2005 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape

A blend of 30% Mouvedre, 30% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Counoise and 5% Cinsault with the remaining 5% made up of the other permitted varieties (Vaccarese, Terret noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Picoul, Picasran, Bourbroulenc, Roussanne). The wine is given 12 months maturation in large French oak casks followed by a further 12 months bottle age before being released.

Opaque dark red crimson colour with dark red hue. The nose is a little more closed than the Cotes du Rhone upon first sniff with aromas of earth, black cherry, liquorice allsorts and spice emerging followed by some meaty end notes. Full bodied palate displaying superb concentration and structure. Flavours of dark black cherry, liquorice, spice and blackpepper with excellent length and persistence followed by some new leather and earth on the back palate. Fine grained dryish tannins, but in balance. Exceptionally long aftertaste of spice, blackpepper, dark cherry and liquorice.
Cellar 8-10 years (2017-2019)
14.0% Alc Other Reviews….
Really dense and locked up now, this is packed with dark fig, currant and blackberry fruit shrouded by layers of tar, hot stone, bittersweet licorice and espresso. The long, dense finish has a great tug of iron buried within it. Best from 2011 through 2030. 15,000 cases made.
96 points
Wine Spectator