2017 - Chateauneuf-du-Pape Chateau de Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin

Loaded with mulberry and blueberry fruit, graced by hints of star anise, cardamom, cinnamon and allspice, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin is another standout vintage for this wine. Full-bodied, rich, velvety and long on the finish, at this point, it's maybe not quite as sure a thing to reach the century score as the beyond-superlative 2018, but I wouldn't rule it out. This is seriously great wine.

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.

75% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 5% Counoise. The month of January was very cold. In fact, it was the coldest it has ever been in the last five years. There was a sharp rise in temperatures from the beginning of February and towards the end of March. Conditions were much like those in 2014 when the vintage proved to be an early one. A cold spell hit France at the end of April. Temperatures were as low as 3.7 °C on 20 April at Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The appellation then went through a vegetative period that was very hot with maximum temperatures exceeding 30 °C by the end of June (37.6 °C was recorded on 23 June and 40.5 °C on 4 August). The 2017 vintage is therefore the second hottest in the last 20 years, not quite as hot as 2003 but more so than 2015 and 2009. Harvest 4 September to 15 October.Dark glowing purplish crimson. Sumptuous, spicy red wine rather than particularly recognisable as Châteauneuf. Really quite structured. Indeed the finish is pretty chewy. But the fruit is certainly intense and bright. Pretty smart winemaking with spice the dominant note. (JR)