Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape 2023

A deep, quite herbal expression, with liquorice and crushed blueberries to the cassis fruit. Full-bodied, powerfully fruited, dense and deep. Really mouthcoating, intense fruit. The tannins are ripe, fine and plentiful, all saturated in blackberry juice on a long finish. Certainly one of the more successful Châteauneufs this year. Will age well. A Mourvèdre-led expression of Beaucastel - it contains more than usual, at least 35% and probably more. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre.

Dark and dense, showing real power and concentration. Offers more than just ripe fruit, with violet, blackberry and plum cruising alongside black pepper, salt-cured meat, toasted spices and a ballast of solid iron. Gutsy in feel, with pleasing chewiness, this ripples with energy through the youthfully tight finish. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvedre, Counoise, Vaccarese, Terret, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Picardan and Roussanne. Best from 2027 through 2040.