Very nice. Impressive purity; penetrating aromas of pear, golden raisins and honey. Great texture and balance. Ready to roll. Regretfully, the last bottle from my case... Although nice from the start, this wine has improved significantly over the last few years.

Five of us gathered for a night of Beaucastel that included the '78,'81,'83,'85,'88, and '89 (see TNs). All wines were purchased upon release and stored in a passive cellar since. My first time with the 1978. This wine was showing beautifully; so refined, with a bouquet of sous-bois, dark cherry and prune, light leather and tea notes. An elegant wine with terrific balance and velvety mouthfeel. In comparison, this was more intense, with darker fruit and more earth than the '83; less weight and more refined than the wildly aromatic '81. I can imagine the '85 moving in the direction of the '78 over the next few years. I hope I am fortunate enough to cross paths with this wine again.

Drunk alongside the '78, '83, '85, '88, and '89 (see TNs). Purchased on release and stored in a passive basement cellar since. I've had the '81 only once before, about four years ago at the domaine, and this bottle was even more impressive. If I had to pick just one, this was my favorite of the night. A show stopper. Wildly aromatic and expressive, showing a wealth of tertiary components - leather, meat, sous-bois, dark, pruney fruit. Still has many years of life ahead of it if well stored, but it's just screaming now. Will the '89 show similarly in 8-10 more years?

Opened alongside the '78,'81,'85,'88, and '89 (see TNs), the '83 was the only vintage that I would say was probably better a couple years ago. In fact, although I've had the '83 a few times, I had not tried it since around '98, when it was a much bigger, funkier wine. This was the most delicate wine of the night. Lightest in color. It seems to have moved past the super-aromatic, wide-open phase that the '81 and '85 are currently in, and settled into its final stage. Red fruit, tea leaves, lightly gamey, with a slight mineral / metallic note that was not unattractive. A nice wine, though perhaps my least favorite of this great lineup...

Drunk as part of a lineup that included the '78,'81,'83,'88, and '89 (see TNs) as well. All wines bought on release and stored in a passive basement cellar since. The group seemed torn between the '81 and the '85 for WOTN. All I have to say is that the '85 is giving it all up right now. Absolutely in its prime - although, I could see it moving in the direction of the gorgeous '78 over the next few years, and some might prefer that stage of development. The bouquet of the '85 just leaps from the glass. Deep and earthy - tobacco, leather, sous-bois and licorice. Great balance. It does not have the size of the '81 or '89. Darker fruit than the '88. The '85 is such a great, typical example of mature Beaucastel. Note: This bottle of '85 Beaucastel was much more open and expressive than a bottle of '85 Pegau I tried last year which was clearly at an earlier stage of development and, although fantastic, still probably needs a few years before it really cracks open and reveals its full potential...

The dinner also included the '78,'81,'83,'85 and '89 (see TNs). Both the '88 and '83 possessed fruit than leaned more to the red side of the equation - compared to the blacker fruit of the '81,'85, and '89. The '88 strikes a nice balance between fruit and decay. Not as expressive as the '85, and not nearly as structured as the well-built '89. A very nice wine that seems to have entered its prime drinking window and, like the '83, was a bit overshadowed in this lineup. I think either the '88 or the '83 would be a very nice wine on its own, however - though I would drink both sooner rather than later!

After a disappointing bottle a few months ago (see TN), this one more than restored my faith in a wine that I've loved in the past. A great showing. Big and burly; quite structured, with black fruit, meat, licorice and tobacco. A fantastic wine with a long future ahead of it where well stored. I could see this moving in the direction of the '81 over time...

I've had this wine a few times over the last couple years, and it's always impressive, though a bit hard-edged. Many years in front of it where well-stored. Framed by fairly rigid tannins; deep black fruit, notes of espresso and tar. Stylistically, quite different from Chave's '83, which is significantly lighter than the '83 La Chapelle; more elegant and evolved at this point.

Tasted next to the '83 (see TN), the '82 is wide open and fairly advanced at this point. Strong game / earth / mushroomy elements. A nice, mature Hermitage that probably won't be getting any better. Drink up.