Château de Beaucastel : Hommage à Jacques Perrin 2019

Gorgeous perfume jumps out of the glass here, strongly scented and inviting. This is succulent and sweet, with an almost cherry kirsch, alcohol kick to it, but in an excellent way. Mouthwatering and brimming with energy, there’s depth, spicy edges, and a silky-smooth mid-palate. It’s seductive and heady while also complex, nuanced, and layered. A long life ahead.

Cask sample, tasted at the domaine. Brooding, powerful nose, kirsch, white pepper, damson and crushed violets. A pure, saturated core of dark, mineral-laden fruits, liquorice and blueberries – powerful and fine-grained, with rounded, structured tannins backed by superlative acidity. A powerful thoroughbred. One to watch! (AC)

Glass-staining ruby. A deeply perfumed bouquet features black raspberry, cherry liqueur, boysenberry, exotic spice and floral scents that show outstanding definition and smoky mineral lift. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering wonderfully concentrated black and blue fruit preserve, violet pastille, spice cake and savory herb flavors that possess unlikely vivacity for their depth. The strikingly long, floral- and spice-driven finish is shaped by steadily building tannins that play nicely with the wine's intense fruit.

Incredibly concentrated, almost dense, yet even with all the weight, heft and power, everything here is perfectly balanced, allowing you to focus on all the meaty, dark red fruits, peppery spice, grilled beef, flowers, smoked cherries and plums. This palate-staining gem delivers a solid 60-second finish that builds and expands. This is not a wine for consumers without patience, as you should wait at least 12–15 years before thinking about pulling a cork. But based on tasting numerous previous vintages, this is going to be worth the wait. Drink from 2030–2050

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Smoky and spicy, black berry fruit, soft notes of liquorice, fine wood spice, dark minerality. Complex, tight-knit, taut, some coffee, fine supporting tannins, chocolaty finish, great length, nougat on the aftertaste, certain ageing potential, still somewhat reserved, nevertheless it is already somewhat drinkable.

The tiny production 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is the customary blend of roughly 60% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache, and the rest Syrah and Cinsault that’s brought up in foudre. One sexy, powerful, full-bodied Southern Rhône, it sports a dense purple hue as well as a kaleidoscope-like array of blueberry, scorched earth, candied violets, pepper, and some almost northern Rhône-like meaty, smoky nuances. Full-bodied and incredibly pure, with a stacked mid-palate and ripe, supple tannins, it’s another vintage of this cuvée that will undoubtedly offer pleasure in it youth yet won’t hit prime time for a solid 7-8 years, and it should see its 30th birthday in fine form.

An aromatic profile that seems wood-dominated to me—more flattering without being unbalanced. Black fruits and spices provide emphasis. This is a powerful wine, with a concentrated, rich palate. It shows breadth; it’s a cellaring wine. Its power needs time to tame.