2016 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1/7/2019)
This is really fruit-forward…more so than the 2015 I had a few months ago. I think it’s possible I’d even guess this wrong if I tasted it blind. Scents of violets, earth, manure, along with ripe notes of plum, with a hint of fig. The palate is awash in ripe red & blue fruits, tobacco, leather, and clove. Excellent…but I’m going to wait on the remaining bottle I have in the hopes that it calms down with time sideways.
Wow!! I have never tasted a Beacastel so young. This sounds ridiculous!
If you had several I would not say it is ridiculous. If I wanted to see if this works for me and used it as a data point for more purchases I would not say ridiculous. If I was only ever thinking of buying one bottle of this than yes it is ridiculous.
I like trying CDPs young especially over the course of several days to predict long term evolution.
I had the Donjon the other night to see if I wanted to order more. It was definitely on the ripe side for my tastes and I’m hoping it will mellow over the next decade. Not buying more than the 5 I have left.
Steve, have you ever encountered premox with the VV? I had 2 out of 6 bottles of the 1995 badly oxidize by 8 years. Not the odd, pseudo-oxidative dead zone the VV sometimes goes into and recovers from, but dark brown and dead as a doornail. No ullage, no signs of leakage, stored in my cellar since release. I haven’t heard widespread reports of this but I started drinking them young, which misses a good part the enjoyment. Wonder if I’ve become too cautious.
Jeff, what about this vintage leaves you with that impression? I’ve only had a handful of young Beaucastel (01, 04, 05, 09, 10, 12, 15, & 16). Of them all, the 01 & the 15 tasted the most similar in their youth to me. This 2016 seemed a lot more intensely fruited and on the level of almost being over-ripe to my tastes. I will certainly allow my remaining bottle to rest a VERY, VERY long time.
First, I am going to go out on a limb a bit further and say the 2016 Hommage Perrin is also the best vintage yet for that wine as well!
If I cannot make those choices, I should not be posting those comments, my notes/scores or maintain a website. I have tasted more than enough young wine (and in the case of Beaucastel, more than ample different vintages) to have a very good idea on how the wines I taste often will develop.
Are you saying that when you get a good score from a reviewer, you ask them how they can make such a positive judgment when your wine is still young?
Jeff, I didn’t read that as a challenge to your ability, but as a request for more detail. Jeff’s TN can be found at the link he posted above. It’s very positive.
Of course every baby wine has a long way to go before reaching the mature complexity required to establish its bona rides as “best ever,” and some just don’t turn out as predicted. I liked Beaucastel better when it was a bit dirtier/bretty. I may be in the minority but its cleaner profile isn’t a positive in my book. It’s still one of my favorite CduPs.
Just had the 2016 Coudelet and it seems definitely on the ripe side, but good- and a great value at $20. I hope Jeff is right regarding the 2016 as this year has the lowest pricing I have seen in a long while.
I’ve drank about 6 bottles of the 15 which I love, haven’t opened a 16 yet; sorta surprising that it’d be more fruit forward than the 15 per vintage notes.
You can read my notes here -