try again
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3/8/2019 - RusisWine Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like black pepper and flint. The body is medium/full. The wine has bright texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
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2/10/2019 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of Kirsch, black berries and earth. Flavors of Bing cherries, berries and minerals. Medium acidity, medium tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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2/9/2019 - hhyder Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful Beaucastel! Was fun watching the evolution of the wine in glass as the night continued. Started with an olive note that turned into a little barnyard funk. After an hour decant, the garrigue and fruit were more apparent.
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2/9/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Double decanted for 90 min, deep ruby, dark fruit with herbs, med/firm tannins, long finish; very good, but still needs more time/air
Above correct; significantly better later in the evening (raised score)
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2/2/2019 - hprphf wrote:
La Tablee 2019: Smoking spice, cool herbs yet with finesse.
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2/1/2019 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Feels like time to revisit this one which was a beauty in its youth. Very deep magenta with a fade to almost garnet at the rim. Very inviting nose of warm mixed red berry compote, dried fine herbs, worn leather and red licorice. Medium full bodied. Great mix of dried red berry fruit (mostly strawberry and raspberry), leather, sandlewood and some spicy patchouli notes. Great fruit extraction. Lovely mix of primary and secondary flavours. Intriguing and complex. Contemplative. Beautifully balanced. Very smooth finish with a long lingering finish that has deceptive sweetness from the fruit. Tannins are subdued. High class CdP for sure! This is drinking so beautifully now! 97 points.
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1/28/2019 - jcomm wrote: 95 Points
2 words to describe this wine. Simply beaufifull!
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1/19/2019 - redhead6971 wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 3.5 hours with a color of dark ruby in the middle and brown on the sides. Initial nose of leather, dried beef jerky, dried mulberries, pomegranates lots of subtle spices and some earthiness. The palate had dried red and black fruits reminiscent of mulberries, huckleberries, boysenberries rich dark tree bark and some truffles. The finish is smooth somewhat reticent on the palate and seems surrounded with aged leather, black cherries, bilberries and choke berries (Aronia) and silky smooth taninns. Pretty straightforward so far. Seems to be lacking any noticeable secondary characteristics, hence my 87+ score. Could be bottle variance. It was however a great match with a peppered pork tenderloin. Lucky I have a few more bottles to try.
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1/17/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Flickinger Customer Appreciation Tasting (Casino Club - Chicago IL): Tasting from magnum, brief note. Black, blue and red berries throughout with hints of liqueur and sweet spice. Good weight, very good lift. Especially bright for the 2007 vintage. Best to enjoy near-term vs long-term cellaring.
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1/10/2019 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 94 Points
Drank at a restaurant, I wish we had a bit more time to decant as this was really singing towards the end of the meal.
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1/10/2019 - k H i L o Likes this wine: 92 Points
Des fruits très présents et très plaisants ! Ma femme lui avait accordé 94 mais pour moi, c'est 92, faut pas exagérer
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12/26/2018 - Vinovelo wrote: 94 Points
Perfect accompaniment to Christmas cannelloni with red sauce. Ripe blackberries and licorice. Long finish. Can keep for at least 5 more years.
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12/26/2018 - rap wrote:
With Ben
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12/25/2018 - Frank Schneider wrote: 94 Points
Went absolutely perfect with our chrismas goose ! Smooth and round ! Very delicious !!! Had a 2 h decant and showed all it had ! Nice !Drink or hold
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12/17/2018 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Weekly tasting group RWP #314; Mysterious theme: What could be Christmas wines….. (@ VD): In the bouquet a pleasant touch of barnyard, herbs and spices, rose hips, animals, smoke and some mineral impressions. On the palate red and blackberries, chocolate, leather, pepper, spices like cinnamon, a touch of sweetness etc. Beautiful ripe fruits, great and fresh acidity and round, still slightly sticky tannin. A great wine in a beautiful drinking stage and the wine probably still has 6 - 9 years of great future ahead. 96+
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12/16/2018 - hhyder Likes this wine: 93 Points
A great Beaucastel but I've preferred the 2005 vintage recently. Both great but the 2005 seemed better integrated.
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12/14/2018 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 95 Points
This wine still has some life to it, the first sip after popping the cork was dry and tart; I pulled out my decanter and let it sit for 4 hours like I did with the first one and it just started to really open up at that point. The last glass of this, consumed after it had been open for 6 hours, was seductive and delightful, with a concentrated mixture of cassis, blackberries, blueberries, and black tea. It literally got better with every sip, just drawing me in and making me want more. This wine was the equivalent of a raven haired brunette with pale, milky skin and come hither lips that laughed at all of your jokes all night and told you to take her home for a night cap at the end of the date. A delight to drink, I have yet to go wrong with Beaucastel.
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12/14/2018 - Miceri Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium red; spices and licorice; quite powerful, lots of fruit not fully developed, too overwhelming at the moment; believe it has a very long future ahead; wait wait wait
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12/10/2018 - Wineist05 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Incredible wine! Cherry fruit with some baking spice and slight peppery notes. Background of earth. Palate shows phenomenal fruit and earth balance and is incredibly juicy yet dry all in perfect harmony. Long finish. Very well done. Relative to its piers in this tier, a good QPR. Drank for a special occasion to celebrate some great news. Wish I had more!
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12/9/2018 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 95 Points
(From a magnum decanted for one hour.) What a beautiful nose! It is filled with all the scents you would expect from a maturing southern Rhone—ripe plums and berries, bacon, earth, garrigue, and a nice dose of barnyard. In the mouth it is full bodied with a lush, creamy texture. Sweet plum and cherry flavors layer perfectly with savory meat drippings, mushroom, espresso, anise and black pepper. The flavors are satisfyingly deep, seductively voluptuous and very, very generous. The long, silky finish is distinguished by an interplay of sweet and sour elements. Simply delicious with tons of life ahead! 95+ points. Incidentally, the wine was served with a roasted turkey glazed with a smoky, hoisin-based, Asian barbecue sauce. It complemented the dish perfectly!
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12/8/2018 - k H i L o Likes this wine: 94 Points
Note attribuée par ma femme qui l'a trouvé super!
Je donnerai ma note perso ultérieurement car il m'en reste...
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12/6/2018 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Smells of raspberries, moss, compost and meat. It has a low-acid feel with sweet fruit that has a chocolatey edge. It finishes with some wild herb action.
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11/22/2018 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 94 Points
This was the consensus WOTN on Turkey Day, although I thought the Orion of the same vintage was a hair better. This was a very dark shade of purple, and was very full bodied in comparison to some of the Pinots and Brunellos being tasted. Lots of blue and black berries, bramble, cassis, oolong tea, and a faint hint of cardamom. Really massive wine that will stand up to the richest of foods.
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11/18/2018 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 94 Points
To my tastes, this was extraordinary tonight with abundant dark red cherry fruit, earthy garrigue and some subtle Asian spice notes. There's excellent depth and complexity here along with a long, satisfying finish. Excellent!!
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11/14/2018 - dbg wrote:
Another half-bottle cellared since release, and 2 and 1/2 years since my last try. Perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Dark fruits, sweet cherries, meaty/savory notes on the nose. Ripe sweet fruit sliding into over-ripe and raisiny without carrying the meaty/savory components over from the nose. Decent balancing acidity and a medium long finish. This is disappointing as the last half-bottle was showing signs of starting to go in the right direction, trading the excessively sweet ripeness for more savory notes. This bottle is backsliding. Still very good as a cocktail wine but that’s not what I’ve been cellaring them for. I’ll wait another 3-5 years on the next one but my optimism has faded.
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11/14/2018 - Uncle John wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2-3 hours. A perfect match to cassoulet. ZWEDER notes were right on. Glad I have a few more in the cellar.
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11/11/2018 - Turtlerider Likes this wine:
Spectacular bottle of wine. Went well with the simple beef and Guinness soup we had for dinner. Oddly, both Michelle and and I detected bananas when the bottle was first opened.
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10/29/2018 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful and luxurious bouquet with herbs and spices and beautifully ripe red and dark berries. On the palate the same impressions; good spiciness, juicy red berry fruits, chocolate and sweet spices. Also some cherries, beautifully fresh acidity and good tannin which shows some maturity, but still has a beautiful bite.
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10/28/2018 - winemaker Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a very well made wine, but tonight it was overshadowed by several of the CdPs we had tonight. Seemed to lack vibrancy compared to some of the others.
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10/27/2018 - HabsFan360 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic bottle.
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10/16/2018 - ParisWino Likes this wine: 92 Points
For all that people slag off '07 CndP's, this particular bottle was just lovely. Nose has notes of fresh vanillas pods (not artificial vanilla-vanilla), spices, red fruits and floral notes. En bouche the floral element is stronger, although the vanilla picks up again on the finish (again, I do not mean some hi-toast fakey vanilla aromas/flavors). Color is still dark and tannins are still noticeable, even if resolving, so I bet this will go another 10 years easily.
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10/10/2018 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 92 Points
Château de Beaucastel Dinner & Tasting at Jeroboams, Walton Street. Limited notes.
Focussed dark berry fruit, lashings of dry spice and savoury elements. Strap and dusty tannins. Forward and racy (not a term I associate with Beaucastel normally!).
Now and (with this structure) till the middle of the next decade.
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10/7/2018 - knorthrip Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank after a Tablas Creek Esprit de Beacastle of the same year. Much more youthful.
Clear, medium ruby with red rim. Light staining with medium tearing.
Tart cherry, strawberry, blackberry and cranberry on the nose with notes of graham cracker, sage, leather, violet, rare meat, black pepper.
Med tannin, med+ acid, med etoh. Well balanced and complex with a long finish.
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9/29/2018 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Mixed Lineup (Kenwood Restaurant): Not decanted (shame shame shame Luis). This was the surprise of the note, because of so many lousy 2007 CDP's, this was gangbusters. It is full-bodied wine for sure, but not over the top at all. Beaucastel deserves credit for being consistent. For a young adult of a CDP, this is drinking very well. And I see I own 3, awesome! 93+
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9/28/2018 - Nutty08 wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruited and quite ripe. Plush mouthfeel. Shows a bit of heat. Adds some spice on the back end. Not sure I see this getting better, but given the producer will give it the benefit of the doubt.
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9/27/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Mixed Theme at The Kewwood (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): In what was the surprise of the night, and most pleasantly so, the '07 Beaucastel truly shined. I've been disappointed many times by how the '07' CdP's have shown, but here's a ray of hope. As galewskj noted, this is still a big wine, but it has come together rather dramatically from my previous experiences and that was despite no air time. This had classic CdP character with dark fruits, spice, garrigue, and floral elements that comes off very well balanced. I really enjoyed this, and I look forward to seeing the Beaucastel evolution as this ages. 93(+)pts.
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9/23/2018 - Pebben wrote: 93 Points
See previous note. Fully developed and open for business with all the aromatics you would expect from a high end CdP. A little too heavy and alcoholic to merit a top score (for which I guess the vintage is to blame), but there were very few complaints around the dinner table… The last of two magnums – if I had more I'd drink it within the next two to three years.
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9/18/2018 - Mike V wrote: 87 Points
Continues to underwhelm
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9/12/2018 - Roel R wrote: 94 Points
Diep donker paars. Transparant aan de rand. Veel donker fruit, bosbessenjam maar ook kruidig. Nu fantastisch maar heeft nog veel bewaarpotentieel.
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9/7/2018 - jcasey555 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Coming of age. Still needs a decant but much smoother. Deep rich dark fruit.
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9/5/2018 - MC wrote:
PNP at cellar temperature. This needed 30-45 minutes, but then showed ripe red, sweet/sappy fruit along with expected Beaucastel complexity and balance (considering the vintage). Easy to enjoy now, but may be more interesting as secondaries develop over time - a more elegant '89 in development? A-/A
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8/23/2018 - jkoenen wrote: 95 Points
Wow... this might be the best 2007 Ch9 I ever had in my glass... (although I recently liked Mont-Olivet's Cuvée du Papet quite a bit, as well...).
Most of the times the top-dog wines from this vintage are clumsy, chubby, too sweet.... But not this one!
Great balance, beautiful dark fruit, smoke, blood, animal fur and some barnyard. Lovely luxurious mouthfeel, wonderful concentration and persistence. Very complex andd cerebral, yet highly drinkable and generous.
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8/14/2018 - thomasito2001 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a great bottle, nose is very complex, dark fruits and a bit reminiscent of Bandol with olives (Mourvedre?). Structure is imposing but lithe, great balance, very drinkable and absolutely not over the top. Long finish
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8/12/2018 - fingers Likes this wine: 94 Points
I’m in complete agreement with Vancouver’s note from two weeks ago. This seems to be on the early edge of prime time and is showing many of the attributes that made it such a hit with Parker, et al. Serving temp made a big difference in enjoyment and it was best on the cool side, 60-65 deg.
5+12+18+9= 94
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8/10/2018 - yaCellar Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is my preferred age for CdP. Structure has softened, complexity has developed, and nice fruit remains. Paired incredibly to Aussie rack of lamb.
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8/4/2018 - Vancouver Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is the third or fourth bottle drank from a case purchased on release. Finally starting to show some lightening - color now light ruby- going to garnet. Still opaque though.
Complex and evolved aromas of kirsch, baking spice, vanilla, melted licorice , some herbs and pepper.
Full bodied with medium tannin and still very fresh acidity. Very structured for an 07 CDP. Lots of similar flavor characteristics on the palate which is just a touch closed, pointing to some further evolution. The finish is definitely long.
Great stuff that can be drunk now or kept "indefinitely" in a cold cellar.
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7/1/2018 - Nutty08 wrote: 92 Points
More overtly ripe than I recalled on prior bottles. Keeps the alcohol in check, nice depth and nice spice note. Fruit is plush and sappy, almost like CA but it’s a fun wine and tasty.
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7/1/2018 - soyhead wrote:
consumed after having a fresh '12 Bordeaux, and I couldn't help but notice the surmaturity of this wine, which was almost tiresome.
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6/30/2018 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Super ripe, seeming raisinated Grenache.
This is sweet and lovely and huge.
No elegance here, simply delicious.
Lovely if you like the style
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6/30/2018 - Stirling Likes this wine: 96 Points
Gorgeous wine that is brimming with black cherry and plum fruit that gains lots of complexity from the expresso, dried herbs and spice secondary notes. Just entering maturity now, this should provide great drinking for another decade at least. Medium/full body with polished tannin this has a tremendous mouthfeel: full and round without being heavy. We have drank Beaucastel going back to the 1998 vintage and this is their best effort yet. www.advinetures.ca
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6/27/2018 - chatters wrote:
Beaucastel Birthday dinner (Bistro Moncur, Sydney): Woof. If that piece of black rock in 2001 had a scent it would be this. Positively monolithic. Palate is similarly dense. What a beast. After an hour or two it begins to show baked berries and earth, a little cedar, Garrigue and spice but...time...still
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6/24/2018 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 96 Points
(Decanted and drank almost immediately.) This has come a long way in the last three years. While still fresh, its early reticence has given way to a more generous and pleasurable wine. The nose is compelling with black fruits, Asian spices, sweat, espresso and smoked meat. Nearly full bodied in the mouth, rich black plum, licorice, coffee, tar and pepper flavors persist all the way through the long finish. The underlying acidity is fantastic and the sweet tannins possess enough firmness to guarantee a long life. Beautiful and nearly hedonistic. 96+ points.
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6/23/2018 - jlgnml Likes this wine:
Deep color, beefy structure, long on the palate.
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6/17/2018 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Beaucastel review (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Oof, still very primary, baked berries, slightly dirty cedar, sweet spice, cream slight caramel…And so it proves on the palate…Just about approachable now. I'd suggest. Moving away, finally, from it's monolithic youth. A little bitter on the finish, slightly drying silky tannins. Nice.
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6/15/2018 - Neras Likes this wine: 96 Points
A terrific wine. Still quite youthful. Lots of power, lots of fruit. Some glycerine. Nose impressive, balanced and long on the palate. Can easily evolve for another 10 years.
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6/13/2018 - Zweder Likes this wine: 95 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #130; France, Southern Rhone (By me): Very youthful bouquet with still ripe cherries and red berries as well as good garrigue. On the palate the same impressions with juicy and fresh acidity and round, still youthful tannin. This wine will still be great or possibly even a bit better around 2024+
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5/21/2018 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Superbe, cette bouteille est un peu moins bien que mes autres, lui manque un peu de oomph, mais excellent tout de même!
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5/21/2018 - SenorYay Likes this wine:
Black fruit, integrated tannins, good finish. Decanted and improved in the glass over the next 90 minutes. Will improve with time
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5/20/2018 - bitdrerik wrote: 94 Points
Við tókum smá Coravin test til að sýna Fífu græjuna. Frekar ljóst á litinn. Í nefi fundum við svartar ólífur, útihús og dökka ávexti. Svartar ólífur í bragði. Líka svört mjög þroskuð kirsuber. Flott jafnvægi. Talsverð tannín. Mikil framför frá því fyrir fimm árum.
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5/4/2018 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
Lovely wine. mouthfilling and delicious with soft and sweet blackberry and blackcherry. Complex and interesting with a long smooth aftertaste. Somewhat dusty with very fine tannins. Not fantastic, but a really nice wine.
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5/4/2018 - Roentgen Ray Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted on Day 2 after opened.
Inky garnet color.
Plush with warm mineral tone, dark fruit, strawberry and a little tarry on the finish.
Crisp ripe tannins brace up the medium bodied frame.
Drink or hold.
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4/28/2018 - hoservin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, garrigue and bramble. Red and black fruit, coffee, spice, bramble and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish with excellent depth. Medium to full bodied. Served with roast pork loin.
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4/28/2018 - Wine Warrior 1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine medium light body with dark cherry, spice and oak. Extremely consistent through out the palate with a beautiful finish of fruit with tannin structure. Elegant wine that is definitely in the drinking window and has good years ahead of it. If you drink this wine out of a cheap glass you will not get the elegance and depth of this wine.
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4/5/2018 - papabluez wrote: 94 Points
Tasted 14 CDP's blind tonight at our weekly wine club......from vintages 07 through 015. Wonderful line-up!! Not a bad wine in the bunch! The second best out of the 14 was the 2007 Beaucastel: textured, dark, aromatic, complex, with years left to excel. But the real surprise was the number one wine.....a "ringer" from an ornery wine club member.....was the 2012 Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas from Paso Robles. Beautiful!! Both wines California and Southern Rhone evolve from the Perrin Family in France. The Tables Creek is a Perrin influenced wine along with the Haas family. Congrats to both!! Can't go wrong with an eleven year old CDP from either location. Also finishing high were the 015 Chante Cigale, 012 Pontifical, & 015 Chateau Mar.
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3/23/2018 - rsbeck wrote: 90 Points
Similar to previous.
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3/23/2018 - europat55 wrote: 93 Points
Drinking very well right now, but still young with plenty of room to grow. Gorgeous wine!
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3/22/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
2015 Rhone Tasting (Spectrum Wine - Tustin CA): Tasting, brief note. At such an enjoyable place right now. Black fruit is ripe with some intriguing barnyard notes. Very interesting, complex and layering with good weight and length. Entering its peak drinking window.
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3/22/2018 - hards1 wrote:
This wine is drinking fabulously now. Well integrated still enough tannins left to give the wine a solid structure but far better balanced than the last time I opened a bottle. If this keeps getting better then - Wow.
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3/10/2018 - hutchbr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent chateaupneuf. Extremely well balanced. Brilliant with steak roasts and other red meats
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3/2/2018 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 90 Points
this would be rated higher by others, but for me it was too big / extracted, perhaps the rating could go up in 20-30 years... super large amounts of fruit, plus the funk of the Mourvedre, really nice to drink but again, on the large side (not my thing)... if you like them big, you will definitely like this bottling... decent acidity too, so I look fwd to my other btls in my old age... and we had this at 8k foot elevation (which tends to shrink wines)
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2/27/2018 - jskuek wrote: 93 Points
Nose aromatic herbaceous, Med+ body butter. Changed again after one hour, nose added honey, dark choc, green coffee, truffle long finishing.
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2/25/2018 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
a very big wine, but with enough acidity and barnyard to avoid being cloying... great red fruits and the Mourvèdre came through to provide kick and balance... brought this to a Jackson Hole ski dinner knowing that altitude usually subdues the palate... and this big wine did the trick for my dinner buddies, slightly outshone by the Calera Selleck 2003 (after it blossomed an hour into the decanter)
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2/19/2018 - Turtlerider Likes this wine:
Intense, big wine, with a long finish. Went well with our spicey sausage and tortellini soup. Looking forward to the second half of the bottle tonight.
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2/11/2018 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 93 Points
Today this bottle was displaying abundant, dark red fruit, earth, garrigue, some white pepper and chalky, firmish tannins on the long finish. Overall, quite nice, but this bottle was turning the corner to where stewy notes are starting to come to the forefront, which I don't prefer, but after reading other CT notes, I suspect this is bottle variation. We'll see.
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2/10/2018 - JTA9904 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful. Drink now it’s at its peak.
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2/1/2018 - Mjladha wrote:
A bit prune juicy. Not anywhere as bad as the 2003 Janasse vvr though
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1/31/2018 - llink wrote: 95 Points
Dusty garrique and savory Provençal herbs infused with blackberries on the nose. Mouthfilling palate ripe and rich but not too much, actually silky and shows lovely balance. There’s an intense burst of blackberries on the back end of the palate that adds some interest and detail on the long finish. Showing very well tonight. The last half of the bottle threw a lot of sediment, so probably should decant these going forward.
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1/27/2018 - madia wrote: 95 Points
Expresive, many layers of fruit, vanilla, earth. Mouthfilling but elegant, round and perfect balance.
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1/21/2018 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted and drank over the next three hours. Good from the get go, and likely did not need the decant. Much more approachable than the bottle quaffed last year - smoother and more mellow. Bottle variation at work? Still love this wine, and the vintage is a real winner.
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1/21/2018 - barryjkeller@gmail.com wrote:
Very together at the moment - soft and silky, red fruit in beautiful balance. Really enjoyed barr one aspect, alcohol heat ...why why why ........
I dont believe this will reduce, however still will develope further.
WIll be interesting to have with the 2007 Pegau in a year or two.
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1/2/2018 - King Julien wrote: 94 Points
Decanted half a bottle via Coravin about 4 hours, which may have been too much. It was nice initially after the decant but a couple hours later it declined with increased bitterness. Love the Mourvèdre nose and palate though. Will try the second half of the bottle with less decant time, perhaps 2 hours. Even the nose seemed better when first pouring into the decanter. Rating is an average of where it started 95 and ended 93.
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12/30/2017 - levinml wrote: 95 Points
Again, consistent with notes from 3 years ago. This is great drinking. Not much to say, but complexity, depth, balance, finish, good flavors, etc. Great now but could see this improving still.
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12/25/2017 - anthroman Likes this wine: 94 Points
Started with a two-hour decant. Sweet barnyard and peppery dark fruits on the nose. This got richer and dustier as it filled out with air. Silky, round mouthfeel with dark-berry sweetness leading to a sweetly herbal finish (with gentle grip) that developed with time. This bottle gave a lot of pleasure, although I'd recommend a healthy decant as it gained a lot with air. A great time to pop bottles on this wine and I see it going strong for at least another dozen years or so.
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12/24/2017 - tgkswine wrote: 95 Points
Drinking beautifully. Dark fruit with a silky texture dominate with a cacophony of accompanying influences that remain in perfect balance through a long rich finish. Loving where this wine is at this point in time.
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12/23/2017 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 99 Points
Cellaraid Grand Tasting (La Pepa): purplish ruby; very intense and pronounced, with sweetish black fruits, plummy, and some honey, cinnamon, liquorice, espresso, bergamot, dark chocolate, and a bit of steak; a really exceptional one which had exude a darkness that is so seductive! wonderful now, but I can see 10 more years with this
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12/23/2017 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
In a wonderful spot. Mild brackish edge. Some tart bing cherry, a little sandlewood and leather coming forward. Sharp acidity. Very harmonious and enjoyable.
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12/23/2017 - J-Sho Likes this wine: 98 Points
An absolutely amazing and elegant wine right now. As I'm writing this a few days after, I won't try to recreate the details. That said, it was a sexy, smooth Chateauneuf that is absolutely in it's prime but has a long time to go if you want to cellar.
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12/20/2017 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 97 Points
Perfect pairing with our charcoal grilled duck breast and berry sauce. This wine is drinking awesome now but is still on an upward path. There is a mouth fiesta with many layers of flavors. You get new nuances with each sip. Youthful red and blue brambly fruits, a spice explosion, smoke cured meat, maple and vanilla. Perfect acidity and the wonderfulness of this wine lingers on in a lengthy dry finish.
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12/16/2017 - Cathair Chaladinn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Shows lots of freshness and energy with a decade of ageing. Requires decanting a few hours in advance to enjoy at its best and probably should be accompanied with food to be appreciated. Gorgeous aromas that develop in the glass with aeration. Still evolving with a long life ahead.
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11/24/2017 - rlove wrote: 89 Points
Rich, warm, and large-scale, with surmaturé dark fruit aromas and jammy berry flavors. This is 2007 in spades but I had hoped Beaucastel could maintain some balance.
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11/14/2017 - LARich Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely but still tannic and needs more time. Will be even better in 3-5 years. Opened and decanted for 45 min. Evolved nicely into a dense and beautiful wine.
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11/8/2017 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep, dark garnet in color; almost opaque. Full, fragrant, attractive & complex nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blackberries & blueberries with overtones of kirsch, garrigue & floral notes, dried Provençal herbs, earthy/dusty, spice notes, some sandalwood & mint, licorice, beefy, leather, minerals, a hint of pepper & cedar. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of sweet cherries, tart cranberries & dark plums with herbs, exotic spices, anise, pepper, mint, minerals & toasted oak. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing at 10years of age, but it is still in its ascendency with the potential for further development with an additional 8-10 years of continued aging.
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11/8/2017 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Not sure that I've ever had a B that is this rich and forward. Still everything is balanced but the tannin is gone and there doesn't seem to be much structure.
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11/4/2017 - ssouth wrote:
Decanted for two hours. I marvelous showing for a 10-year-old Beaucastel Do you savory and approachable but lots of upside. Before I pressed on the point score. I'd give it a 94 or 95. A nice accompaniment to Moroccan chicken stew
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11/2/2017 - Myownscale wrote: 94 Points
Nose:
nice vanilla
Palate:
nice great fruit, huge finish
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11/2/2017 - rsbeck wrote: 89 Points
Popped, poured, consumed over next 90 minutes. I've been drinking Beaucastel CdP since the 80's. I don't recall any other vintage tasting like this. In its current state at age 10, it's my least favorite vintage. Seems to be some good things in there trying to get out, but the dark fruit with low acidity screams over ripe to my taste. There is also a pronounced smokiness I don't recall tasting in a Beaucastel before. Did they char the barrels this vintage? I thought Beaucastel was all concrete and foudre. I have 5 more bottles so I hope this knits together and evolves into something more enjoyable. It did improve with air, so maybe it will. I will say that I have not enjoyed CdP from other producers in this vintage so far and though I'm not crazy about this, it's still better than CdP I've had from other producers in this vintage.
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11/1/2017 - Sgt Pepper Likes this wine: 92 Points
beautiful balanced but big wine. Still got lots of life - we'll revisit in a few years. Much better than the 1999 I had the week before!
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10/26/2017 - Bluefisher wrote: 94 Points
In a very lovely place right now. Will drink my remaining bottles a few years apart over the next decade and change for kicks, but don't be afraid to pop one now. Agree that at this stage it is better enjoyed along a hearty meal.
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10/24/2017 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very good Beaucastel, p&p, fresh, rich, well balanced at the start before putting on considerable weight in the glass, sweet, full bodied CdP, many years left, best with food at this stage
93-94
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10/22/2017 - Genghis88 wrote: 93 Points
With Rob
Bricking nicely. Ox-blood, full bodied
Cherries. Strawberries. Some wet wool off the nose
Sublime. Dry. Well balanced. Silky smooth. Tastes like the nose
An excellent producer. You can't go wrong with this excellent valued wine. Buy as much as you can. Cellars well
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10/15/2017 - Sgt Pepper Likes this wine: 93 Points
Spectacularly balanced wine. Did not decant but waited 60 minutes. Velvet tannins and acids combine with big fruit and fair amount of heat (14.5). Over the 2 hours we drank it it smoothed out even more. Thankfully I've got 5 more!
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9/3/2017 - Plabella Likes this wine: 95 Points
Always a beautifully crafted wine. Great ruby color long taste of dark fruit.
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9/2/2017 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep color, saturate palate feel, great balance with all the varietals, wonderful finish. It is a buy.
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8/27/2017 - Verb Likes this wine: 92 Points
decanted 30 min and drank over the next 1.5 hrs - ruby red - earthy nose of raspberries and leather - full body with excellent acid balance - still somewhat tannic and alcohol is on the high side - but very pleasant with food and still significant development potential
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8/26/2017 - StainedGlass wrote: 93 Points
Rich almost lush red fruit with spice, leather, some tobacco leaf and unmistakable earthiness. It's still on the young side, but was by no means in an awkward phase. Has a powerful elegance.
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7/21/2017 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still a bit closed and didn't seem to be fully open. Will wait another 3-4 years for the next one.
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7/11/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Chateau de Beaucastel Dinner (Ai Fiori (Langham Hotel on 5th Ave)): Still a fairly young tasting wine. From a warm vintage that worked very well for the Mourvedre that makes up much of the Beaucastel blend. Like the 2008, it has a fair amount of smokiness (this to me is more forest fire than cigar). Medium tannin. A hint that it's a young wine still and will keep changing. Nice red fruits. Very pretty.
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7/11/2017 - zazoo wrote: 96 Points
In a great place now
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7/7/2017 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
drinking very nice.
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6/27/2017 - pavel_p wrote: 92 Points
Two coravin glasses at home. This is certainly one of the more moderate 2007 C9dP. Still this is round and rich on the nose, with kirsch, dark fruit and licorice, just a touch burned bitterness / tar as well. Both alcohol (only 14%) and tannins are well integrated for my taste. Having said that this does not have the depth of some of the bigger wines, and there are plenty of better Beaucastel vintages for my taste. 91-92.
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6/23/2017 - Larre Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still youthful, this a huge wine with lot of dark fruit, herbs and liquorice tones. The alcohol and tannins are finely integrated and there is an overall elegance and balance in this wine that attracts me. I will not open the next bottle before 2020 though.. 95+
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6/19/2017 - Mike V wrote: 86 Points
No comparison to the 2000 tonight. Dense and ponderous fruit is heavy and tired. the older wine is much fresher and easier to drink
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6/17/2017 - glassnost Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ten years in the wine is a dark ruby. Generous nose of herbs and earth and mix of ripe and stewed fruit. The palate texture is rich with a bowl of mixed berries and spices, and the structure of tannins like well-broken-in leather and slight mineral acidity and gives a long complex finish. Matched with bone in ribeye at the Keg, wife loved it. Next day still delivered only more relaxed. Not much sediment.
Accuracy 2/2
Balance 3/3
Complexity 3/3
Depth 2/2
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6/14/2017 - Winefeld wrote: 95 Points
1.5 hour decant. Powerful nose of liquorice, camphor, plum, currant, violet and all-spice. Flavours of anise, fennel, mushroom, earth, blackberry, black currant, thyme, pine, clove and pepper. Firm acidity balanced nicely with perfectly ripe fruit. Plump without being overweight or over-extracted. Entering a beautiful phase now but with enough heft to carry on another decade. Exquisite.
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5/26/2017 - barolo300 Likes this wine: 90 Points
A bit disappointing really... a bit overdone - prunes, dried fruit, quite lush but missing something on the mid palate. No complexity. I'd go to Priorat if I wanted this sort of thing... Objectively it is a very good wine, just nothing that excited me...
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5/24/2017 - bubbachumps wrote: 95 Points
At the peak of its drinking window for me. Complicating notes of olive, bacon fat, bbq spice, blackberry, cassis and faint straw (strange, but it compliments the bouquet). Rich and supple in the mouth, with some underlying tannins present but well concealed. This is such a sexy wine. Still has the structure to maintain this current state for another 3-5 years. This is so enjoyable, I'm sad this is my last bottle. Stunning wine!
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5/23/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 88 Points
A Mixed Bag at Young Joni (Young Joni, NE Mpls): Very dark red/purple color. PNP, followed 1 glass over an hour. I don't know. This was certainly a disappointment. Folks, if I wanted to drink blackberry wine, I'd go to Door County. Now this was still in a bit better place for me than the '05 VT, but it really felt overdone and over the top. I generally think Beaucastel needs 15 to 20 years anyway, but I can't say i have faith this will come around. I hope to be proven dead wrong. The word here is ripe, ok overripe, liqueurish blackberry and baked cherry, kirsch, oak, pepper. The palate is also overripe black fruits, alcohol shows through, very concentrated, anise. Obviously there are those that just love this style. For me, I crave balance and nuance, and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find in CDP.
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5/23/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 87 Points
Relieved to see I don't own any of these! Typical over the top 2007 CDP. On top of that opened at the venue instead of decanted prior to arrival and served at mid high 60s which didn't help it. Not buying anymore new release CDP from any producer. Older vintages from the 90s back are another story. If you have these big, low acid, 2007 CDPs make sure you give them extra air and serve them closer to cellar temp.
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5/20/2017 - geppetto Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has become a wonderful representation of Beaucastel. The fruit is complex and the nose is so powerful. Still has at least a decade of really good life.
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5/19/2017 - Yassine23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
From Enomatic machine. Deep ruby.
Pronounced black cherry with pepper, chocolate and red currant.
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5/17/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Already great in your glass, due to its ripe, sexy style. Round, supple, even opulent, this wine makes no pretense to offering pleasure in every sip and sniff. Jammy fruits galore, with a big dose of barnyard, pepper and kirsch, this is ready to go. I suspect it will not make multi-decade old bones, but things like that can always surprise you.
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5/14/2017 - soyhead wrote:
limited notes, excellent wine, and impressively rich at age 10. Gaining a liqueresque quality. a wine to acquire
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5/13/2017 - Vancouver Likes this wine: 95 Points
Informal tasting note- wine tasted with some friends before heading out to a U2 concert.
In any event this is a terrific bottle that is just starting to show what it has. Lots of CDP typicity- red fruits, herbs, barbequed meats etc.
Still plenty of tannin and structure- atypical for this vintage but par for the course for Beaucastel. Drink now or hold for 20 years in a cold cellar. I suspect this will be at its peak in 5 years.
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4/29/2017 - greidy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark ruby, light narrow rim, doesn't appear as 10 year old wine.
Lots of dried fruits, cedar, great balance, very tasty, bit mineral and bit salty. Very long smooth finish, what a treat!
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4/27/2017 - sehill wrote: flawed
Corked!!!
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4/21/2017 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 93 Points
Very big and opulent wine. Tasted blind and nose was reminiscent of a California pinot. I got alot of ripe red fruit, oak, and a touch of heat. However palate lost me (Probably my lack of experience w/ cdp). Pnp, mistake #1. This wine NEEDS a good decant. After a few hrs really started to open up. Dark fruit, a touch meaty, and decent acid. Solid Cdp, would hold for now and decant if opened soon. 92-93+
Day 2: Wow! What a difference, licorice, anise, dark fruit. Still agree with my initial assessment that this needs more time.
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4/12/2017 - Adam T 12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Older, more sediment, still great fruit and lots of spice/pepper. I decanted for an hour but would recommend pop and pour, doesn't need the decant in my opinion as wine is fading.
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4/8/2017 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite different from my last bottle 4yrs ago, as this definitely shows the sappy, sweet fruit of the vintage. This has a slightly darker character, I'm assuming from ththe Mourvèdre, along with a distinctly ripe forward profile atypical of the estate. Just a hint of heat as well. Moderate length finish adding some tar and sandalwood spice. A good wine, especially considering the hot vintage (negative for me) but shows some characteristics I do not prefer. With less acidity than expected, probably one to drink now and over medium term.
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4/5/2017 - majamke Likes this wine: 93 Points
From 375ml. My first CdP from the 2007 vintage. This is a powerhouse of a wine though retains balance and dare I say it 'finesse'. So close to being too flabby but acidity and bright red fruits save the day. Black pepper and licorice, char roasted meat juices and red pastille. Oak spice draws along the palate through to a lingering finish. This is a keeper for sure.
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4/2/2017 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 89 Points
Part of a blind magnum syrah tasting, where we included this, despite it only being 10% Syrah (according to the Beaucastel website). But it was a big disappointment. Some of the group felt it was still too young. Maybe its in a dumb phase? No notes of Brett, it just paled in comparison to the Northern Rhone wines that we were drinking.
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3/10/2017 - maxima wrote: 94 Points
Encore une autre très belle bouteille de ce vin, vraiment nourri et approchable comme vin.
Un nez qui embaume, des herbes, des fruits noirs, des épices et de la fumée, très beau et complexe.
En bouche, c'est ample et dense, encore en jeunesse mais avec tant de complexité et un bel équilibre de l'ensemble.
Des beaux fruits (mures et framboises) avec de la garrigue, du poivre blanc et de la viande fumée.
Les tannins sont fins et la finale hyper longue et soyeuse.
Superbe et pour longtemps.
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3/4/2017 - sooper65 wrote: 78 Points
Dear o'dear. This was all over the place, but sort of what i have come to expect from Beaucastel.. stewey, volatile, and more BRETT than Bret Lee.. i just do not understand what people see in these Beaucastel wines.
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3/3/2017 - premiercru1973 wrote: 94 Points
A young bottle starting to open. Served and double decanted straight from my cellar. Powerfull and intense with a stunning and classic Beaucastel-balance which I just as impressive every time. Young and driven by the primary and secondary notes without in any way being closed. Such a stunning bottle that kept evolving in the glass. Wow.
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2/20/2017 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Chateau de Beaucastel vertical tasting (Wine-Route, Hashalom Rd branch): dark translucent red-purple
quality ripe dark red fruits nose with spicy notes
rich dark fruits flavours, firm tannins, excellent balance & harmony, good acidity level, sour plums, still very young and will continue to age well, sour lively fruits finish and aftertaste
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2/18/2017 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great C9dP from Beaucastel, top vintage. Red and black fruits, floral and earthy notes, mocca, tobacco, acidic backbone, mediumjj to full body, well balanced, elegant, excellent finish!
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2/18/2017 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank along side an '05, '06 & '07 Vieille Julienne. While all wines were excellent, we preferred the Beaucastel. It's overall balance and finesse made this wine sublime.
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2/12/2017 - Lemmy-W wrote: 93 Points
My first Beaucastel so expectations were flying high. Bottle was opened and allowed to breath for ~2 hours. I was expecting more on the nose as it was quite modest with black fruits and licorice, luckily no barnyard. The strucutre on the palate is really good, higher acidity and surprisingly "Fresh" for 10-year old wine. Nice warm finish.
All-in-all I was hoping for more, but luckily have two more bottles that I will open after 2-3 years time. A really well made wine but guess I expected too much.
A bottle with about 1/5 of wine left was vacuumed and left in the fridge for overnight. On day two the wine had opened more and was better indicating a good decanting will be beneficial.
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2/4/2017 - rmalloy wrote: 91 Points
Tasted blind. Nose is deep but not expressive. Notes of alcohol, smoke, lavender, barleywine, and ripe blackberry. A dark fruit bomb, though I discern some syrah spice and some animal qualities. Spiced black tea on the finish. Modest black-tea-like tannins. Very low acidity. There is big concentration here. It's not my preferred style of wine, but I came to like it more and more.
Guess the wine: Probably GSM, probably Chateauneuf du Pape. Perhaps a ripe vintage like 2005?
Rating: 91
Non-blind p.s.: I’ve given this wine huge ratings in the past. I wonder how much of my ratings are influenced by my mood at the time. This wine has always had a lackluster structure--it’s a big, alcoholic wine with not much acidity to keep it lively and not much tannin to keep it serious. But I’ve always looked past that to appreciate the rich and complex flavors. Today, it seemed bloated.
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1/28/2017 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
First bottle of the '07 that we have opened. Two hours in a decanter. Black fruit, soy, anise, mocha and a little pepper on the finish. Modest tannin and bracing acidity. Vibrant, elegant, refined and delicious. It deserves a less rustic pairing than the beef short ribs we tried it with this evening.
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1/27/2017 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent, fully mature. Typical CNDP aromas and nice fruit and balance.
Ric
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1/17/2017 - beatles wrote:
Châteauenuf-du-Pape 2007 - ten years after (chez moi): Oh dear; this is full, rich well balanced – and very young. Approachable, certainly, but not yet a real B. The creamy fruit of the 2007 is shining through. Big backbone (later a note repeated by others) here … will be long lived.
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1/16/2017 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
From 375- needs about 2 hours to open up. Great fruit up front with an above average finish. Near prime with better balance to come in 3-5 years.
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1/16/2017 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 91 Points
I prefer a more modern style CdP, but this is a nice and elegant wine. No "wow" factor, and there are still some firm tannins on the finish (notes given without much air). I would suggest decanting this wine for an hour or two.
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1/14/2017 - nlal wrote: 91 Points
varmt medellång eftersmak , kan rekommenderas, också sparas
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1/14/2017 - nlal wrote: 91 Points
varit medum lång o mjuk efter smak, kan rekomeders
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1/10/2017 - Plabella Likes this wine: 96 Points
I love Beaucastel and the 2007 is extrodinary.
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12/25/2016 - SonnyChiba wrote:
Very good and still developing. Lots of dried fruit, plums, still a bit of oak and heat in the finish.
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12/24/2016 - mark_m_owen wrote: 92 Points
As previous note, but perhaps a touch less bright.
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12/24/2016 - PeterMole wrote:
Already very much integrated, but I think this will improve very much with celaring.
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12/13/2016 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Ch. de Beaucastel (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Red and black berry and cherry fruits, tobacco leaf, herbs, slightly creamy notes. Quite a youthful nose underpinned by peppery spice. With time some barnyard and the pepperiness increases as well as a Garrigue note coming through. Lordy. on the palate it's juicy and, at last, the aggressive, boisterous nature is beginning to calm. Still dense and rich with a cornucopia of berry fruits, herbs and spices. Pretty damn good.
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12/6/2016 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big fruit, dark color, exceptional flavor and a great palate finish. Buy.
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12/5/2016 - winemaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big, delicious wine. Needs a few more years to mellow a tad further. This is a concentrated, complex wine.
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12/5/2016 - Sugarb Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice, had heard from a friend that we might need to drink this sooner than later. No issues at all with little decanting required. That said, I would not give it much more than another 3-4 years, max.
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12/3/2016 - garymouton Likes this wine: 99 Points
I loved this wine--soft tannins with a complex finish with earth. leather and fruiit that lasts for nearly a minute. I have been disappointed with several past "great" vintages of Beaucastel, but this definitely is in the upper echelon of southern rhone wines. I doubt that it will improve, but should last for a decade or more...but why wait?
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11/18/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 97 Points
I have drunk this wine on four occasions and always deemed it marvelous. I love how the rich fruit is balanced by savory, even meaty flavors. Every time I drink this wine I think of the barleywine style of beer. I actually smell barley malt. I would love to try the 2007 Hommage a Jacques Perrin.
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11/10/2016 - broadband013 wrote: 90 Points
Dégustation Grandchateaux, 09.11.2016
très long ++
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11/6/2016 - sebastienjm wrote: 93 Points
Sans prises de notes ... c etait très bon, grande maturité, de la complexité..
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11/5/2016 - Neecies Does not like this wine:
Jammy and oxidative (others found less fault with it than I did).
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11/3/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Rule the Rhone; 10/27/2016-11/3/2016 (Northern & Southern Rhone): Very ripe fig, brighter fruits, black plums, dusty tannins. It opened up a lot during the time we were drinking it. Some opinion that it could be enjoyed now with a brief decant, but I'd want to hold onto our bottles a bit longer and let them get some more years of age I think. If pairing with food, it's the kindof wine that suggests meat. My second favorite of the tasting only to the Vielle Vignes which is just a haunting wine.
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10/22/2016 - bundan wrote: 100 Points
My first Beaucastle. the best wine that I have ever had.
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10/22/2016 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Burgundy & Baseball - Cubs Win the Pennant! (Home): Late night pop n' pour. Not a typical Beuacastel, to be sure. The nose is full and dense with ripe, roasted black fruit and herbs. Palate is full bodied with lush, round black fruit. Very concentrated. Shows a lot of Syrah character. Big, ripe but balanced. Not sure how this one will age given the warm vintage.
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10/20/2016 - Papies wrote: 88 Points
4 Decades of Chateau de Beaucastel with a touch of Hommage with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Very different to any other Beaucastel we have tried over the years. Blind we would have said new world. Ripe, sweet, Jammy, lots of sweet ripe fruit on the palate, spicy, peppery, quite a bit of extract. Not sure if it was the very ripe 2007, maybe a slight change in style or just the fact of the fact they used more mouverde here but it felt this 2007 took an Australian vacation. Maybe it needs time but an 88 at best for now from us.
Last time we had this out of context wine was the 2003 La Mouline and generally with a few of the 2003s and properly, if we ever get to, this is how we feel with the 2009 Cos d'Estournel
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10/20/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Surprisingly more evolved in colour than the 2005 tasted alongside. On the nose quite creamy and open with notes of candied cherry fruit, sweet spices, smoke, hints of oak. Very soft tannins on the palate. Very open and approachable with layers of fruit, good acidity and very good length. Quite spicy. Drink or keep. 92-94
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9/10/2016 - Adam T 12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Minimal decant. Lacks the fruit and vibrancy of 2-3 years ago. Still enjoyable but the fruit is more muted. I have 4 more, won't rush on them, would rather see if this is a dump phase.
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9/6/2016 - Stefanos T. wrote:
I made the terrible mistake to open this wine after a mature and very fine claret. To drink the Beaucastel after that needed a paradigm-shift/calibration of my taste I was not capable of performing.
Dark, sweet with intense liqueur-like fruit, lots of oak, very clean.
I found it unready or overtly fruity I am not sure. And though I adore CdP wines, this was too much for me at that particular moment.
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9/1/2016 - ledwards wrote: 94 Points
Deep and mature black fruits dominiate. Wonderful stone dust and graphite notes. Outstanding and worth seeking if you want classic notes wrapped in a robust CnP.
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8/28/2016 - pipetree Likes this wine:
2007 Beaucastel, raisin, prune, some eucalyptus. Caramel in the finish.
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8/5/2016 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great as always and holding up well. This thing has hardly aged.
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7/20/2016 - Yagil wrote: 94 Points
dark opaque red-black; rich & excellent fruity -spicy nose with leather-earthy notes; full bodied, firm tannins, rich fruity flavours, excellent structure & complexity, earthy flours, fungus, dry ripe cherries, excellent finish & aftertaste
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7/17/2016 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Concentrated flavors, well balanced, soft tannins. Powerful presentation.
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7/16/2016 - Vino Nomad Likes this wine: 97 Points
This may have been the best CdP that I've had to date. So good that I immediately regretted that it's no longer in my cellar... so I already bought more. Incredibly complex with a finish that lasts at least 45 seconds. This wine is drinking perfectly for my tastes... balanced with softened tannin, enough earth and game to hold interest and pair beautifully with lamb, while still having good fruit character and vibrancy. After every sip, I couldn't help but shout out "Mmmm....Damn, that's good!" I'm sure this can age another 10 to 15 years, but I'm going to enjoy the new purchases between now and 2020.
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7/14/2016 - Schwarzer Hund Likes this wine:
Decanted the almost black wine at 55 degrees in cellar for 2 hours, negligible aromas after the 2 hours, however upon drinking the juicy fruit explodes in the mouth, very dense dark berry, earthy, herbal, fruit with a bit of acidity and minerality. A very long finish. We never detected much of a bouquet even after 2-3 hours at normal room temperature. A powerful wine with many years ahead .
What started as a very pleasant Bastille Day celebration was quickly dampened by hearing the news from Nice, France. Vive La France.
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7/3/2016 - barryjkeller@gmail.com Likes this wine:
Better day 2 however the wee heat at the end didn't dissipate.
Lovely nose of red currant jame (Not jammy though). Palate of red and black current - lovely. Very fine tannin. Another year or two would be preferable.
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6/26/2016 - jcasey555 wrote: 92 Points
Took a couple of hours to open but nice herb flavor.
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6/18/2016 - Milliontown wrote: 95 Points
My first Beaucastel. Appreciably dense but maybe not as huge as I expected/feared from the reviews here. Mostly defined on the palate by the framework of very fine tannins humming along in the background. Almost causing slight astringency, but then this is very young.
The aromatics are the best thing about this. Potpourri of blackcurrant, riberries, vanilla, cloves, dried flowers and provincial herbs. A lot going on there. Quite fresh and possibly too young. Decanted for probably close to 2 hours. Terrific wine.
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6/14/2016 - BailliSacks Likes this wine: 88 Points
Dark and sweet on nose. On palate, at first soft and floral fruit, cassis, then hot concentrated body, piney, tannic. Huge, and a bit pruny. A hint of tobacco on finish. For this drinker, this is too much of a juice bomb. The tannins don't really align with the rest of it, and the overall effect is disjointed, overmusculed and awkward. Not a complete miss, I enjoyed drinking, but i'd hoped for better.
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6/12/2016 - Milos Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank from a 375 ml bottle. Again about a year since I had this one. This bottle was little more tannic and backward then the last. Palate is intense, still tannic; dark fruit with notable tannins. Based on this bottle I would let this once sit at least couple of years.
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6/11/2016 - Shoebox Likes this wine: 94 Points
Purple colour. Heady nose of red and dark fruit. Palate of sour cherries with notes of cedar.
Well integrated tannins with good balance. Good length. Will last another 20 yrs. Rather different to last tasting.
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6/8/2016 - Raage wrote: 93 Points
Très beau! Bu après un CDP Xavier Vins 2007 (convenable),le Perrin étalait toute sa classe, sa luxuriance olfactive, sa complexité et sa brillante concentration. Un cran largement au dessus!
Toutefois, on dirait que la douceur des 07 s'éteint peu a peu, comme si la matière du raisin laissait entrevoir le terroir minéral et structurant du vin?
Les 07 semblent donc un peu moins séducteurs aujourd'hui et plus structurés en passant un cap, la finesse laisse place à la puissance intrinsèque du millésime.
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5/30/2016 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
PFV tasting.
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5/27/2016 - dbg wrote:
Half-bottle cellared since release, and about a year since my first try with the 2007 Beaucastel since release. Perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Dark fruits, meaty/savory notes on the nose. Ripe fruit and meaty/earthy notes on the palate. Absence of the over-ripe raisiny and alcoholic components noted a year ago are a definite improvement. Good balance and finish. Very good to excellent, it needs some aged complexity to cross the threshold to solidly excellent. The positive development over the past year is very promising.
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5/22/2016 - geppetto Likes this wine: 94 Points
Needed some air time for the nose to wake up. An hour in the decanter and it was just barely there. After a couple of hours it started to fill out. Initially there was significant sour cherry, but with time it started to become more typical of the Beaucastels that I love. A fantastic dance of fruit, spice and earth. Let this baby sleep for a few more years.
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5/14/2016 - tmok2000 Does not like this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for two hours before drinking. The wine has a semi-opaque garnet red color. The nose is very tight, with just a bit of cherry cola and strong barnyard. I had to double check the label to be sure that there was no Cabernet Franc in the blend. The taste is unmistakably CdP. The front palate is hollow, however. The mid palate is Grenache driven but turns bitter very quickly. I wonder whether this might be due to the lack of destemming. The bitterness is very distracting. The finish is long, but again bitter and hot (from the alcohol). I have to say that I am very disappointed with this Beaucastel. At this price point, it can do a lot better.
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5/5/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 96 Points
What a great wine! Dense and powerful. Unusually complex. The wine has aromas of bloody game, roasted coffee, ground black pepper (and other spices), green herbs, and ripe dark fruit. The wine is savory and rich with umami. It tastes like the main dish at a fancy restaurant, with charred meat and a reduction sauce. Tannins are ripe but strong.
This wine is fantastic now. I look forward to seeing how it evolves.
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4/18/2016 - mmcdds wrote:
Drinking well
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4/17/2016 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
2007 Chateauneuf du Pape casting - high-level wines (at my home): classic high quality CDP
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4/17/2016 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ok I am having fun with this beauty and cant seem to stay away from it longer than 18 months. I tasted this in 2013 and again in 2014 and keeping the same 93 points although I see this going north of 93 shortly.
The color, nose and balance of this CdP is maintaining with strides towards improving. The red fruits are still front and center and organic's and oak are providing more than subtle support.
Enjoy now or feel free to wait, either way you will not be disappointed! Now if I can stay away until its 10th birthday I will be rewarded again!
Cheers
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4/9/2016 - bboomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Balanced and well integrated, albeit showing little fruit. Maybe should've opened it last year.
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4/4/2016 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow -- incredibly intense yet luscious. Smooth -- would have guessed a top Pinot Noir if tasting blind (oddly enough).
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3/26/2016 - convex Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rose petals. Lengthy finish. A bit hot and a bit bitter. Went exceedingly well with Mexican food.
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3/14/2016 - cbuhlman wrote:
dark clear garnet, viscous, high gylcerin/ester
This wine is rich, alcoholic, intense, but all in great balance. A heck of alot going on here with cherries, currant, brandy, anise, fruitcake, and garrigue. No hard edges, no imperfections, nothing to improve upon. The winemakers were able to figure out the holy grail of achieving real sur maturite without pruniness or stewed character flaws.
Incredibly long mouthcoating finish. A masterpiece.
95-97
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3/13/2016 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 1.5 hr
Nice ruby color.
Dark plum, cranberry, dark cherry, chocolate covered orange peel on the nose. Plum black cherry, hints of chocolate, a bit of tobacco. Great wine, but very early to be drunk. Tasty stuff as always.
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3/10/2016 - drwine2001 wrote:
Bonhams Pre-Sale Tasting (San Francisco): Medium to light ruby. Appealing secondary perfume, complex red fruit and minerality. Mouthcoating with excellent acidic lift. Leagues better than the Coudoulet, and an altogether impressive, well balanced 2007 southern Rhône, which is an assertion I've rarely made.
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2/20/2016 - sawira wrote: 90 Points
Santa Fe Mondiale - 2007 Chateauneuf du Papes (Luminaria): Wine #5. Single blind. Nose - very grenache driven, syrupy, hot, warm ripe red fruit. Palate - cloying, heat, long finish though. Overall - this never really came around and stayed a simple, single, one note wine. Just very different from all the others, and not sure I like it much. Called Beaucastel because of it's distinct difference from the other wines, which in retrospect seems to be from the highest percentage of Mourvedre in all the wines this evening. It was noticeable. I think this will be a long distance runner, though not showing well tonight.
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2/17/2016 - belfast taxman wrote: 90 Points
I would have to say that CdP is not my favourite tipple, nor am I particularly experienced with it, so my mark should be judged in that context. This was a wine that I could appreciate rather than love. There was certainly a darkness and a depth to the fruit. The tannin was a bit lighter than I had expected after 2 hour decant, and there was no over obvious smoky bacon which I sometimes find with Southern Rhone red wines
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2/6/2016 - AJPHopson Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a pleasure to drink! Three hours in the decanter ahead of dinner, served after an older Hermitage that it blew away. It's developed quite a bit since I last tried a bottle about 2.5 years ago. Still plenty of power left, the palate had plenty of juicy dark fruits and a lengthy finish. Nicely balanced.
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2/3/2016 - mmmthatsnice wrote:
Don't know about a rating but this was a lovely bottle. No suggestion of heat.
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1/24/2016 - ubercuvee wrote:
Another "a point" half bottle, suggesting this is going to be lovely vintage to enjoy from 750ml bottles over the coming decade.
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1/14/2016 - wineduggery wrote: 92 Points
By far the best balanced CdP for the vintage.
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12/31/2015 - Genghis88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark, deep, purple. Full bodied. High alcohol.
Lots of dark red cherries, wet wool, dusty old furniture, slate, off the nose
Very dry, mild tannin. Medium(+) finish. Taste followed the nose.
This was sublime. Perfectly balanced. Classic CNP at its best. One should go out and buy as much as this as they can possibly get as it should still improve in the coming years. I have a feeling its just getting started. Was nice having this as my last bottle of the year. Five more wondrous bottles to go.
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12/25/2015 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Treated ourselves to this for Christmas Dinner. Allowed to sit open for 6 hours. It was delicious. Long sit settled out the tannins leaving a smooth mellow elixir of dark fruit and chocolate with maybe a hint of tobacco. Finish was very long. Many years left for this one. Yum!
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12/24/2015 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for two hours. Aromas and flavors of cherry, wild berries, anise, coffee, smoked meat, forest floor and dried herbs. Leads to a very long, soft, dry finish. Full bodied. Complex with a rich texture. Paired well with a Swedish smorgasbord.
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12/23/2015 - Shoebox Likes this wine: 94 Points
Serious nose of leather and complex black fruit. Dark purple in colour. Mouth filling, smooth and unctuous with blueberries and typical liquorice, eucalyptus and herbs.
Very long. Soft tannins. Will last 20 yrs or more.
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12/13/2015 - Tony T Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a very nice, elegant and balanced wine. Nice fruit and integrated tannins. Drinks very well right now.
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12/9/2015 - mukden wrote: 91 Points
YES-sortof. Still youngish, but did not resolve my love-hate relationship with Bcastel. It is a very hard wine to find the right drink-time for; usually under-8-years is usually too soon, but sometimes 10+ can be tired. It is often very hard to get it with some secondary development; often mute. This one was a bit mute; clearly a big burly red (not rustic; classy burly) but a bit port-like (not a positive attribute in a red). You could tell it was good, but no real development. So, in the end, a bit disappointing. But, still a very good wine.
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12/5/2015 - Vancouver wrote: 95 Points
Medium ruby appearance. Darker in appearance than most Chateauneuf du Pape from this vintage.
Evolving nose of ripe and candied black fruits, violets, roast meats and traditional herbs.
Full bodied palate with medium acidity at best and medium tannin. Lots of black fruit, spice and some Vanilla on the palate. Also some meaty flavours- maybe from the Mouvedre?
The finish is long.
This tasting was poured from Coravin from unopened bottle with no decanting, and is definitely ready to drink. Will likely keep for another dozen years, but as with most CDP, why wait?
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11/26/2015 - El Tej wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 2 hours, enjoyed over the next 3. Moss, eucalyptus and pepper on the nose, with a palate dominated by fig and plum. Really nice overall, just need patience at this point to let it evolve a bit.
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11/26/2015 - citizen1 wrote: 84 Points
Not impressed. Decanted 1 hour. Plum but otherwise flat. Will sit on rest.
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11/23/2015 - cliffkol wrote: 93 Points
Although delicious and a 93 rating, this is not Beaucastel's best. It was fruit forward, with dried fruits, fresh berries, spices, a bit of earth and minerals. What was missing for me was absolute balance. It seemed that the fruit was a bit more powerful than the tannins, which were obvious but just slightly behind the fruit, leaving the wine overall slightly out of balance. Very good finish. Overall, I won't turn this wine down! And at the right price, get a case!
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11/22/2015 - Jeffrey Silver Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 2.5hrs. Lovely nose
It smells like prune, nutmeg and espresso. It tastes like blackberry, strawberry jam and green beans. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long and has low acidity. This wine has long life ahead. i suggest it will benifit from another 10yrs of storage
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11/21/2015 - odds Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very happy I reached this wine on my 'to taste' list. Its even exceeding the positive reviews on CT (from 300 unique users at the time this review was written) . Very enjoyable, perfect on the nose, and develop the secondary spicy notes within about an hour in the decanter. I agree with the notes re: dark plums, blackberry and spices. Especially on day II, it is speaks better to the herbs, floral and they reflect both nose and palate. Long, nice finish (still feel the taste in the mouth five minutes or so after I finished the glass)
Color wise, darker than other CdP, and probably to date the best Châteauneuf-du-Pape we had this year. Great with the meat for dinner (mostly lamb). Decant for few hours, and enjoy for few (in cold weather, even overnight).
94+ or 95? Yes, certainly a 94-95 material. I wrote 94 simply because I do not consider my experience with CdP sufficient. But, it is certainly a memorable Rhone wine, with years ahead. Very happy I have another one.
Edited (12-26-2015): As I summarize the notes for this year, I think I did not do justice to this one and it is truly a 95 material. That said, I will keep the score at my initial note (just to avoid grade 'inflation'). Certainly part of my 'case of the year'
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11/20/2015 - buckeye76 wrote: 95 Points
DEEP BERRY FRUITS WITH BLACK CHERRIES, CURRANTS, LICORICE, AND SOME EARTHINESS. COMPLEX WINE WITH A LONG FINISH.
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11/20/2015 - segolas wrote:
Röda bär vilket är trevligt, örter vilket är trevligt men en påtaglig alkohol vilket inte är alls trevligt.
Trist
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11/8/2015 - Pebben wrote: 92 Points
From memory: Decanted for two hours before tasting (magnum). Classic CdP nose with hints of dark plums, dried fruit, hung meat, garrigue, exotic spices and vanilla. Sleek, elegant and well balanced. Obviously a very nice wine, but at this level expectations are high. Hard to point out exactly what’s “wrong”, but there’s a certain lack of vibrancy here that makes it difficult to justify a higher score. It seems to have reached its plateau even in large format, and should drink well for another five to eight years. Hope my last bottle has that little extra magic that's needed to really make it stand out from the crowd.
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11/6/2015 - Kavine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very nice w Asian dinner. Decanted one hour....very smooth and soft. Fruits all the way!
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9/27/2015 - jkvedar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Terrific. I decanted for 45 min and had none of the predominant alcohol others mentioned. Spice, vanilla and blackberry on the nose. Tannins there but not overpowering. Good overall balance. Dark fruit on the nose. Pleasant finish.
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9/20/2015 - dbg wrote:
Half-bottle cellared since release, this is my first try with the 2007 Beaucastel since release. Perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Dark fruits, meaty/savory notes on the nose. Full-bodied, very ripe sweet fruit and a bit alcoholic, not very Beaucastel-y and not making me want a second glass. Stoppered and put in the fridge. Better the next day with some more earthy notes on the nose and palate but still almost raisiny ripe. Very good but not great. Not sure where this will end up but I'll try another in a year or two.
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9/17/2015 - Tartiflette wrote: 90 Points
Really an excellent wine. Lots of fruit and spices (pepper in particular). Little too warm and too much alcohol to really show me it's terroir. Medium tannin. It needs to be served quite cooled unless you prefer the overripe fruit.
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9/12/2015 - ubercuvee wrote:
another 375ml that's right in the slot. This one showed more vitnage ripeness and less of the beautiful powered cacao restraint of last week's snap.
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9/6/2015 - jcasey555 Likes this wine: 91 Points
needed time to blow off a strong alcohol component but opened nicely after an hour or so
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8/25/2015 - Sundbyberg wrote: 95 Points
This makes me very puzzled. Had the 2006 some years ago and thought it had almost burgundian charachter, while this is more like a good portwine dominated by raisins and with some heat in the ending. Two very different, but also very good, wines.
From a small bottle.
Seems open to me.
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8/15/2015 - neilemc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bright leggy ruby red. Raisiny, pruny, cherries and raspberries, tertiary licorice and vanilla. Concentrated ripe red fruit, a bit cooked and medicinal, mid palate garrigue, and a lengthy finish, both sweet and spicy. Its great but typical of CdPs its one dimensional, concentrated soupy fruit but not really complex.
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7/26/2015 - SkeBum Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark red in the glass, this wine showed better then the last one I drank. It seemed to have a better balance and was very nice through out the meal. Very nice overall
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7/24/2015 - SonnyChiba wrote: 94 Points
Tasted double blind and did pretty good in guessing this. Really excellent wine, not as solid as last bottle I remember, but still a great CDP with more aging required.
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7/24/2015 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Good as always.
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7/17/2015 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with my prior notes.
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6/25/2015 - bullmrkt wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 45min and served over the next 2 hours. Lovely herby, floral nose and palate, garrigue, juicy dark fruits, smooth tannins and balanced acidity. I was a bit nervous reading prior notes, but I've had this bottle under proper storage since release and it was drinking perfectly. My first bottle of six, and I'd say I had the drinking window start of 2015 about right.
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6/13/2015 - Milos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank from a 375 ml bottle. It has been almost a year since I had this one and it is coming along very nicely, little faster than I expected . Still little shy on the nose but the palate is intense and balanced; clean dark fruit balanced with ripe tannins. Still quite primary but very approachable and enjoyable now.
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6/2/2015 - drzweigelt wrote: 90 Points
Very good example of a rather elegant C9dP - the nose is full of red berries and even some floral notes, the garrigue you would expect is quite subtle even. On the palate it is full and fruity, lacking some flesh actually make it to the first row - quite surprisingly it shows persistence and length and ends on red berry notes. Drink now or hold a few years. Quite expensive for the actual enjoyment, I am not sure about the development.
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5/17/2015 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opened about two hours before drinking. My second of 5 and it may be extremely difficult to have the patience to wait until this wine hits its peak. Beautiful balance with smooth tannin and big fruit, spice, smoke and licorice. Yummy stuff.
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4/19/2015 - swp3 wrote: flawed
quality issues with these BPW '07 CDPs continue. is this heat damage? i'd venture that the vintage was just impossibly ripe and the wines have turned into oxidized mess, but that's not evident from the notes of others. this was pretty much undrinkable.
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4/18/2015 - Tom Warden Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted an hour and a half before we started enjoying this lovely wine. I'm not a CdP expert but I do enjoy them. I hihgly recommend a long decant...tasted at opening, the wine was pretty tight...two hours later it was sublime. Gorgeous fruit and well integrated tannins. Trouble now will be to wait four or five more years to get to my other bottles. Paired this Beaucastel with a 2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Panoplie...a very good wine in it's own right...but as one would expect the "original" is superior.
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4/17/2015 - SkeBum Likes this wine: 89 Points
A solid effort, I still have trouble getting behind the '07s. In my opinion there seems to be a lack of depth and finish. Far from the best CdP I have had from post 2000. I'm not buying time in cellar would add that much, but you never know.
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3/11/2015 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #097; Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007 vs 2009 (By RvD): This wine scored second on a fabulous C9duP evening. The bouquet has beautiful fruits and garrigue as well as a beautiful dose of oak. On the palate dark berry fruits, beautiful garrigue, chocolate and currants, a firm amount of sweetness, but also beautiful acidity. Beautifully dosed oak and soft and round tannin with still a good bite. A very beautiful wine and the oak needs a few more years to integrate perfectly. This is a great and well balanced wine. The only negative remark I can make is that there is a bit heat in the finish. Unfortunately no bottles of this in my cellar, but if I had any I would wait until 2019 or a bit longer. 93 – 94+
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2/21/2015 - Rickets wrote: 93 Points
Not able to add a formal note. Drank outside on a February evening while watching the sunset over a newly acquired oceanfront property in the Pacific Northwest. Not quite the way this infant wine should be treated but what the heck - it's a special bottle for my wife and I, and it was a good way to celebrate. Decanted for 6 hours. It's still young but coming along quite nicely. I'll hold my remaining 5 bottles for at least 5 years before checking in on it again.
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2/18/2015 - AWBryce Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very fresh nose of strawberries and floral notes. This was drinking nicely now, but still quite young. Good acidity on the palate, with medicinal red fruits, herbs, black tea and shows a spicy finish. Finish is longer than most other cndps tonight, I would hold for another 10+ years. Very nice.
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2/8/2015 - ekenneth wrote:
Lovely. Still a baby at 7 yrs, but very good. Blackerrys and licorish on the palate, smooth and viscous with a hint of beef broth. Clean with not much funk but that will come as the elements become more integrated. I think this wine's prime is still 5-10 years away and it should last much longer than that. This has been open 2 hours at this point.
At about 3.5 hours, the fruit (still present) starts to give way to leather, garrigue, cola and turkish spice. It's starting to taste like Beaucastel Chateauneuf. Still clean but starting to develop the mix of old vine grenache nugat and beefy mourvedre.
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2/6/2015 - Eric wrote:
A mid-winter visit to Châteauneuf-du-Pape; 2/5/2015-2/7/2015 (Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, France): Ripe, roasted plums, white pepper and tar. Wow! Incredible structure. Very ripe nose moves to a surprisingly classic palate.
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2/4/2015 - maxima wrote: 94 Points
Similaire à ma note précédente mais en mieux, une très belle bouteille!
Beau nez parfumé sur les mures, la terre avec une pointe d'herbes.
En bouche, SUPERBE...c'est intense et riche, avec une belle texture soyeuse. Des cerises noires, des prunes, du chocolat et un peu de poivre.
Très longue finale sur des relents de terre. Excellent.
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1/28/2015 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 95 Points
I do not think that this has budged a bit since I lasted tasted it over a year ago: a beautiful young wine that is unfolding glacially. Though quite delicious with much airing, its deep flavors, impressive length and tight structure promise even more pleasure in the future. Another three to five years?
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1/17/2015 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 95 Points
Dark garnet color turning crimson at the rim with a reflective edge. The nose is perfumed with notes of dark berries, crushed currants, and earth with a hightened alchoholic thrust. The palate is rich, unctuously intense, concentrated, layered - wrapped in a silky texture. Flavors of dark cherry, kirsch, plums, licorice, black tea, hoisin sauce, dark chocolate, espresso and spice. Finishes long and juicy with hints of chocolate cake and earth. Best Beaucastel I've tasted so far. Drink now with 1-hr decanting or 2017 until 2032. 95+
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1/4/2015 - winelegends.net Likes this wine: 94 Points
94+
Dunkles Rot.
Man kann eigentlich die hohen sowie auch die tieferen Notizen nachvollziehen.
Ueber 2 Tage ist der Wein sehr wandelbar.
Im positiven;Sehr dunkelfruchtig,Schwarzkirschig,erdig,würzig,Lakritze zwischendurch leicht floral,leicht caramelisierte Noten,tief,ausladend sehr schönen Schmelz,immer wieder pfeffrig,leicht prägend.
Seidige Textur,leicht ins süssliche gehende Erdbeerfrucht,zwischendurch auch leicht alkoholischer,absolut passender Säure und mit einer guten Balance.
Langer leicht süsslich-dunkelfruchtiger Abgang.
Sehr viel tiefgehende Substanz und ein Versprechen für die Zukunft.
Leicht negativer;Manchmal(über die 2 Tage) dominiert von kräuterigen Aromen(Rosmarin),Frucht doch untergetaucht,leicht teerig,Soja,Alkohol besser spürbar und irgendwie karger.
Ich persönlich habe aber keine Zweifel daran,das es,mit weiterer Flaschenreife, daraus einen wirklich fruchtigen,spannenden,komplexen, hervorragenden Beaucastelvertreter gibt.
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12/27/2014 - Bsfoakdale wrote: 95 Points
I'll admit I'm biased; love this CDP. Decanted for two hours, and it continued to mellow as we drank it. Clearly the group favorite of the night. Dark fruit, earth, some mellow spice notes, and a great finish - just a luscious wine for a great meal (good think I have more!).
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12/26/2014 - MotoMannequin Likes this wine:
Decanted to a medium ruby color and a nose of intense raspberries. Palate is smooth and ripe, raspberries and strawberries, a little too smooth not much complexity here. Had this same wine a few months ago and found it much more impressive. After an hour of air it starts putting on some additional spice on the finish. Just and ok showing for this wine.
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12/26/2014 - MarkMich wrote: 92 Points
Very Nice now but need to wait on my remaining 4 bottles. I did not take detailed notes as we had this with Christmas dinner. Everyone enjoyed this with grilled beef Tenderloin King Crab.
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12/25/2014 - Pfleonard Likes this wine: 90 Points
Well... I've done verticals of Chateauneuf-du-Pape stretching back into the 1970's. Perhaps infanticide but this was very good, but not great. Opened the 2006 at the same Christmas meal, same result. Lovely but both blown out of the water by the St. Henri Shiraz from night before.
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12/24/2014 - mark_m_owen wrote: 93 Points
With Shepherd's Pie on Xmas Eve. Decanted for most of the day
Still a baby but the potential is evident. It's drinking very well with a lot of fruit in evidence and brooding, but restrained depth. Medium bodied. Very fresh in the mouth. The rest stay in the case for a couple of years.
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12/24/2014 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Deep and rich, with notes of dark fruits, licorice and earth. In the mouth, seamless and well balanced. Decanted 1 hour before consuming. Delicious!
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12/22/2014 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2+ hours. Drank alongside an '07 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel. This wine much more balanced and elegant with great fruit, earthy tones and a finish that makes you want to drink more. Still youthful with many great drinking years ahead.
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12/19/2014 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 92 Points
How I like this! It smells like Christmas with spices, stewed plums, and figs. I taste savory herbs, tart plum, figs, and cedar.
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12/6/2014 - bablues wrote: 97 Points
Didn't take detailed notes. Part of Christmas dinner party cellar rade. Not a wine I wanted to open as this has so many years ahead of it, but could not deny the request so we popped and poured this. Stunning is the best way to describe it
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11/28/2014 - fatfishzsy wrote: 91 Points
(帕克96分,WS96分,RVF18.5分)。2007年是足以展现Beaucastel完美混酿风格的年份,靓丽而新鲜的黑水果香气,泥土、黑莓、黑松露、甘草,略重的单宁却以一种美妙的风格眼绽开,真是一瓶风姿卓越,却又如小鲜肉般的美酒。
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11/27/2014 - Adam T 12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a dumb phase? I would decant for a few hours if drinking now. It's all still in there though...
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11/8/2014 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 93 Points
A Chinese dinner: Dark garnet. While this has the expected generous dark fruit and weight from the hot vintage, it maintains an impressive and surprising freshness. Drinking well now but will obviously last. 93-94
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11/7/2014 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opaque dark ruby. Quite viscous. Nose is rich and complex, redolent with Provençal herbs and red fruits. Mouthfilling, rich, full, brooding, this has lots of body and richness. A big wine with lots of time ahead. 5-13-16-9: 93/100.
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10/27/2014 - nzinkgraf wrote:
fruit really pulls together on the nose relative to the 2011. just a few years in bottle needed like that. has a darker fruit feel. '2007 was a hotter vintage.' still lots of spice on the palate, again, lots of exotic pepper. while the fruit in the aroma is starting to come around, the palate lets you know that this needs another 6-7 years to really fall into a sweet spot for drinking.
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9/27/2014 - jamie24 wrote: 89 Points
First bottle from a case. Very ripe and intense with some heat on the finish. Saved a glass for day 2 and it had mellowed slightly. For me I'd prefer to give this some more bottle time so will return in 4 or 5 years.
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9/20/2014 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely a gorgeous wine, although it is still young. Seemed a little closed after an hour decant but started to come around after 2 hours. Wonderful expressive nose of blue fruit and black pepper. Very smooth with blueberry fruit, some light oak, vanilla and black pepper. Beautiful finish.
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8/29/2014 - Birdmountain wine wrote: 97 Points
This Wine makes me wonder! What have we done to deserve this? It does not get much better!
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8/18/2014 - cliffkol wrote: 94 Points
This is still young, but drinks beautifully right now. Decanted over an hour. Deep concentrated dark fruits. Earthy, herbs, raisins, spices. The longer it was open, the more the raisins receded and chocolate appeared. The wine was on the light side though, with acicidity. Tannins are well integrated now. Long finish.
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8/18/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 96 Points
Some CdP's that excceded my expectations (Tom and Betty's): Loved this wine. I know some don't like the lushness of the 07's, but I personally find it a great vintage. For those who don't, however, I believe this vintage will age just fine, so hold onto them. This one is still on the youthful side at 7 years from vintage. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has plums, raspberries, anise, spice and floral notes. Great juicy texture. On the palate, plenty of fruit, medium tannins, nice acidity. There is black and red raspberries, pepper and spice. Long finish. Worked great with a variety of homemade pizzas but especially the buffalo cauliflower and tofu pizza. Great wine that will continue to develop for a decade.
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8/6/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Sensuous, spicy and deep, there is a good freshness to the licorice and peppery red fruits that expand on the mouth. Sweet and savory, long and rich. Drink it if you like 'em young and on the lush side. Age it if you can wait and prefer more secondary notes.
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7/18/2014 - chatters wrote:
Medium plus intensity aromas of cherry, black berry, thick and rambunctious nose, leather, farmyard (but not dirty) and herbaceous notes. In the mouth the wine has flavours of red berry , black pepper, slight herbaceous notes, chewy, thick, rich and the alcohol feels quite high lending a cooling note on the back of the palate but not particularly jarring or dominant. It needs so much more time.
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7/11/2014 - Tony Poli Likes this wine: 91 Points
Preceded at the tasting by a 1997 Beaucastel. Looked a bit younger, but a very similar color. Lovely nose, dominated by red fruit. The palate was very fruit forward, but still had a lot going on. One could see the relationship, and this one might be quite a bit better than the 97 was today in 10 years.
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7/5/2014 - Butty wrote: 94 Points
Surprisingly forward - accessible now but will continue to develop complexity - reminiscent of the 1989 - lovely mix of sweet red fruit and savoury notes. Very focussed, well made wine - a real treat.
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6/28/2014 - Milos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank from a 375 ml bottle. This one still needs few years. Shy and tannic on the palate at first. It pulled together after about ½ hour. Sweet red fruit, strawberries, spice; the palate still dominated by ripe tannins but the flavours are intense enough to deal with it. Try again in three to five years.
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6/28/2014 - jbouchy wrote: 96 Points
Getting better with age. Impressive effort!!
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6/25/2014 - Baggio wrote: 93 Points
Really very well balanced, but lacking the depth or complexity I expected.
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6/8/2014 - Ennike Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich, spicy, deep and cool at the same time. You just want more and more. Best Beau since 89/90.
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6/1/2014 - Jeffrey Silver Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful nose of rose pedals, and dark plum. The taste is Black liquorice, cocoa, butterscotch, and ripe strawberries. The finish is at least 60 sec. Love this wine. I had this open via Coravin about 4 months ago. I took another glass and then just pooped the cork. It would benefit from 3hrs of decanting. So glad I have lots more. Maturity is 6-8yrs away and will live another 25yrs.
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5/31/2014 - ronte bello Likes this wine: 93 Points
From 375ml. Concentrated, mouthwatering sweet fruit with raisin/kirsch back-end adding some edge. Nice acidity and complexity. My guess is will improve with age.
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5/31/2014 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 96 Points
First bottle of this. Big wine with big fruit. Many years ahead of it.
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5/30/2014 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely loved it. Should be drinking even better in 5-10 years.
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5/30/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 95 Points
Really fantastic CDP. Beautiful aromas of black fruit, licorice, cinnamon, plums. Velvety mouth feel, and perfectly balanced with lush fruit on the palate, cassis, dark chocolate, black licorice, ripe plums, with a little kick into a very long finish. Felt like it went on for minutes. Really enjoyed this wine- drinks great right now, and a lot of life ahead as well.
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5/18/2014 - Arthur4wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just the best.
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5/10/2014 - SimonK wrote: 97 Points
N: Heidelbeere, brombeere, zimt pfeffer
G: kräftig, himbeere,
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4/30/2014 - Johnny C NYC Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big and delightful. Years of goodness ahead, but you won't regret opening one now. Alcohol well-cloaked in rich flavor. 50/5/13/17/10
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4/23/2014 - ach816 wrote: 95 Points
Why wait to drink....really? This is showing beautifully right now: there is great balance between fruit, earth, tannin, acid and flesh. A desiccated black-fruit note marks the nose and palate and is certain to become stronger with age, despite the longevity that people claim this vintage has.
See: m/m- brick ruby, light rust rim (1/3 inch)
Smell: M+ intensity, layered and interwoven notes of: clover honey, truffle, smoked meat, grilled herbs, blackberry, olive, mint, pepper
Taste: M+ body, with silky, polished, and rounded tannins (m/m-), acidity feels balanced with the tannins at (m-). Flavors of desiccated black fruit, black plum, olive. Finish= long, finessed and warm, expressive of smoked and roasted meats, sanguine, blackberry sauce, tobacco.
This is really sexy right now.
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4/19/2014 - ccn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Extremely concentrated, dense, almost thick wine with extraordinary length. In a ripe style, almost slightly raisiny, but with good (ripe) tannins and acidity to balance. Almost too intense to drink now unless you like super-rich, intense wines -- but likely to be very interesting in 10-20 years, probably a very long-lived wine.
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4/6/2014 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Previous notes are still valid at 93 points. Great CdP but needs more time. This will be a favorite a few years down the road.
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3/31/2014 - jcomm wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with previous notes!
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3/16/2014 - AudunG wrote: 94 Points
Sweet fruit aromas with hints of toffee. Refined and relatively light in the mouth. Took on more weight after a while. Intense, with fine tannins and great acidity. Great structure, concentration and length.
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3/15/2014 - rdelf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tart and structured with the full on big mouthfeel that comes with Chateauneufs. Cherries and plums, with a wonderful structure. Looking forward to the other 2 over the next 10 years.
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3/14/2014 - KVM wrote: 93 Points
Chateauneuf du Pape 2007 (Petroleum Club, Calgary): Dark red. Some pips, red and black berries - a nervous nose. Fresh and vibrant fruit/acid. Terrific depth. Well integrated. Long, mineral finish. This is beautiful and should be for another decade.
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2/12/2014 - Double D wrote: 93 Points
very nice CdP but I would have expected more, tannins are under control but still not much complexity
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2/8/2014 - oliverz Likes this wine: 97 Points
extremely fine bottle
for me one of the best reds in the world
opulent, ripeness, all what you can expect
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2/3/2014 - g-mango wrote: 94 Points
Really quite exceptional. Bouquet is intoxicating, and the palate is complex, loaded with dark fruit, mocha, and glycerin. Lovely balance and length...will be better in 5+ years.
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1/30/2014 - jcomm wrote: 94 Points
Still quite powerful but simply delicious.
Loads of blackberries, cherry kirsch and some Garrigue on the nose.
The Palate is dense and concentrated but there still is a nice balance here. Tannins are nicely coated and this is super long.
Already impressive, should age well for a long time.
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1/26/2014 - JuliannaD Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine was decanted about 2 hours before we tried it. This is a big wine with an overall fruity profile to it. I tasted cherry, raspberry, along with licorice and some herbs. There's also a subtle roasted edge to this. Good now but there's a long life ahead for this. I am happy that I have more!
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1/25/2014 - Strikermax wrote: 94 Points
Donker robijnrood. In de geur pure chocolade, drop, tabak. In de smaak ook dik bosfruit. Een zwoele powerwijn. Ferme, maar geïntegreerde tannines.
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1/18/2014 - Birdmountain wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
This wine is a all time favorite! It has complexity, style and amazing balance. The character is just my kind of taste. The vintage is beginning to develope deep layers of herbs and toasted bread above this is pork and wet stone and lots of ripe fruit in between. The finish is very very long, and keeps you wanting more!
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1/14/2014 - EyeDoc wrote: 94 Points
A bit racy but not over the top. A beautiful wine.
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1/4/2014 - tgkswine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened an hour before tasting. This wine has evolved beautifully since my last bottle a year and a half ago. A lot is going on here with mineral and earth coupled with dark fruits including black cherry, kirsch and boyenberry. A smooth and lasting finish. I think this is a great wine to drink now and will have many, many more years as well for cellaring.
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1/1/2014 - oliverz Likes this wine: 93 Points
wonderful wine
very complex and long on the palate
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12/28/2013 - Birdmountain wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Explosion of fruit and minerals and an almost never ending finish. the potential in this wine is astonishing. The very long finish displays layer after layer of different notes. strawberry jam over leather to burned caramel and herb garden to mention a few.
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12/25/2013 - MarkMich wrote: 93 Points
Had with Christmas tenderloin. Beautiful wine after a 4 hour decant. I believe this will improve significantly over the next 5-10 years.
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12/24/2013 - jcasey555 Likes this wine: 93 Points
The bottle was still tight after about two hours but opened nicely after four. Very smooth tannins and a please to drink
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12/22/2013 - Al-Vino wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding!
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12/21/2013 - BBinSC wrote: 94 Points
Very impressive wine, followed the Insignia and did not falter. Powerful fruit, earth and mineral notes persist but are well-balanced. Wonderful experience.
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12/21/2013 - CManthei wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful smoothness, velvet tannins on the palate. Has the wonderful fruitiness and spice of Syrah/Grenache blends, but also has a floral component -- very soft, like lavender. Sexy on the palate, long lasting. Could probably use more bottle time, but it's totally enjoyable now!
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12/10/2013 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Young but already well integrated. The acids are well balanced allowing the fruits of red cherry, herb and a subtle spice palate.
Dark ruby but clear with a soft nose rising from the glass. This wine needs to be decanted if you are popping it now, but 5 to 10 years of patience will make you glad you waited.
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12/10/2013 - maxima wrote: 92 Points
Robe très foncée, presque violet.
Le nez est sur les fruits noirs, les épices, les dattes et le chocolat...pas mal d'extraction je crois.
En bouche, ample et costaud en ce moment. Des mures, des figues et du cacao avec tannins charnus.
Très long et puissant, pour la longue garde.
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11/29/2013 - Sovinator Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for two hours. Very approachable now. Notes of dark berry, tar, and grilled meat. Lacking a bit of the complexity and length to merit higher score, but a pleasure to drink.
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11/28/2013 - cardsandwine wrote:
1.5 hour decant. Deep dark purple hue, soft tannins and good balance. I expected more from this vintage, but there appears a move towards more modern style wines at this once great chateau. Too bad.
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11/23/2013 - rexmerlot wrote: 92 Points
Clear dark purple in colour. Clean nose of black fruits and spice. Dry, med acidity, med body, nice tannins, black cherry, licorice, and spice on palate. Love this producer. Always a great wine. This wine will last for a long time, after an 2 hour decant this was drinking very well now. I wish I had bought more.
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11/16/2013 - King JR wrote: 94 Points
This was a delicious bottle! Surprisingly delicate and smooth, but full bodied. Lots of dark fruit scents and tastes - almost prunes w/eucalyptus, but in a very wonderful way. Great to drink now, but I'm sure will last another 10-15+ years.
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11/9/2013 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 5 hours exposing jammy blueberry, herbs, anise, and bright cherry. Medium bodied with hot alcohol on the finish. Needs quite a few more years to even out.
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11/1/2013 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $40+ (Bin 75): Dark core with dark crimson rim; dark raspberry, fig, sweet, a little brooding, floral; some cherry, seems to have some plushness from a component done in oak?, some Grenache bitterness, rich but I like the drinkability; was thinking Mordoree, but I am happy this was Beaucastel, a very strong showing with lots of upside potential.
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10/28/2013 - Hermosabritdad wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for two hours, and was rewarded. This is a warm CNDP, and has an almost Cab jammyness to the palette, but still retains its Rhone foundation. Lots of layers - and I am not great at describing them all so won't try! Save to say it is a good wine from a very good vintage - pretty impactful if not that subtle. Still early, but with a lengthy decant it certainly rewards. Will give it more time, but also won't be shy to have it from here on in.
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10/20/2013 - Wine Fool Likes this wine: 95 Points
A very dark ruby color with a youthful purple still lingering just beneath. Textbook CdP nose of dark berries, cherries, flowers, pepper, smoke and licorice. In the mouth, moderately large but not overdone or overripe and nice depth to the fruit and herb flavors. Real concentration here, with long slightly bitter finish and moderate tannins. Nice persistence and grip. This is a young and complete wine just beginning to drink well. I bet it has a long and great future. 95+ points, with room to grow.
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10/14/2013 - trevorah Likes this wine: 96 Points
I knew from previous reviews that this was still young but with a big family gathering I just had to open a bottle.
Deep ruby, inky. Aroma of black and blue fruits. Tastes black fruits, fig with juicy acidity and peppery/spicy edge. Full body with tannins surprisingly well integrated Long finish. Was by far everyone's favorite wine of the night.
Wow! I can see it is still a bit young but unlike a couple recent reviewers I don't think you would be remiss in opening a bottle now (if you have a couple you can keep in reserve). Everything is well integrated and this wine is just going to get better and better. I will be waiting 3-5 years before I open another.
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10/7/2013 - kenhoeve Likes this wine: 95 Points
Seriously, do not drink this. Do not decant it, don't touch it, it is a monster. I've had in the last 2 years the 89, 90, 97, 00, 05, 06, and 10. This 07 is a different beast. The cork smells like the piece of thyme that I remove from a red wine short rib braise after 8 hours. It is so rich and concentrated with kirsch, garrigue, herbs, and fresh berry, that it is like a wall. It is too rich to finesse anything because it needs soooo much time. The only pleasure I had was recognizing the absolute unique essence that only this domaine can provide. It is singular and completely identifiable with it's sauvage character, sniper like focus, and bottomless purity. I gush because I've tasted incredible things from close vintages, and if this goes anywhere close to that it will be something beyond anything I've tasted. 95+.
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9/19/2013 - jonanator wrote: 92 Points
Needs more time but drinking well with a long decant. This will be unreal with five more years of bottle time
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9/7/2013 - tlangle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still young, but drank well after 2+ hr decant
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8/24/2013 - Brmaso Likes this wine: 97 Points
Readers should note that this blockbuster of a wine has a very big A-type personality which will lead consumers to love it or hate it. This take on what nature gave the property in 2007 is big, in your face, intense, loud and full bodied with tons of curves! If you like purist examples with minimalist winemaking practices, I would recommend shying away from this wine (and pitying your poor soul).
That said, this wine packs serious punch. Infinite amounts of Kirsche, blueberry, wild game, black licorice, rock salt and wet creekbed jump from the glass into your nose in jaw dropping concentration - quite literally filling the room. There is a bit of heat, but in such a ripe vintage to think the wine should be anything else should be considered snobbery. When it first enters your mouth, the focus achieved for the acidity is unbelievable - the delineation is remarkable (very oddly reminiscent of a 92 Leroy Vosne-Romanee). You really taste what you smell (plus a bit of wild cherry, white pepper and oak), the telltale sign of a remarkable young wine. This adolescent will require patience to achieve secondary (and could quite possibly feature dominantly tertiary olfactory) experiences. What strikes me is the burgundian delicacy and saline minerality that accompanies its power.
Given the vintage, many people will talk negatively about roasted aromatics and flavors. This is rubbish and a prime example of an opinion being wrong. The roasted charicteristics are much more a signal of the gaminess (no doubt from the high levels of Mouvedre) than a stewed characteristic of over-ripeness.
If you like to create infanticide by drinking young wines, please drink up as there is still a decent amount of baby-fat around the edges. The oak on this should dissipate (the tannin is already well-integrated) over the next 3 years or so and offer a profound experience from 2018-2030. Yes, the 2007 Beaucastel CDP should hold on for that long, if not longer for those who have the necessary patience to wait on what could one day be a legend at age 30...
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8/14/2013 - StephenDavis Likes this wine: 95 Points
Popped and poured. Fantastic - great surprise. It's young but I like rhones at this age - some fruit upfront. Rich. Great with meats.
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7/19/2013 - Raider Likes this wine: 84 Points
very nice . Will continue to improve> great fruit razzz
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7/13/2013 - Double D wrote: 93 Points
Better than it was 3 years ago but still somewhat tannic....but nice fruit and pleasant drinking...it should go on for some time.
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7/13/2013 - oliverz Likes this wine: 93 Points
as it was not the first Beaucastel 2007 we drank (0,37 bottle) our opinion confirmed
color dark and intense, very exciting and complex bouquet
as well as taste
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7/8/2013 - melzar wrote: 88 Points
Yes I know I have rated this wine higher in the past. From 750: Tastes very over ripe, and bordering on tasting port like. Very little acidity to reign in the exuberant, if over ripe fruit. Very expressive nose, but disappointing and clumsy on the palate. Tannins barely noticeable, and little sediment thrown. Not sure where this wine is going. It's certainly not the '89 or'90 Beaucastel. Don't think I'm a fan of this vintage.
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6/26/2013 - Marc wrote: 94 Points
Glengarry Wines - "Superstars of the Rhone Valley" tasting (Glengarry Wines and Spirits, Victoria Park, Auckland, New Zealand): Warm and ripe nose - the mouvedre is certainly apparent , but the richness and heat off the nose feels grenache focused. Earthy and broad with a hint of roast peanuts. The palate is well mannered and rich with tell tale tree bark and leather nuance. This wine has closed down since the last time I drank it. Very clean and slightly more modern in style than previous vintages, this will age very well. 94++
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6/8/2013 - winetastingnote wrote: 100 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours which is about perfect. Abundant fruit, incredible nose with hints of black cherries, raspberries, parchment, cassis, carob, and grass. Incredible intensity and a 60-75 second finish with excellent integration and grace. Could use a couple more years but drink for a hedonistic experience!
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5/12/2013 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Darkest garnet in the glass with a nose of black currants. On the palate, medium to full-bodied with the same black currants, blackberries, blueberries, licorice, spice, black pepper and cherry. Lengthy finish. This wine is not as hot or disjointed as other 07 CdP. In fact, it's approachable now with an hour or two of air, but I would cellar it for at least 3 years to allow the tannins to mellow a bit.
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5/4/2013 - Grinner wrote: 95 Points
PHMG WAG: the Southern Rhones (Chez Lyon in Eugene, OR): This remains a dark garnet color and has an open nose. There's garrigue, black cherry, plum, fig, pepper, and licorice. Some meat and kelp on the backside. Still great the next day w/o gas. Tons of time as it's well structured w/o being intrusive.
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5/3/2013 - DarinC wrote: 87 Points
Not one of my favorite bottles. Dominated primarily by garigue, very ripe black fruit, licorice, leather and meat juices. Medium body with a lengthy slightly tannic finish. Decent complexity, but I prefer a bit more fruit and freshness.
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4/30/2013 - cyak Likes this wine: 85 Points
Color-deep claret. Nose - pepper. Moderate body and duration. Flavors were a combation of pepper-raspberry with carmel and cocoa faintly also present.
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4/26/2013 - VTLakeCellar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lush, Meaty, and mouth-filling. I was surprised how much this wine has come together since the last one I had about a year and a half ago. This a big wine filled with both dark and red fruit, wood, silky tannins, and lots of leather, earth and tobacco.
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4/24/2013 - Debcrespin Likes this wine:
Loved yhis
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4/19/2013 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
Alcohol :: 14%
Medium ruby red. Sweet and seductive here with the sweet fig paste, red cherry, kirsch accompany by blackpepper and floral. Expressive and high tone. Savory tone from the start waving around the palate till the end with sweet spices, licorice, black pepper and lots of sweet dark fruits. Tannin is soft and ripe, well integrated with good backbone. I also like the minerality here giving freshness and softness to the wine. However, everything seems right except the mid palate when a bit hollow and the finished is kinda disjointed. This is really quite different from the previous bottle.
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4/17/2013 - fc1910 wrote: 89 Points
stunning nose of spices, but this wine is for me .....too much of everything, somehow seductive......, fat concentrated (too?) sweet black fruit, butterscotch, long+ finish, puh......, may need a lot of more time......, 88- 91+?
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3/30/2013 - Bob in NC wrote: 94 Points
We thoroughly enjoyed this wine with bison burgers on our dock. A beautiful wine with a great balance of still fresh fruit, spices and a silky smooth finish that lets all the harmonious flavors linger. This wine is just starting to enter into its zone and has several more years ago of it before its peak.
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3/23/2013 - levinml wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely terrific. Flavor, balance and complexity. Drank during movie in basement without anything alongside. Just stands alone perfectly. Drink anytime.
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3/3/2013 - jonanator wrote: 92 Points
Same notes as previous bottles. This drinks so well right now that it is hard to resist. I'm sure it will still get better with time though.
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2/28/2013 - Collector1855 wrote: 94 Points
Rhone - Highlights from north & south (Portimao): Served during a Rhone lecture I held during an offsite in Portugal. Young but already quite drinkable. Dark fruits, underbush and minerals, soft tannins. Not sweetish as many 07s, so the Mourvedre and Syrah did their job I guess. Good complexity and balance. I prefer this to the pure Grenache CdPs from 07
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2/24/2013 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Return to San Anontio (Ducru Vertical); 2/21/2013-2/24/2013 (Monty): Terrific showing from this massive wine. Avoids the liquor-like overripe fruit of many of the '07's. Darker fruit profile than the Clos des Papes, more plum and dried fruits, with leather, and terrific spicy quality. Coarse tannins on the palate, with blackberry and garrigue really dominating. Very long finish. Great dark fruit, spice, and poise in this ripe year. Mourvedre really shows. Best young Beaucastel I've had. 94-95+
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2/23/2013 - Bernt Olav wrote: 91 Points
Den første timen var denne meget skuffende, var mer som en Cotes du Rhone enn top notch CDP. Men etter ca 2 timer endrer vinen karakter og blir betydelig mer balansert, "myk" og rafinert. Kompleksiteten i vinen blir mer og mer fremtredende jo lenger vinen blir i karafellen. Blir sikkert enn meget flott vin om 10 + år.
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2/22/2013 - texaswinelover wrote: 93 Points
I enjoyed this bottle. Very nicely balanced, elegant in style. Not an 'in your face', high etoh bruiser cdp. Drank in company of 20 bruisers. Although I expect significant development with age, quite nice now. Subdued, reddish fruit, spice, sandalwood.
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2/21/2013 - Win-E wrote: 94 Points
Violets and leather. Truffles and flowers. Tastes of black plum, spice, pepper, fig, and prunes. Herbal, eucalyptus, and hint of chocolate. This was very pretty and very drinkable now. A little fruity and will improve over time.
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2/10/2013 - Outplaying wrote:
Chateauneuf Du Pape at The Orchard (The Orchard, Kennet Square, PA): Black cherry, vanilla, spices, good depth, young, tobacco. Almost comes across as sweet compared to the 2000. As it opened the fruit turned darker and the wine put on weight and depth. Lots of potential here, and I will try to wait until 2020 or later before I open my only bottle.
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2/9/2013 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific pairing with lamb. Tasted with 2000 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape-- side by side. One could tell the 07 was young but it is developing wonderfully. 00 was just amazing-- silky smooth. 07 had dark purple hue, berry nose, dark berries, stone, and gets better with time.
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2/2/2013 - Neras Likes this wine: 97 Points
What a terrific wine. Needs 3h of air, but then opens up with fantastic flavor and loooonngg taste with dark berries, stone, lakrids and a touch of chocolate. Just wonderful!
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1/26/2013 - cab_fran Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wonderful CdP. Alluring nose of pure red fruit, pepper, and seabreeze. More fruit on palate with chalky tannic backbone. Sampled at 30 min intervals after opening, peaked after 2 hours of decant.
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1/26/2013 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 95 Points
Mini Beaucastel Vertical: This was the wine of the night. While the 05 was all black cherry, the 07 is all bright red cherry, garrigue, pepper and some very subtle cocoa notes. This also needed several hours for the deep, rich fruit to fully open. Quite excellent.
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1/25/2013 - NU14 Rick wrote: 94 Points
Aromatics of blackberry and lavender on the nose. Serious concentration of fruit with an unreal purity that I have not tasted
In years. This full bodied wine is very polished and was among my top cellared wines, that fortunately I timed perfectly to share with friends!
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1/21/2013 - llink wrote: 93 Points
Very pretty and clean nose of kirsch liqueur and spice. The palate is super smooth and resolved showing no hard edges and silky tannins. This is almost too easy to like at this stage, although there is a slight bitter element on the finish to remind you that it's a young CdP. It is not hot or overly extracted like some 2007's. enjoyable now.
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1/20/2013 - jonanator Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another great bottle from this vintage. Very drinkable in its youth. Enjoyed this thoroughly and excited to watch it's development over the next decade. This is a beauty with room to move up from 92.
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1/19/2013 - geppetto Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Absolutely stunning and enjoyable for such a young CdP. On this occasion, the only thing that I can say differed from my previous tasting was the nose was slightly muted. Beautiful, bright flavours with hints of chocolate, leather and cigar. This will become an superstar.
Wine of the night up against the 2007 Telegraphe, Donjon, and a 2006 Telegraphe Blanc.
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12/20/2012 - dekay Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful balance of savory and sweet, though somewhat shutdown. Took a little over an hour to open up. Somewhat light nose of cherry, baked spice, liquor, meat. Starts with medium bodied dark/red fruit and finishes in back of the palate with layers of savory flavors. Long finish. Will improve.
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12/14/2012 - wino121 wrote: 94 Points
Simply a great bottle of wine!
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12/6/2012 - braisedlambshank Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured- Probably should have treated this with a little more respect than that ! At first I found this surprisingly approachable, with a nose showing ripe, sweet red fruit and cherry liqueur with complex and ever changing secondary notes of composting leaves, motor oil, permanent marker, leather, smoke, tar and smoked meat notes. Oak use was notable, but not excessive. On the palate, this is quite full bodied without being overextracted. Nice acid balance, and although the alcohol level is somewhat chestwarming it's not problematic. Lots of upfront sweet, red fruit mingled with spicy notes and smoke. Round, integrated tannins, and a long finish. Still tightly wound, though, as it seemed to shut down a little, and continue to evolve throughout the course of the night. Nicely made- very seductive. One to revisit over the next 15 years or so.
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12/5/2012 - jonanator wrote: 91 Points
Great potential. Long beautiful finish. Sweet black cherry core. Will be phenomenal in 5+ years
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12/1/2012 - oliverz Likes this wine: 99 Points
one of the best wines I ever drank
perfect balance of fruit and tannin
very long finish
a perfect pleasure to drink
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12/1/2012 - Adam T 12 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still great, fruit has mellowed a bit.
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11/29/2012 - _Xenon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Elegant, relative reserved nose. Round, fruity, harmonious taste. Nice wine. Would I drink it again? Yes. Would I pay 33 € for another 0,375l bottle? Probably not. There's so much else out on the market.
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11/26/2012 - Matt T wrote: 92 Points
Friends were cooking Provencal food and sadly this was the only Rhone wine I had on hand. My last experience with this wine was fantastic, but I would have preferred to sit on this bottle. The wine showed a lot of potential with excellent balance and depth, but this never had a chance to open. I will have to buy more and hold.
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11/24/2012 - wxch2002 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely wine. A bit more structure than other 2007 CDPs I have had, but I guess that is the Mourvedre. Very approachable for a young Beaucastel but my guess is it will last the course. Meaty aromas on the nose and excellent dark cherry fruits. Good length and excellent balance. Very good.
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10/9/2012 - jbouchy wrote: 94 Points
Outstanding effort by Beaucastel. Big massive with nice acidity. I will wait a few years before I open the next bottle. Can use some additional cellar time.
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9/30/2012 - DonalOB wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for only an hour. Wonderful complex nose.
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9/21/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
With just 20 minutes in the decanter, the nose sprung from the glass with its aromas of kirsch liqueur, fresh market herbs, earth, plum jam and fennel. Supple in texture, with a long, rich, lush, ripe, red and black fruit filled, peppery finish, this was the perfect wine to get an early jump on our pre International Grenache day celebration.
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9/3/2012 - Tarrant wrote: 95 Points
One of the best wines we've had in recent memory, this was amazing - Dark, full bodied with a nose of cherry, blackfruit, plum, kirsch, spice and vanilla, amazing structure and balance, silky smooth on the palate with terrific length, outstanding! (95 Points).
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8/17/2012 - jonanator wrote: 93 Points
Silky tannins, amazing concentration of ripe red and black fruits. Deep sweet cherry core with notes of cassis, blackberry and herbs. Long rich finish. Great now with greater potential with more cellaring
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8/5/2012 - lepetitchateau wrote: 87 Points
Perhaps the bottle was poorly stored, it was a restaurant purchase, but this wine made me think of the phrase "The emperor gas no clothes..." this was sickly sweet and hot, full of alcohol and glycerin that it reminded me of a young port. It has spice and so on but -serious ICK! Did Cheateau Beaucastel get moved to Napa Valley while was not paying attention?
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8/3/2012 - Raizes Likes this wine: 93 Points
虽然喝得时候还没有完全醒开,但是已经能感受到力度和复杂度的变化,单宁丰满,果味成熟,桶味平衡处理的很用心——很值得期待陈年。
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8/3/2012 - d'Artagnan wrote: 95 Points
à Minogami par Still.
Un nez discret d'anis, d'épices, de cerises.
La bouche est très pure, veloutée, le fruit dense et mûr. Il y a des arômes de réglisse noire prononcés, entremêlés de subtiles cerises, avec même des nuances étonnantes de violette! Il est tout d'un bloc, mais quel bloc! Une concentration attendue d'un tel millésime, mais sans aucun excès. On a laissé la matière première s'exprimer dans toute son opulence, les tanins mûrs sont enfouis sous ce fruit abondant. Il faut lui laisser 10 ans pour s'affiner et s'affirmer comme un des grands Beaucastel de cette décennie voire davantage. 94-95 + pts
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8/3/2012 - discoduckglue wrote: 92 Points
Big, rich and young. Blackcurrent perfume and almost Barossan. Nice but hopefully a little better on the 2nd day. I will hold my remaining bottles for a few years and try again.
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7/24/2012 - Dale M wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hrs. Easily one of the darkest, most compacted Beaucastel to ever cross my lips. Though certainly somewhat a typical for this estate, the purity of the fruit concentration was something to behold; never jammy or overtly ripe, but simply a massively compacted core of bright dark red cherry fruit. Around the edges one sensed some Grenache-ness, spice cake, new tire smell, etc. Very long on the finish. Tremendous upside I think.
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7/5/2012 - Tom_Neyman wrote:
Family member over... paired with 4 Wisconsin cheeses. Went down a bit muted... It WAS good, but from what I read this was supposed to have a "sewer" nose... What do I know.
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6/19/2012 - strugs wrote: 95 Points
My oh my. Enjoyed this bottle on my birthday with a nice homemade irish stew. What a great wine. It is incredibly well balanced - lots of dark fruit
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5/21/2012 - tgkswine wrote: 94 Points
Big and young, this was very, very good the second day. I will be putting this away for at least 3 years before I try my next bottle.
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5/13/2012 - Matt Scott wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for two hours. I notice so much spicy stewed tomatoes, melted licorice, dark-roasted coffee, plumeria, hoisin sauce and salty rock. Longer than a fortnight, concentrated and very robust. There's deft balance on the evokingly, nascent finish; velvety and approachable tannins - with a backbone for decades of aging potential, even though this has New World aspects as well. Layer upon layer of coffee and berry. There's spice on the velvety mid palate. Different from any other vintage and honestly seems more like something from Manfred. For years of inspective observing. Drink 2014 -.
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5/6/2012 - Saint Stephen wrote: 94 Points
Killer with brined game hens grilled quite mercilessly under bricks. Very young and will surely be great wine for 20 years or more, it was jammy but not in a bad way - just huge fruit with just a touch of copper, blood, and Earth - delicious.
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4/29/2012 - Mackmoo wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted. Full bodied. Complex nose. Still has a long way to go yet but very approachable now. Nice finish.
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4/16/2012 - StainedGlass wrote: 93 Points
I had no intention drinking this so young, and the distraction of company kept me from taking proper tasting notes, but I was quite pleasantly surprised with how delightful and lush it was with rabbit. Deep perfumes, rich red fruits, fennel, with some nice minerality. Somone described it as primal and that works. If life were perfect, I would have waited to open or bought more for later, but I still enjoyed it now nonetheless.
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3/31/2012 - JustOneMore wrote: 90 Points
Smokey raspberry and dark fruit notes with a slightly sweet undercurrent, almost like a faint Agua Fresca or Sangria. There is a smoothness that is unusual, without noticeable acidity, but certainly does not make up for a somewhat monolithic flavor profile. I experienced a finish of up to 2 minutes, which would be remarkable if the wine had been more complex. Did not improve with being open 24 or 48 hours. Parker rates this 96. I don't. Good, not great.
Day 5: After letting this bottle sit on the counter for another 5 days (about 40% remaining, air removed with Vacuvin pump), the flavors seem to have developed a bit. The Agua Fresca notes have been replaced with a hint of classic honey/vanilla. It's also developed a little more acidity, which was missing during the previous days. I'd give another star at "91". Very good, but not a blockbuster.
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3/20/2012 - alanr wrote: 91 Points
A good, perhaps not great Beaucastel, though quite outstanding for the vintage in my opinion. Oozes dark, rich, deep red fruits, some spice (which may be part flavor, part alcohol), hints of woodsy garrique, good acidity and moderate fine tannins. A pleasant wine, with just enough complexity to make it interesting, but at a ripeness level - though not syrupy - that turns it into a more ordinary new world wine that lacks the special-ness I expect of an excellent Beaucastel.
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3/8/2012 - St Paul wrote: 93 Points
Very deep dark meaty fruit. Good structure and quite long finnish. Great to a fab Entrecote at Tarantella in Hamburg.
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3/2/2012 - NWA wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful nose of red fruit and some earth. In the mouth it's silky and luscious, with cherries, fig and some red candy - without being overly sweet. It is reaching a very approachable phase in its evolution and it's tannins have settled down to a level where they are still present but not overpowering. It still has some alcohol, tannin and acid where it counts, though, and I think it will continue to mature for many years. This was a great bottle of wine.
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2/23/2012 - Marc wrote: 94 Points
Dense wine with a very warm bouquet. Thick and plummy with scents of nuts (peanuts), caramel and dried herbs. Close to unctuous in the mouth, Currently the wine keeps its tannin hidden but the wine still has clarity and form. This is quite unlike earlier Beaucastels as it is clean and closer in style to more mainstream, more heavily grenache based wines. I imagine that in years to come, the grenache component will become less dominant and the mouvedre will assert itself. Fascinating wine and should improve over the next few decades. I will be curious to see if it follows the maturity curve of earlier vintages... 94++
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2/19/2012 - Mingmong wrote: 92 Points
Earthier nose, a little musky, herby nose. Fuller, rounder, rich dark red fruit. Good structure to the wine, meaty and succulent red fruit. Good long finish.
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2/18/2012 - Alex H wrote: 89 Points
More perfumed with hints of spicy black florals. Has more acidity which provides a refreshing lift to the black granite finish. Spices and garrigue. A more elegant expression. Nice and quite complete.
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2/17/2012 - chrisa23 wrote: 94 Points
from 375ml... Still very young, but much more drinkable after 2 years than last one tasted. Rich deep dark fruit and nicely balanced. A top notch year.
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2/13/2012 - KeithSurg wrote: 89 Points
Very good, well-balanced wine. Somewhat thin, however, with a short finish. Not what I expected given other reviews - bottle variation?
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2/10/2012 - KevinMc wrote: 96 Points
So absolutely, unbelievably good. The nose is intensely earthy and fruity. The palate is lush, full and loooooooong. It tastes like a fresh, juicy plum, but isn't overly fruit-centred. The thing I love about wine is how there are so many different incarnations of "excellent". Bordeaux, Burgundy, Shiraz, new world, old world... Each one has it's own elements of "excellent". This wine is the epitome of Chateauneuf.
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1/23/2012 - don_quichotte wrote:
Hard to rate at this stage of its evolution. There's plenty of fruit and all sorts of spices but the 14.5% alcohol is very noticeable and overpowers the wine. I am hoping that it will all come together in due course, but I am not entirely sure... In any event, not much fun to drink today - wait 5+ years.
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1/13/2012 - juffer Likes this wine: 95 Points
I served this in my wine course. Intensely primal right now. Blackberry fruit, great minerality, a bit of cured meat and smoke in the nose, rich mid palate, long acidic finish.
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1/1/2012 - MarkusK wrote: 94 Points
Truly outstanding. Nose is fine with red fruits and some sweet candy and licorice notes. It starts smooth with red fruits - raspberry, cherry and a hint of strawberry - followed by just the right acidity, herbs and spices with some heat bridge to an amazing finish where wood/smoke and soft, silky tannins round it out. Great composition and balance.
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12/28/2011 - peterk wrote: 94 Points
Lovely, big, young wine with loads of fruit and with super balance. Velvety smooth.
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12/17/2011 - Reptibark wrote: 93 Points
A very ebullient nose right out of the bottle, this wine was drunk after a crazy, long day with grilled cheese and was the perfect end. Didn't bother decanting as the wine is young and I used proper glassware for plenty of swirling, the nose if tart cherry, dried cranberry, on-the-vine raspberry and strawberry. Not as much non-fruit aromas as I expected but still a lot going on. Palate is lush and full figured with plenty of fruit and a finish that lingers for a good length. Very, very good!
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12/3/2011 - Weston3220 wrote: 90 Points
Vertical of Beaucastel [94-08 minus cpl yrs] (Vancouver, BC): A: Med Int
Mushroom, Touch of Fruit
T: med+ Acid, med+ body, med+ tannin, med+ int, med+ finish
Big Fruit, Chocolate, Dark/Concentrated
Conc: Dark Structure, youthful, would like to see how it develops. This coming off from the 'hot/ripe' 07
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11/30/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 91 Points
Beaucastel charity dinner @ Tanjong beach club: The nose is highly expressive here, unmistakbly a CDP with its complex aroma of sweet licorice, kirch liquor, spices, Provençal herbs and . The perfumed aroma of violet and lavender at the background only added better depth and fragrance to it. Rich and untouosly texture, with good mid palate depth that is so sappy which contribute by the rich healthy dose of red and black currant fruits, raspberry all firmly backup by good minerality, ripe tannin and acid backbone. Polish and energetic. Very fine. 91-93
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11/25/2011 - Niagara wrote: 94 Points
Excellent, though could use a few more years in bottle to round off the rough spots.
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11/24/2011 - cr84 wrote: 96 Points
A very fine wine. Nose made of pressed red berries, particularly raspberry. A beautiful grenat glass. The legs are unusually heavy for a Chateauneuf du Pape. A slight synesthesia of aromas joined by some pepper and an acidic background: it is gorgeous. A more complex final still developing berries. It is multidimensional. The soft tannins are melted in this structure. It is definitely ample
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11/9/2011 - snmliotta Likes this wine: 93 Points
Available for a reasonable price on-board the Carnival Inspiration. A little underwhelming, but still very good.
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11/5/2011 - Revenga wrote: 92 Points
Chinese local dinner/Shum Cheng/Nang Kee/HK. Last wine of the evening. Not decanted. Young. Red fruit, notes of light berry jam. Light body, not showing full potentials. But enjoyable!!! Open for a short window?
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11/3/2011 - madia wrote: 94 Points
Chateauneuf du Pape Tasting (Wine Route Savion): Exquisite, complex nose – mostly ripe fruits and earth. Full bodied and round. Still a bit aggressive needs a few years to calm down. EXCELLENT (98$)
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10/13/2011 - randyjc wrote: 88 Points
Tis a puzzle. The wine was not shut down but, rather, just lacking in fruit. Decanted 9 hours. Muted nose that, to us, never did offer up the gorgeous southern Rhone smells. Hard pressed to pick it as CDP if tasting blind. Black, tightly structured, firm but not powerful tannins. Alot of depth, soils and minerals, and finishing with a tarriness that I like. Is it going to become great? Or is it going to stay devoid of fruit as it is? I'll revisit this in 3 to 5 years and see but if it doesn't develop, I'll have no need of it.
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9/17/2011 - Texoenophile wrote: 94 Points
Fruit is still fresh but ready to enter shut down mode. Very delicious to drink.
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9/3/2011 - Chrisw97 wrote: 92 Points
Ruby red, light colour in the glass. The bouquet offered hints of violets, dried raspberry, flowers and blood/iron that meld together into a fresh and complex body which is slightly acidic and ends with a kirsch taste that lingers on for a while. You can still taste the fruit after 50 seconds. This is very young to be drunk now and we can only imagine how this multilayered CDP will develop in the cellar. Overall the complexity should give way to the soft and fruity body. Let's see.
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8/31/2011 - DemeesterWim wrote: 93 Points
This is very nice. First aroma's after opening were fine red fruits (lots!) and a bit jammy (candylike) but still very fresh. After an hour in the glass the nose came gorgiously together. This will be awesome when the tertiar aroma's kick in. Still very approachable now but my advise is wait, it will be better. Try next in 2017.
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8/27/2011 - Matt T wrote: 94 Points
Birthday wine. Decanted for a few hours. Primary on the first day with some raspberry notes, strong pepper, and oak on a medium finish. On the second day this showed much more complexity with some soil and mineral notes emerging and the finish went on and on. A great wine that will be much better in time.
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7/10/2011 - Yagil Likes this wine: 89 Points
2nd Technical tasting course #4 (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): dark transparent red, pinky rim
floral, cherries & fine woody aroma
full body, leather, spices & dry flavors, tannin & bitterness ok, good harmony, long aftertaste.
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5/29/2011 - geppetto wrote: 97 Points
Absolutely beautiful. Decanted for about an hour out of a 750ml bottle. Only a small taste as this was with a tasting group of 10 people (too bad it was so big). This is such a young CdP, but is really drinking amazingly well. The fruit is incredibly vibrant, complex and rich. This is still readily available at my local BCLDB signature store and I really want to buy more, but it is pretty close to the top of my budget at this point in my cellar development. I want to drink my bottles now, but also want to see how it progresses!!! I should have been born rich!
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5/28/2011 - pacificoast wrote: 89 Points
I'll give it an 89, being at the top end of "Very Good to Excellent". The next higher grade, "Outstanding", above 90, naaah, not so much. To place this wine within 3, 5 or 8 points of the CdP superstars of this vintage is utterly absurd, being such superb works as the Marcoux Vieilles Vignes, Usseglio Deux Frères, Janasse Vieilles Vignes, Clos St. Jean Deus Ex Machina, etc.
A nice wine, but the best I can describe it is "nondescript". It tastes like a very nice typical CdP, but that's about it. Nothing special in the nose, nothing special on the palate. I taste kind of a generic, not terribly tannic, reasonably accessible wine, plus a little bit of pepper, and some alcohol, and not much more. There's a reason why the Beaucastel luxury cuvée, Hommage à Jacques Perrin, or the Deus Ex Machina, sell for $600 and more, and this one sells for $75. Namely, it's a very nice $75 bottle of wine. Nobody's ever going to be chasing after this wine in coming years, and it will never ignite a bidding frenzy at an upcoming Bonham's auction.
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5/27/2011 - Johnd@alloceanyachts.com wrote: 96 Points
Stunning example of this wine, deep, balanced, will be outstanding in 10 to 15 years, was gift we drank together.
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5/13/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 91 Points
This wine was serially tasted in double-blind fashion over a two-hour period at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Ken Johnson. The robe is opaque ruby and the nose shows moderately intense aromas of blackberries, garrigue, licorice and vanilla. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity and big sweet tannins. The flavors mirror the nose, with a somewhat heavier oak influence than most vintages from this producer. The long finish ends with a whiff of heat. This is a well-made Châteauneuf which will need time to fully strut its stuff. It may warrant a higher score in the future. Drink 1/15-12/25.
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5/9/2011 - winemanintheden wrote: 96 Points
I wanted to see what this was like so cracked open the bottle. Obviously it needs a nice long decant. On the nose, its initially muted. However with a little time. it opened up with garrigue, red fruits, earth. Alcohol is prevalent. Young ruby bright red colour. Holy moly on the first sip I can already taste its power and finesse. Its too young BUT this is going to be awesome when its ready. The finish is beautiful and the wine is really good. Compared to the Coudoulet a year ago? This is the big brother. I'd easily give this wine 95-96 pts right now off the bat for its well balanced and good finesse. Not at all over the top, but just simply a beauty!
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4/29/2011 - PASimon wrote: 91 Points
Very good - full of Vibrant fruit, subtle Pepper and acid backbone. I like my CDP young...but this is probably too young. It will be significantly better in about 2 years.
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3/14/2011 - jmcmurtry wrote: 92 Points
Excellent. Awesome CNP. A little disappointed by acidic bight on the finish but we are pushing the window. Should have let it be for a couple more years but that's what the next one is for - lol.
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2/21/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
The nose pops with kirsch, garrigue, kirsch, pepper, black plums, blackberry and truffle. Thick, round, concentrated and potent, this delightful, complex wine ends with suave textures and a lusty, spicy kirsch finish. This reminds me of what 90 Beaucastel tasted like in its youth
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2/15/2011 - dstein12 wrote:
No score this time. Had a half-bottle two months ago, which was fantastic. This one, which was purchased from Sherry-Lehmann on Saturday and was kept at a constant 55 degrees until opening, was closed down and didn't open up even though we decanted for 3 hours last night. So much potential, but I would strongly recommend that it stay cellared for at least 3-4 years.
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2/5/2011 - sehill Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted and poured, this showed similarly to a previous bottle. This seems to have benefited from an additional year of bottle age. The large scale, muscular structure remains; however, this bottles shows additional nuance and more forthcoming aromatics. This will continue to improve with additional bottle age.
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2/5/2011 - FieldingYost wrote: 91 Points
Notes of plum sauce, fig paste, roses. Focused attack, with tart red and black fruits, notably cherry, plum, and blackberry. This is layered, not as ripe as either the '04 or '05, and will benefit from short-term cellaring to loosen up the finish.
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1/3/2011 - Joelene wrote: 91 Points
Disappointing, hopefully improves with age.
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12/28/2010 - Jhcwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
On openning - Nose - nice fruit, tannic, abit of complexity. Palette - Fairly tannic, overwhelms the fruit. The fruit is there, and likely delicate, but it is overtaken by the tannin. There is also abit of alcholic heat. Score - 91. After 1 hour decante, some of the tannin receded and the fruit emerged. Score 92. After a further hour in the bottle - not much better. Score - 92, or 93 tops. I have tasted and preferred the 2008. It is likely that the 2007 has more tannin and simply needs time. In short, I openned this bottle too young.
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12/27/2010 - AMM3RD wrote:
92-95(???) Pts. This wine is too young for me to judge, huge Chat du Pape. Big dark fruit and spice. I can't wait to enjoy this wine when it resolves itself, but for now I would guess a 4+ hour decant MIGHT help bring the fruit into balance...AMM
2nd night...Last glass and a half, was stored on the counter with the cork stuck back in the bottle. 93+ Pts, this resolved most of its lack of focus, and was a clean beam of dark red fruit. Wait for this one...AMM
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12/26/2010 - Texoenophile wrote: 97 Points
Exceptional. Absolutely one of my favorite wines of the world. Decanted 6 hours. Way to young to drink but sexy, opulent, foul, and carnal all the same. Loads of beautiful cherry Grenache fruit with the tannic earthiness of Mouvedre. Grenache is dominant now. Loads of herbs/garrigue, large whiff of lavender, a bit of leather, and black-pepper smoke. Just awesome. Drank with Leg of Lamb. Almost a sin to drink a wine this good.
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12/23/2010 - calgarywino wrote: flawed
Just a hint of being corked - still could feel the power in this one.
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12/20/2010 - bmacartney wrote:
Decanted 1.5 hours. I was concerned about this wine not being approachable however it is drinking beautiful already. Not much on the nose but a little alcohol on the end. Red fruits and spice on the palate. Silky smooth with a great finish. Already looking forward to the next bottle. Drank with herb crusted rib roast.
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12/13/2010 - melzar wrote: 94 Points
Tasted at an '07 Southern Rhone tasting. Very approachable at this stage, and preferred by the group over the likes of Vieux Telegraphe La Crau. Well balanced, great finish, and expected to age well.
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12/12/2010 - Woodsider wrote: 94 Points
Rich aromas of very ripe dark cherries, plums, kirsch and a hint of fine wood tannins. Lovely flavors of ripe, sweet black cherries on a sappy mouth coating with refined tannins and minerality completely burried by the fruit. Even thought this is a massive wine, it manages to be quite precise and almost transparent with a very good back-end cut. Huge but well balanced and deliniated with acids and tannins that drive an extremely long finish that doesn't evern quit or bite.
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12/11/2010 - dstein12 wrote: 96 Points
From a 375ml at Jean-Georges in NYC. This was extraordinarily good despite its youth, and far surpassed the coudoulet from '07 which I had earlier in the year (as expected). Red and black fruits plus a hint of fig, not too tannic. I'm a big fan and glad I have a bottle of this at home.
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12/10/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 94 Points
Prettiest nose of the tasting; lot of fruit showing here. Very primary on the palate, lots of power and spice. Almost unfair to pour this with the 08s tasted just before it. Has a slight diesel-like hint on the nose too, that I could see turning into the signature Beaucastel dirt/funk over time. Delicious wine. 93-94+.
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12/4/2010 - Goldstone wrote: 93 Points
Lunch with Pierre Perrin, Chateau Beaucastel (Chez Patrick, 26 Peel Street, Central, Hong Kong): Dark purple-red translucent colour. Nose is very tightly closed....precise but all fresh box-wood. Palate is very nice indeed......velvety, rich ripe black cherry-driven pure fruit, vanilla pods, cream soda - very young and primary but drinking beautifully. Tons of rich vanilla ice cream on the finish. Great length but slightly inky and headachey resonance inside the head because of its youth. Absolutely delicious......which is saying something because my normal preference is for much older wines, such as the 1988 we drank alongside this.
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12/2/2010 - joshwoodward wrote: 92 Points
Simple red fruit on the nose, like a Napa Cab with talc thrown in. Better on the palate. Structured, concentrated, tightly wound. Still relatively simple, though. $120
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11/18/2010 - Jhcwine wrote: 92 Points
Tasted at the LCBO tasting counter, bottle openned today. Nose - nice fruit. Palette - interesting fruit, some complexity. Abit of tannin. Balanced. Nice. I'm looking forward to openning my 2007. Someday.
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11/16/2010 - DemeesterWim wrote: 93 Points
Comme il faut ! Compact and very tasty , 8,5 Caudalie
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11/10/2010 - beezer6 wrote: 96 Points
The Ultimate Wine Experience (Binny's South Loop - Chicago, IL): Really stunning and profound wine. Has a bit of everything - and by a bit, I mean a lot. Spice, creamy, gobs of fruit and pungent sulfur.
Light on its feet but well structured with multiple layers.
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11/6/2010 - austinbeeman- austinbeeman.com wrote: 97 Points
One of the finest young Chateauneuf-du-Papes I have ever tasted. Intense, dark, and brooding. (You know this wine is going to be something very special in a decade.) But the ripe Grenache red fruits carry the day. You could totally drink this now, but why? $110
www.austinbeeman.com
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11/2/2010 - ludwigbpm wrote: 91 Points
Loin de l’archétype du Beaucastel habituel, on est ici en plein dans un style fidèle à 2007, sans tomber dans l’extrême. L’encépagement procure probablement au vin une meilleure stature que les bombes de grenache, de même qu’une bonne acidité qui laisse présager le meilleur pour l’avenir. S’il ne m’a pas vraiment marqué, je ne m’inquiète pas pour l’avenir.
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10/31/2010 - joshwoodward wrote: 92 Points
Churchill's: Smackdowns (Maumee, OH): Missing the magic from last time, seems to be a little closed down? The nose is fairly open, with dark fruit. Smooth attack. Slightly simple this time, though, and very much so for the price. Some oak showing. Medium tannins and body, medium+ acid. $111
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10/29/2010 - Adam T 12 wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with last bottle... I freaking love this wine. Totally worth ~$115. Great nose, fruit forward, delicious!
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10/14/2010 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting- Brief Notes (San Francisco Design Center): Love the nose. Palate isn't as intense as promised from the nose.
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9/29/2010 - jarjarbinx99 wrote: 87 Points
Jeune +++ Alcooleux, aurait eu besoin de carafe 3-4 heures. Bon potentiel beau fruit.
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9/26/2010 - basement_medicine wrote:
Good lord this was delicious.
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9/25/2010 - alr6767 wrote:
K&L Rhone Tasting Fall 2010 (K&L San Francisco): Big meaty nose, jammy fruit, unintegrated oak(?), red fruit, medium-long finish. Those who like Beau. will like the '07.
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9/25/2010 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
K&L Rhone Premium tasting (K&L, San Francisco): A bit more meaty than other CDPs, good cooking spices. Palate is very balanced, long pleasurable finish. Very good, but nothing special yet.
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9/25/2010 - drwine2001 wrote:
Premium 2007 Southern Rhone and 2006 Guigal Single Vineyard Cote Rotie (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Medium color, certainly not saturated looking. Not showing much on the nose, which is surprising since it is relatively ripe, sweet, and open in the mouth. Mourvedre fruit and tannins arrive late. Just a bit of alcoholic heat at end too, but enough wine to stand up to it. This was clean, very pretty, and quite approachable-in a word, quite "un-Beaucastel-like". A completely different animal from the '05 at the same stage, which was bigger, more tannic, and completely closed. I imagine that this will appeal more to lovers of Grenache-based Chateauneuf than to old time Beaucastel fans.
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9/19/2010 - VindependenceDay wrote: 96 Points
Tremendous - more complex than the 2000 Beaucastel tasted alongside, but still a bit tight. Raspberry, cassis, tannic, leather, long finish. Bracing acid.
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9/18/2010 - awinestory wrote: 94 Points
A key "academic" blind tasting at CC
color: very deep intense almost opaque purple
nose: med+ intensity, red flowers, spice, ricp opulent purple fruit, velvet ...
palate: med+ intensity, incredible sense of earth and power and muscle ... grainy tannins
dry acid is med tannin is med plus body is med plus alc is st 15 finish is earth, cherry, clay, dirt, black cherry, hard backed earth ...finish is med+
30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 5-10% Syrah
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9/12/2010 - kultcha wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 3+ hours and was still a bit closed when I first started drinking it. Deep dark colour. Nose was tight but there was some leather, earth, slight floral. Very concentrated body with some sweet red fruit and plums hinting out behind grilled meat, leather, earth, pepper and some chocolate. Medium acidity very long finish. Still a lot of tannins. Scored based on current profile. Will definitely be mid-90s with some age. I picked up a half bottle as I really wanted to see the potential and as much as I enjoyed it, I felt guilty for not just putting it away. Definitely considering getting some more in a variety of sizes.
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9/9/2010 - acheng wrote: 91 Points
My second time with this wine in a month. Showing similar to last time. Bright racy red fruit with touch of bandaid and pepperiness. Too young.
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8/24/2010 - hutch wrote: 95 Points
This was quite the surprise in my experience trying Beaucastel. There was just so much fruit in here. Really shows what a crazy vintage '07 was. At first, that slightly candied, sugary Mourvedre thing I've gotten from Mourvedre blends in Cali came through, though this was much more complex then those wines. Slightly spicy. really fascinating. This really started picking up through out the night. Gained more depth, the up front fruit faded a little showing a lot more behind that initial exuberance. Each sip kept getting better. I'd hold this for 5 years minimum.
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8/14/2010 - gharbour Likes this wine: 96 Points
Nick and Colleen's Engagement Dinner at Ma Langue Sourit, Luxembourg (Luxembourg): This wine was the star of the evening for me. CdP's are Leslie's favorites and Beaucastle is one of the great CdP's with 2007 being the outstanding vintage of recent times. We decanted for 1.5 hours due to the youth of the wine. It had intense aromas of pepper and candies red fruits. The mouth feel was like a big spoonful of Fruit de Bois jam! Unbelievably bold and full. Spice, earthy, licorice and layered with complexity. It was a lot of wine to go with a rapade de Lapin. This wine will improve over the next 5 years for sure and probably 10.
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8/14/2010 - nicholasharbour Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ma Langue Sourit (Luxembourg): Great wine. Decanted for a good hour. Amazing mouth feel. Bold and focused. Red fruits, earthy, liquorish... complex. Highly enjoyable on its way up. Hold.
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8/10/2010 - Double-A Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cherry, lemon verbena and lavender with a raisined, tarry note on the nose. Full and warming with good minerality; understated, but complex finish. Needs at least another 3 years.
4/5
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7/31/2010 - acheng wrote: 90 Points
Big and bold. Sweet, peppery, juicy with medium length.
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7/23/2010 - mbenz wrote: 94 Points
From a 375. No decant. Enjoyed this greatly. Supple fruit on the nose, silky mouthfeel and a delightful, medium-long finish. Paired with pork tenderloin.
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6/7/2010 - ewineguy wrote: 93 Points
sock your knocks off good. Inky dark purlpe. A nose of fruits, and bbq meats, and earthy tones. In the mouth you got all of that and more. Licorice, currants, minerals, spices and peppers. It was a great accompanyment to the simple bbq chicken we served. This is an great CdP. Get some if you can.
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5/30/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
BBQ'ing with Brian, Karen, Ken and Kelly (The Scotts (Landenberg, PA)): Surprisingly very elegant, soft and silky. Feminine. As it opened the mouvedre started to show a little. I didn't find it very tannic it all. I will pick up a couple more to stash away for a long while. Very nice.
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5/22/2010 - GalvezGuy wrote: 94 Points
CellarTracker Texas Offline; 5/21/2010-5/22/2010 (San Antonio): Nice nose of sour red fruits, leather, vanilla, oak, pepper, black fruits. On palate, sour cherry, leather, sweet black fruit, pepper. Finishes long with a nice acid spine. Infanticide. 94 for now, has some upside.
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5/21/2010 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 93 Points
CellarTracker Texas Offline - Part One (San Antonio, TX): WIML93-95?
Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of flowers, berries, plums and a bit of currants. Rich and juicy flavors of berries, plums and light notes of blueberries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full bodied. I know we killed a baby here but man is this drinking so well right now. Quite the surprise. If you want to open one right now for the pure hedonistic pleasure it'll bring. Otherwise, hold. Hold a long time.
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5/15/2010 - Adam T 12 wrote: 95 Points
One of the best wines I have had in years. Powerful and focused. Plenty of fruit and plenty of tannin. Drinking great now (I decanted for 5 hours) and I assume that it will get better with age. This wine is relatively easy to find and I am going to buy more.
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5/8/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
A bit tight and tannic. No decanting on this wine and it needed it. Earth, floral, grilled meat and leather on the nose. Palate is showing some complex flavors and a tannic sensation is evident. Medium finish and I would like to revisit this wine with some serious decanting. 93+
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4/26/2010 - vy#10 wrote: 95 Points
Fabulous freshness and balance. Tons of fruit that goes on forever in the palate. Sweet tannins. Loved it.
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4/25/2010 - dre wrote:
3 Decades of Chateau Beaucastel with Tomas Perrin. (Ambrosia Event Center. Victoria, BC.): Nose of dense fruit but it comes off very carbonic. Lots of tar, menthol and sage.
The palate is very tight. Massive drying tannins dominate while bright acidity keeps this fresh. Lots of current, plum, menthol and herb notes. Long finish accentuates some earthy notes.
Delicious, hold at least 10 years.
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4/13/2010 - Miceri wrote: 90 Points
Spiced, nice
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4/4/2010 - mike5446g wrote: 96 Points
Decanted very briefly (20 minutes?). Super fleshy and ripe dark fruit up front, plowed over with garrigue-driven hot stone. I can't believe how well this is drinking! On the palate it is so complete, this measly note will not do it justice. Wraps it all up with a very satisfying, several-minute finish. Drink it now and you will love it. Drink it in 5 years...
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4/1/2010 - Double D wrote: 90 Points
Disappointing when compared to so many excellent new 2007 CdP's that are drinkable right now....It should get much better
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3/28/2010 - tooch wrote: 93 Points
Nose is full of dense cocoa and cherry. At this stage in its life, this is a weighty, dense, powerful Beaucastel. Very pure fruit, with a dense mid-palate. I really enjoy the spices and herbs that come through on this wine - cinnamon and clove are most obvious. This wine isn't closed at all right now. The "classic" Beaucastel funk, damp earth, and forest floor are nowhere to be seen at this point - so if that's the profile you're looking for, I'd wait on this for a WHILE.
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3/26/2010 - will2wine wrote: 96 Points
Strikingly pure aromas of plum, grape, licorice and violets, tinged with iron and garrigue. Parker's descriptor of "pen ink" seems apt. Dances on the palate, yet packs a punch, like Muhammad Ali. A dazzler.
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3/22/2010 - Jack Likes this wine:
Good meaty fruit with a little acid showing through. Tannin seemed to be non existent. Lots of potential to come.
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3/18/2010 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
RUSSK WWiz at Valentino's, not one of my favs.
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3/6/2010 - Machiavelli wrote:
Medium garnet. Very primary nose that is however intense and complex. A slight hint of barnyard. Palate is ripe intense, balanced with a broad palate and a long finish. Wow will this be good! I think the best since 2001.
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2/27/2010 - joshwoodward Likes this wine: 95 Points
Churchill's: 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape (Maumee, OH): Open nose, ripe black fruit. Smooth like whoa. Concentrated and super-elegant. I'm sure this will improve, but this is amazingly accessible and ready to roll right now. $111
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2/19/2010 - sehill wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and poured, this wine showed density and texture on the palate with youthful dark aromatics. The bouquet shows black fruits, tar, rocks, pepper and black licorice. This is a muscular, large scaled wine that will benefit from bottle age.
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1/11/2010 - chrisa23 wrote:
Drank one of a few half bottles to see how the wine evolves. Very young, as expected, and while its a nice drink after decanting at least an hour, this will age nicely. Was expecting a little more, but still good.
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1/9/2010 - mdefreitas wrote: 90 Points
Football & Chateauneuf du Papes @ Howard's 2010 (Old Greenwich, CT): Very large scaled for a Beaucastel; packed with muscular, ripe, sweet, rich fruits. Seemed more at place as a cocktail wine today.
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12/25/2009 - JJL wrote: 93 Points
The nose has petrol, motor oil, white pepper, mushroom and plum. The palate has more plum, soy, blackberries, but not overly ripe fruit. Long spicy finish. Not as balanced as the Clos or Janasse, with a higher acidity. This is one of the more reserved '07's that may be less enjoyable in its youth than some of the bigger wines, but it may also benefit more from age.
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12/14/2009 - marcw23 wrote: 95 Points
No formal notes, but brought this bottle to a wine party and it was probably the top wine of the evening, which included many other high-end great wines. I just bought 6 more bottles.
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12/11/2009 - llink wrote:
VVW tasting. Sweet nose, showing red fruits and minimal provencal herbs. Softer and a little round on the palate (compared to VT and VD), displaying deep but one dimensional berry flavors that are candied. Firms up after an hour in the glass. Minimal tannins and structure, I'm not sure how this is going to evolve. Note: no horsey, bretty flavors at all, this was very clean but somewhat uninspiriing for a Beaucastel.
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11/28/2009 - ekenneth wrote: 97 Points
Yeah. OK. I realize it's irresponsible to open this at this point. That said, here goes...
There's some tannin, but it's not overpowering. There's alchocol; a fair amount of it that should soften over time. This is brilliant and not undrinkable at this point. There's a rich, stewed fruit quality on the nose and on the palate, there's bright raspberry and blackberry, stewed plums, fig, a touch of persian spice/ allspice and a hint of the leathery, beefy quality that will come out more in the years and years (and years to come).
This is supposed to be the best vintage in many years, and that may very well end up being the case.
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11/26/2009 - ken-yyz wrote: 96 Points
Possibly the best young Beaucastel I've ever had. The nose is intoxicating with floral notes, bright red fruits and an array of spices. The palate is rich and ever changing - from darker blue and black fruits ending in bright raspberry and cherry. The spicy finish is long and very pleasant. Almost tastes like a barrel sample but wow, what a barrel.
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11/22/2009 - beachbum wrote: 95 Points
1/2 bottle
I always try each vintage on purchase, the nose is not huge, but shows tarry, pure dark kirsch, slight mushroom and bit of alcohol
but the palate is just wow!violets, cherries, mushrooms, and the longest silky plushness, goes for a long time and glides down with complexity. this is the real deal and has the texture which exceeds recent vintages, tannins are in there but are masked with all the fruit, shows the glycerin that I recall from 89
not a huge bruiser either, but needs 10-15 years ( that is after just drinking a perfect bottle of 89)
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11/21/2009 - last chance wrote: 95 Points
The nose had cherry, plum, tar, anise and ecualyptus on the nose. No funk, brett, or barnyard aromas at all. The palate was full of dense, ripe red fruits wtih hints of the tar and mint coming through. This was the first time that I had tasted a CdP this young, and I was thrilled that this wine had such a great showing. The brett hasn't bloomed here yet, so this wine tastes very clean and fresh. I enjoyed that, even if the funk is a signature of the Beaucastel... I was fine without it.
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11/18/2009 - pjaines wrote:
Farr Vintners Tasting - London; 11/17/2009-11/18/2009 (Vintners Hall - London): Ding dang do - what a nose!!! Very complex, deep nose of multi-layer fruit, earthy notes, mushrooms, dry herbs, some anise in there - very beguiling. But whats this? The palate is out of whack with the nose - there is a weird tang at the back of the palate that unbalances the wine. Still young, so I would hope this would sort itself out over time but a shame the palate doesnt match the nose. I actually prefer the 2006 to the 2007.
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11/9/2009 - alanr wrote: 95 Points
2007 Chateauneuf tasting at Beltramos: Gorgeous dark, intense red fruit, medium/full bodied, earth, spice, anise, garrique, this has it all. A potential 89 in the making? This anchors the other end of the spectrum from the more feminine, elegant, but equally complex Vieux Telegraphe in the vintage.
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10/22/2009 - ews3 wrote: 94 Points
2009 Wine Spectator NYWE Grand Tasting (Marriott Marquis, Times Square, NYC): ripe plum and sour cherry. long finish reminded me of chinese sweet & sour sauce. really interesting.
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10/19/2009 - pawine wrote: 95 Points
Tasted the 07 Beaucastel last week at a Beltramos 2007 Rhone tasting. It’s a very impressive wine. IMHO, the best Beaucastel since the 2001. Better than 2005.
I tasted it over a 2 hr period from bottles that were specially air shipped for the event. At first I was not impressed with the wine. It was thin and not integrated. Not that interesting. After a couple hours of air, the wine changed in a big way. It put on lots of weight and became better integrated. Solid amounts of fruit with great structure. It’s a very serious wine that is not as flashy or forward as many of the other 2007 rhones. It requires lots of decanting or 10+ years. 95/96 pts.
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10/5/2009 - keelegl wrote: 94 Points
Young CDP is funny; it can be so open and delicious in its youth or completely closed and not enjoyable. This was thankfully open at the moment with black cherry and raspberry on the nose and palate. Very clean and fresh with plenty of juicy ripe fruit. A delicious mix of power and elegance. Hard to imagine this wine is related to some of the bretty beau’s I have had in the past.
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2/9/2009 - Philippe_C wrote: 95 Points
Powerfull nose of licorice, ripe black fruit, mushrooms and ripe peperonis... Extremely powerfull in the mounth, very ripe black and red fruit (not jammy), refreshing acidity, very very long with ripe and silky tannins... enormous, must buy wine
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11/10/2008 - dave747400 wrote: 94 Points
Farr's Christmas tasting.
Cask sample.
Red WOTN, easily.
This is a beauty. Intense fruit all over the place, all wrapped around Beaucastel terroir. Caught at a good time before bottling, this may shut down. But when it comes out the other side this will be a legend. This cask sample could be drunk now - amazing. 93pts from Sal, which is saying something.
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