Bottle Notes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

2004 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape – Bottle Notes

Chateau de Beaucastel, located in Courthezon in the Southern Rhone Valley, has over 250 acres of organic vineyards. Unlike many Rhone Valley producers, Beaucastel grows all 13 of the grapes permitted in the appellation and the estate uses an unusually high percentage of Mourvèdre in its red wines, usually around 30%, along with 30% Grenache and smaller amounts of Syrah, Counoise, Cinsault, Vaccarese and Muscardin. The estate’s most prestigious wine, Hommage a Jacques Perrin, is made with 70% Mourvedre. Several families have owned the estate over the course of its 400-year history and the present owners are the Perrin family, whose ownership of the estate dates to 1909.

Dark crimson in color. 14% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, garrigue, roasted herbs and anise. Medium body with perfect acidity. Concentrated and powerful at 17 years of age. Cherries, kirsch, plums and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Better than a bottle just a few years ago. Perhaps overlooked sandwiched between ’03 and ’05 but what a tremendous Beaucastel. I will wait until 2024 before opening my last bottle.

My rating: 95 points

Current vintages of Beaucastel including the ’16 are widely available at retail and a good buy in the $100 range.

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