The Southern Rhone produces some of the best value wines of all France. Home to the famous Chateauneuf du Pape, it also contains many up and coming villages such as Cairanne and Lirac.
Tasting notes: "Beaucastel has been on a terrific qualitative roll over the last four vintages, and the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape (which Francois Perrin feels is similar to the 1990, although I don’t see that as of yet) is a 15,000-case blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance split among the other permitted varietals of the appellation. This inky/ruby/purple-colored cuvee offers a classic Beaucastel bouquet of new saddle leather, cigar smoke, roasted herbs, black truffles, underbrush, and blackberry as well as cherry fruit. It is a superb, earthy expression of this Mourvedre-dominated cuvee. Full-bodied and powerful, it will undoubtedly close down over the next several years, not to re-emerge for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025." 96pts Robert Parker
Tasting notes: Beaucastel Blanc is produced from 80% Rousanne with small amounts of Grenache blanc, Picardin, Bourboulenc and Clairette, all of which are grown without the use of chemical fertilisers, herbicides or systematic pesticides.
The wines has a lovely complex nose of acacai and peaches, with a subtle hint of hazelnuts. it is fresh yet velvety in the mouth with an exetensive engaging honey finish.
Tasting notes: In 1993, Vieux-Telegraphe was able to harvest virtually all of its crop at sugar levels that produced a wine of 14% alcohol. Now fully mature this wine is a perfect example of one of the finest estates producing a wine of great finesse in a vintage that has never been heralded as a 'great'. This wine should convert those doubters!
Tasting notes: "1995 was a powerful vintage for Brunel. The Cuvee Centenaire remains a young, promising wine offering notes of licorice, cedar, vanilla, and sweet black currant/cherry fruit presented in a full-bodied, virile style. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2018." Robert Parker 94 points (Jan 2003)
