I just opened a 00 Beaucastel from a new case and it is surprisingly more youthful than bottles from the first case, which was purchased from a different store than the first case. Based upon the first case, I thought I had 5 years to go. This one is absolutely stunning (elegant, medium body, sensual nose with earthy and exotic spices all mixed up) albeit younger, I hope the whole case is this good. In context, most of the first case would be 92-94 points…this one is more like 95-96 points…just a notch/star better.
What is the concensus on when Beaus or is the plural Beaux start to drink well? 8 years after the vintage? 10 years after the vintage? 12?
Has anyone opened say the 1994, 1995 or 1998 recently?
00 beau has always been weird in regards to maturity. I have had bottles from the same case months apart where one might be closed, the other is wide open and really nice.
I had a great bottle of the 00 this past weekend that was beautiful. I think in medium vintages like 00 you can start drinking around the 8 year mark and forward. With bigger vintages like 98/01, I would say wait till the 10 year mark minimum.
I agree that 2000 Beau has always been very approachable, but in general I feel like these need about least 15 years to get interesting.
For example I find the 1999 to be pretty meh right now but am sure it will get interesting at some point. The 1998 seems to have so much ahead of it still.
If I am not mistaken, the 01 and 98 Beau have higher percentages of Mouverdre (sp?) than normal. I forget where I read that.
I’m guessing the 01 needs 5 more years to be drinking as nicely as this 00 is tonight.
Tyler
Thanks for the insight on the maturity variability. This one is definately less approachable than others but at the same time, it is a much better wine. No complaints here!
Mel,
You could be right…I think you are…I was thinking the 98 and 01 vintages had higher levels of mourvedre when in fact, it might be that the 00 had higher levels of grenache and therefore, one would expect it to drink earlier.
This one is in a perfect place for me with no hurry at all. The earlier case reminded me very much of the 1985, which I have not had in a decade. This 00 Beau is more meaty and substantial on the palate although it does have that sensual, sexiness like the 85…seamless. It is almost airy.
I have a 99 lined up to open soon. Your note makes has me rethinking that.
Has anyone else had a 99 recently?
I don’t drink these very often. The last one I had was an 04 over a year ago. That one was so nice as a youngster it had me questioning whether I don’t prefer them really young.
Some of my semi-recent Beau notes. If you have a Beau other than the 1999 I would try that. I think it will get to a good place, but my last note said to “wait 5 years”.
2000 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1/6/2010)
Mmm, this has always been an especially forward vintage of Beau, and this bottle was no exception. Berry and briar, very Grenachey in personality, showing plenty of structure but with lovely baby fat overlaying this. Amidst the bright berry tones are some musky, dusky hints of Mourvedre, but the Grenache runs roughshod over it. Mouthwatering and juicy at first, this does clamp down on your palate with a vengeance. Pure, tight, deep, dusk flavors. Far more four-square than most Châteauneuf. (93 pts.)
1990 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (12/11/2009)
Another amazing bottle of 1990 Beau. I utterly love this wine. Enormously complex nose, leather, animal, hint of smoke, roast beast. Gorgeous palate, quite vibrant given the richness of the sweet core, herbs and hot wind across a dry Provencale field, really everything I look for in a great CNDP. (96 pts.)
2005 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/23/2009)
This as a GREAT baby-killing of a young beast of a wine. Great nose, smoke, mineral, truffle, mint, and black pepper. Crazily complex, earthy, pure and intense. Great palate, very tightly wound, a gorgeous core of fruit to this, embryonic Beaucastel flavors, bitter chocolate, cranberry. Smacks of young Mourvedre. Gorgeous young wine. DAY 2: Kept about 1/5 of the bottle overnight. Still quite fresh, bright red fruit, not showing any oxidation. Really great young Beau. (94 pts.)
1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (10/26/2009)
A really nice 1989 Beau. Not too bretty. Popped and poured, wonderful Chateauneuf, pure, meaty, powerful. Explosive nose. A delicious wine.
1999 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (6/19/2009)
I haven’t had this in about four years, and it has come along nicely. Meaty notes on the nose, reticent. The palate shows good acidity, tart cherry and dry Provencale herbs. With food it gains a lot of weight and intensity. A lighter scaled Beaucastel, it is starting to remind me of the 1994. I think it needs about five more years to get to prime drinking. (90 pts.)
1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/6/2009)
Mmm, very reticent and brooding on first pour. Over the course of 2 hours this gained aromatic interest and showed more and more bright fruit. Very clean, loaded with pure, feminine, Grenache-y flavor, lots of raspberry, excellent acidity, an exceptionally lively and fresh wine. I was surprised at how fruit forward this was without a lot of the meaty, dusky animal personality I usually expect from Beaucastel. Quite a beautiful wine.
1981 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (5/27/2008) Dinner with the M&S crew (Seattle, WA): A strong wine and always a favorite beau. Black olive, beef blood, brooding and powerful. On any other night this would have been strong, but tonight this was outclassed by the 1979 Beau. A nice meaty wine but this bottle was a little dull and muddy compared to the heights of the 1979. The last glass did seem to improve though with an extra 90 minutes of air.
Recently had a vertical amongst other tastings (need to upload more TNs to CT). 81 was mature, 89 is nearing a maturity plateau, 94-96 could use more time, 99 onward -forget about it. 20+ years to get it real good imo.
1981 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/19/2010) Mini Beaucastel Vertical (81-01) with 86 Sauternes (Bethesda, MD): This goes to show you what aging Beaucastels does. This was unequivocally the WOTN as it had the greatest depth of pitch on the nose, offering a complex array of iodine, blood/meat, garrigue and light cracked pepper. Beautiful hints of boysennbery and cherried fruits, with such a well knit balancing of all of these elements. The palate does not disappoint, as it has such a wonderfully plush feel but a great depth of flavor and balance. It pairs magically with meats and could not be left alone. The depth of this wine undoubtedly was the element which benefited the most from bottle age. The Charlie Rose of the night. (96 pts.)
1994 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/19/2010) Mini Beaucastel Vertical (81-01) with 86 Sauternes (Bethesda, MD): Darryl and I found this wine to be cut from the same cloth as the 81, albeit in a more rudimentary phase. This is the Beaucastel I would back up the truck for and my favorite amongst the consecutive trio. It has the groundwork of iodine, blood and candied fruit, but lacks the harmony and depth of the 81. I suspect in 10 years it may get there. 94+ (94 pts.)
1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/19/2010) Mini Beaucastel Vertical (81-01) with 86 Sauternes (Bethesda, MD): This opened up a bit weird. I felt that it may have been a slightly unsound bottle, as it had an uncharacteristic attack of heat on the nose, but we were fortunate that it below off after about 15 minutes. The wine steadily picked up weight in the glass and I held onto my for the evening (along with the 81) to see how it progressed. While it began to widen and grow, it never approached the heights of what this wine is capable of in pristine form. At its best, I found a wonderfully perfumed attack of candied fruit, with lushious provencal herbs flirting on the back of the cotton candy and mulberry compote. The palate also lacked some of the richness I find in hallmark 89 Beaucastel. The wine continued to steadily get better over the night but never to an apex. It appears to be true that 89 Beaucastel has significant bottling variation. 93pts tonight. (93 pts.)
1996 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/19/2010) Mini Beaucastel Vertical (81-01) with 86 Sauternes (Bethesda, MD): Another beauty from an unheralded vintage. This wine was quite mercurial in the glass, opening at first a bit mute but slowly developing a mélange of secondary characteristics, before switching over to a very candied and bright punch like strawberry/acai element on the nose. The palate was restrained and elegant. I think this wine is another keep. 93-94pts (93 pts.)
1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/19/2010) Mini Beaucastel Vertical (81-01) with 86 Sauternes (Bethesda, MD): the most bruising and forward of the wines tonight, this wine has kick in the mouth but is atypical in the sense that it is not as complex, rather, it is a bit more monolithic with a strong dose of pepper on the nose and a wallop of tannin on the finish. It probably could have benefited from decanting, but my impression was that the wine will never be as Burgundian as the 94 or 81, but may appease the more hedonistic drinker. Give it 5+ years regardless. 92.5+pts (92 pts.)
1999 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/19/2010) Mini Beaucastel Vertical (81-01) with 86 Sauternes (Bethesda, MD): At first a touch backward upon pouring, but it was able to find balance in the glass with some time. Clearly more primary than the other 90s, it simply was at too infantile of a state to truly enjoy. With that being said, the wine had a wonderful balanced attack of primary fruit and a persistent finish. Give it 5-10 more years, but from this glimpse, I think it is something of a hybrid between the power of the 95 and the candied pitch of the 96. Not of the same breed as the 94/81 imo. 91-94pts (91 pts.)
2001 Château de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (4/19/2010) Mini Beaucastel Vertical (81-01) with 86 Sauternes (Bethesda, MD): Immediately ascertainable as a second wine. The nose feels a bit more diffuse, lacking strictness in selection and as much focus as the grand vin. Perhaps a bit harsh for a Cotes du Rhone, but the vineyard is practically habitated in chateauneuf for what its worth… It clearly needed to be decanted as it gained composition and structure in the glass. A restrained but nice Coudoulet. I don’t think it will develop the aromatic complexity of the mid 90s Beaus, but it will reach a very nice drinking stage in 3-5 years. A true testament to the ageability of the second wine. 90pts. (91 pts.)
2005 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2/13/2010)
Opened the night before, it showed classic Beaucastel pitch on the nose (perfumed cherry and boysenberry with hints of bramble and underbrush, but hardly developed). It was an interesting showing, as I had drank 05 Coudulet several months prior and found it quite appealing and perhaps more sensible to open in the near term; The 05 Beau seemed to be a bit more reticent, demanding more patience, while the 05 Coudulet engenders good will out the gate. (92 pts.)
1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1/11/2009) A Smashing Beaucastel with Delas , Ducru Beau and a Doisy (Chateau Ehrlich): A sublime expression of candied Chateauneuf. It displayed a palate presence that I think is extremely rare: a supple and lushioush but candied brightness to its fruit. A remarkable combination that, imo, is quite rare. It held a wonderful balance of bright strawberry and cassis liqueur. The perfumed element was reminiscent of a fantastic bottle of 01 LMHB I had several months ago. It was a fully resolved wine with simply splendid nuance and a seamless but persistent presence. Back up the truck on good Beaucastel? You betcha. WOTN (96 pts.)
I’ve had the '94 and '95 within the past year or so; this particular bottle of the '94 was a bit tired, but I’d gotten it fairly recently so don’t know how it had been stored; other bottles of the '94 that I’d bought on release (drunk several years ago) were all very nice. The '95 finally opened up into a terrific bottle, but it took a day to do so (first night the wine wasn’t much to write home about; the remainder, which I’d decanted into a .375, was great on night 2). I’d been waiting to open it because everything I’d read indicated that it was very slow to come around.
FWIW, there wasn’t one bad or over-the-hill bottle among the older bottles that I’ve had in recent years ('81, '85, '88, '89, '90), although they were all completely ready to drink and, IMO, completely wonderful.
The maturity curve on these seem to be influenced as much by the vintage as by the blend.
The only ones that I regret drinking too young were my 1981’s but I might like them younger than most. I thought the 1990 was fabulous starting about 2002ish and I have no regrets opening any of them. The only other vintage that I liked in the 90’s was the 98 but failed to buy it.
10-12 years from the vintage seems like a good place for me to start drinking them if the grenache is a higher percentage than normal or if the vintage is less concentrated.
I’m waiting on my few bottles of 89 thinking that I might make the same mistake as the 81’s, opening them too early.
88 - 90 are drinking great right now. 85 was not a great vintage but it’s at maturity or slightly past. 81 and 83 are both past peak but still very nice wines. Can’t comment much on the younger ones but I would think 94 should be drinking well now.
I agree that it’s either at peak or on its downslope, but I think good bottles were simply marvelous, even until quite recently. I like it more than the '88s I’ve had, although I like those, too.
Agreed on '98s. I’ve had bottles all over the place from the greatest vintage bottle since '81 to an overripe, hot mess resembling '03. All were still showing very young. I’m just going to hold and see what happens. The variability bothers me and I don’t understand it. But for sure there will be some stunning mature wines from this vintage.
I agree with the variability issue. You will have magical bottles of Beau that have you searching for hours to find more and then others that are just… off?
Beau is notorious for this across vintages, not sure why
I was treated to a 1985 over the weekend, and it was very alive. I don’t know much at all about this wine, as I have had far, far many more older Cabernets, but dhere was plenty of life in it and was very enjoyable.