Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016

The Perrin family produces hundreds of thousands of cases of quality wine per year, from their own vineyards and others, among Famille Perrin, their négociant brand La Vieille Ferme and their rosé partnership at Château Miraval. But Château de Beaucastel remains their spiritual home and their flagship, and the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape shows why—it’s a powerful and complex statement. The estate vineyard, an ancient riverbed with distinctive round stones, is farmed organically. The grapes—all 13 varieties traditional to the appellation—are hand-picked and vinified separately. Most are fermented in concrete vats, while the Syrah and Mourvèdre ferment in oak. After blending, the wine ages in large oak vats for one year before bottling.

Tasting Note

Youthfully reticent, but warm and polished in feel, with a large core of cassis, raspberry and cherry puree notes lying in wait for now. Threads of red licorice, warm stone and singed mesquite and cedar emerge steadily through the lengthy finish as the fruit unwinds slowly. Concentrated yet precise. Sock this away in the cellar. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise, Cinsault and others. Best from 2023 through 2040.—James Molesworth