Château De Beaucastel - Châteauneuf-du-pape Hommage À Jacques Perrin 2017 (750ml)

Jeb Dunnuck 100 points

"On another level, the brilliant 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is just about all Mourvèdre (there are small amounts of Grenache, Syrah, and Counoise) brought up in a large foudre. It reveals a saturated purple color as well as a super-rich, blockbuster-styled bouquet of blackcurrants, blackberries, ground pepper, truffle, charcuterie, and God knows what else. With full-bodied richness, a stacked, opulent mid-palate, building tannins, and a sensational finish, it’s another perfect wine from this team and is unquestionably in the same realm as the 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2016. Give bottles 7-8 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 40-50 years. One of the reference point estate in the Rhône Valley, as well as the entire wine world, is that of the Perrin Family’s Château de Beaucastel. Located in the northern, cooler part of the appellation, the estate covers roughly 100 hectares of vines from which they produce a red and white Côtes Du Rhône (from vines just outside the appellation), two Châteauneuf du Pape whites, and two Châteauneuf du Pape reds. Looking at the Châteauneuf du Papes, both whites are Roussanne dominated, with the Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc being roughly 80+% Roussanne, and the Roussanne Vieilles Vignes cuvée being 100% Roussanne. The Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is one of the greatest whites made in the world in just about every vintage and while it drinks beautifully young (a recent bottle of the 2014 was off the charts) it also has the capacity to evolve for decades. As to the reds, the classic cuvée comes all from vines around the estate and is unique for its high Mourvèdre content, with the blend normally in the realm of 35% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, and the rest Syrah, Counoise, and other permitted varieties. Aging occurs in a mix of barrels and foudre. The flagship Hommage A Jacques Perrin cuvée comes primarily from a single parcel of 90+-year-old Mourvèdre vines located just behind the estate. Raised in foudre, it’s a powerful, singular, exotic expression of this variety, and there’s no one out there that does it better."

Wine Advocate 98-100 points

"The preliminary blend of the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin is about 75% Mourvèdre, which performed exceptionally well in the heat of the vintage, according to Marc Perrin. It's the second consecutive potentially perfect vintage of this cuvée, which never misses the mark, in any event. Licorice and red berries mark the nose, while the wine is full-bodied and concentrated yet almost weightless, delivering remarkable savory, spicy nuances and a long, long, long finish. Yes, I did indeed write "long" three times in my notebook"

Decanter 98 points
"An immediate, dense fog of blackberry, violet and mashed blueberries rises up out of the glass. There's a touch of iodine, and that animal-tinged Mourvèdre character. This is full-bodied, much denser and more concentrated than the Tradition this year, with great extract and heft, deep-set acidity and great length. Fresh and balanced despite its power, with serious grip. You could drink this now with a charred ribeye, but there's much to gain from waiting; I would suggest from 2029. Around 60% of the blend comes from old vine Mourvèdre from their Courrieux vineyard. Grapes are destemmed, fermented in tronconic wooden vats using natural yeasts after a."

Vinous 97 points
"Glass-staining ruby. Dark berry preserves, cherry cola, Moroccan spices and licorice on the intensely perfumed, mineral-accented nose. Palate-staining, sharply focused black/blue fruit, spicecake and candied violet flavors show superb energy for their depth. Picks up mocha and succulent herb nuances with air. it finishes extremely long and smoky, with resonating floral and spice notes and mounting tannins."