2018 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape
The Wine Advocate
RP 95+
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Release Price: NA
Drink Date: 2022 - 2037 ⇒飲み頃に入っています
At the moment, Beaucastel's 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape bucks the vintage trend toward open, expressive wines, seeming a bit closed on the nose and tight on the palate. It also shows a bit more depth and tannin than many of its peers. A blend of 30% each Grenache and Mourvèdre, with 15% Syrah, 10% Counoise and smaller amounts of other permitted varieties (including some white grapes), it delivers hints of mixed red berries and garrigue, a medium to full-bodied feel in the mouth, some dusty tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish. Give it another couple of years to soften and reopen, then drink it over the next decade and a half.
When I tasted with Marc Perrin back in 2019, he was insistent that 2018 was a terrific vintage, despite crop losses early in the season. Based on the performance of Beaucastel's finished wines, his assessment is understandable. The 2018s here are highly successful, showing ample concentration, complexity and length allied to considerable freshness. Yields in some parcels were as low as eight hectoliters per hectare, but the wines aren't jammy or overly tannic—although they are definitely structured to age.
Published: Dec 31, 2020