Wine Review
| Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rating: |  |
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| Winery: | Chateau de Beaucastel | |||||||||||||||||||
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France | ||||||||||||||||||
| Regions: Rhone Valley | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Description: The vineyard is a patchwork of all 13 permitted grape varieties, 70 hectares in all. The soil is the same porous, aerated blanket of Alpine diluvium (rounded stones) on a base of Miocene marine limestone that exists elsewhere on the estate. The vines are on average 50 years old and yields are never more than 30 hectolitres per hectare and often much less. It is a vibrant and healthy vineyard due to years of organic cultivation and close monitoring of the needs of each vine. The red wine of Beaucastel as with Coudoulet de Beaucastel is a structured, intense yet lean drink, thanks in part to the large percentage of Mourvedre - about 30% - in the final cuvée. Its austere tannic backbone and resistant to oxidation help Beaucastel age gracefully. |
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| Price: | 80.00 | |||||||||||||||||||
| The Pope Picks A Fine Wine |
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| by Jason | ||||||||||
| Rating: |  |
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The name of this one indicates that once upon a time the Pope picked this wine as a favorite. You would think that a Pope would have a lot of wines available to choose from and would end up choosing an excellent one, and you would be correct. This is a fine wine in every sense of the term. Upon first smelling this one, I could tell it was very balanced. It had a syrupy smoothness, with a little hint of alcohol. It wasn't the best wine I have ever smelled, but it did hint at the taste to come. ...and that first taste, well it was nothing short of exquisite. This wine was smooth, with a capital "S". A fantastic blend of subtle flavors that were so well balanced I couldn't really pick anything specific out. It all kept swirling together in this really amazingly subtle, diverse and interesting way, and I liked it. I really liked it. Then it hit. The aftertaste, there was this wonderful finish of flavor that drifted away with ease but brought with it a rising taste of alcohol, that became overpowering. I tried it again and again, and was repeatedly delighted and then dismayed as the strong alcohol taste kicked in and put a slight damper on what may have been the perfect wine. In the end, it is undeniable that this is a truly elegant and balanced fine wine, with only a slight flaw. One that is easily made up for by everything else that is going on in this wine. |
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