Standard - 75cl
ETA: 12-14 weeks
ETA: 12-14 weeks
A deep, quite herbal expression, with liquorice and crushed blueberries to the cassis fruit. Full-bodied, powerfully fruited, dense and deep. Really mouthcoating, intense fruit. The tannins are ripe, fine and plentiful, all saturated in blackberry juice on a long finish. Certainly one of the more successful Châteauneufs this year. Will age well. A Mourvèdre-led expression of Beaucastel - it contains more than usual, at least 35% and probably more. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre.
Meaty, spicy, flowers, thyme, and peppery, dark red berries pop in the nose. On the palate, the wine really shines, due to its larger than usual percentage of Mourvedre in the blend. Concentrated, rich, lush, deep and intense, you find a minty, peppery edging to the red berries on the mid-palate and in the long, salty finish. The wine blends 35% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and various other AOC allowable red wine grape varietals along with 10% white wine grape varietals. Drink from 2024-2040.
The 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape ratchets up the intensity from the Coudelet, adding more pronounced Mourvèdre-derived notes of truffle and tree bark to go with ripe black cherries and plums, crushed stone and hints of dark chocolate. Full-bodied in the mouth, with ample concentration and richness, this gently tannic wine finishes long and velvety, with echoes of licorice and dark fruit. It's a standout from a difficult vintage.
Including more Mourvèdre than usual (40%), the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape sports a deep ruby/purple hue as well as an utterly classic Beaucastel nose of ripe red and blue fruits, spice, game, truffly earth, and ground pepper. Reminding me of the 2012, it's medium to full-bodied, has a layered, concentrated md-palate, sweet tannins, and a great finish.