WTN Beaucastel Hommage

Thomas Perrin (yes that Thomas Perrin) is touring through our neck of the woods. I was supposed to attend a tasting at a local wine shop of Perrin wines, but the roads are horrific thanks to an early season storm. I dropped in the store to say I was heading home early (it is 150kms) before the freezing rain got worse.
In sympathy Ed and Dirk poured me a lovely glass of
2001 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin.
Wow, this was so not what I expected. I love the Beaucastel ChndP and have tried many vintages, but had never had the Hommage.
The first shocker was all of the fruit on the nose. I got a lot of currant and cherry with a ton of undertone. Only the lightest hint of barnyard with a smattering of leather and tobacco. Full mouth and fab finish! The Mouvedre gives it great structure.

The regular Beaucastel ChndP sells for around $80 and the Hommage retails (if you can get it) for about three times that price. Parker gave this 99 points and I would give it 100. One of the nicest glasses of wine I have ever had.

Now if I was only independantly wealthy...

Ruth

Hey Ruth, you missed a good tasting, but it sounds like the Hommage more than made up for it. Lucky you.

Dirk brought out a bottle of his '98 ChndP last night to contrast with the '03. Quite nice.

Yeah, we missed you last night!!! We had a fair tasting but would have loved to try a CNDP white. The `98 Beaucastel was a nice surprise and the entry level wines were very acceptable.

[Jenise]

Sister, I want to follow YOU around. What great fortune befell you. I've never had that wine, only read about it. I'm impressed that you were that impressed.

[David M. Bueker]

I've had the 2001 Hommage twice (never my own bottle, I only own the '99), and both times it was a "prefect wine" for me as well. Fantastic juice. The last time I had it was well over a year ago, and I can still clearly recall the taste.

Ruth:

As they say in Oz, "Good on you!" What an enviable experience!

I see the '98 CdPs are discussed a bit in this thread. Does anyone out there think that drinking windows on these wines (and on the Gigondas)are approaching anytime soon?

Dave Mo

The `98 Dave? I`d say hang on a bit longer after last nights tasting. 2/3 yrs maybe.

Does anyone out there think that drinking windows on these wines (and on the Gigondas)are approaching anytime soon?

Dave Mo

I have a nice collection of the 98 ChndP and I am holding until at least 2008. The 89s and 90's were stunning in 2003 if that is any type of guide.
The Gigondas I would drink now.

I am delighted to see soooooo many Rhone hounds!

Ruth

Dave, hang on to those '98s. Thomas Perrin recommended giving them at least 10 years.

Judging from the '98 I tasted last night, I'd agree.

Ruth, I sat next to Wayne last night. He has a couple of bottles of the '89 Beaucastel ChndP. Thomas Perrin considers that his favourite vintage.

Perhaps we should have another tasting and pressure Wayne to bring the '89?

Ruth, I sat next to Wayne last night. He has a couple of bottles of the '89 Beaucastel ChndP. Thomas Perrin considers that his favourite vintage. '89?

I've got one stinking (I sincerely hope) bottle of the '89. Any idea if it has peaked yet? I am having a hard time bringing myself to open it.

Sorry, I have no clue, Covert. But I sympathize.

Wayne said it wasn't showing much, but admitted that he only gave it a brief decanting.

According to Perrin, he opens the bottle in the morning, lets it sit all day, then decants two hours prior to drinking. His instructions apply to any vintage.

Sorry, I have no clue, Covert. But I sympathize.

Wayne said it wasn't showing much, but admitted that he only gave it a brief decanting.

According to Perrin, he opens the bottle in the morning, lets it sit all day, then decants two hours prior to drinking. His instructions apply to any vintage.

Thanks. I'll research it more. Before I started collecting wine, and learning anything about it, I ordered one in a restaurant. I think it might have been an 1988 or a 1983. My memory is visual and both fit my blurry memory. It was one of the two or three bottles that turned me into a wine freak.

I've got one stinking (I sincerely hope) bottle of the '89. Any idea if it has peaked yet? I am having a hard time bringing myself to open it.

Bill Spohn has reported on this in the past year or two. From what I recall, he thought that it was just yummy now but probably capable of further growth. Keep in mind, though, that Bill's cellar is kept at a fairly low temp (50 F or so) so your bottle may be more advanced, depending on your own cellar conditions.

Mark Lipton
(who also is down to a single bottle)

Dave, hang on to those '98s. Thomas Perrin recommended giving them at least 10 years.

Judging from the '98 I tasted last night, I'd agree.

In general, I wait 8-10 years before opening any CNdP from a good year (well, and a good producer). I'm not at all sure that the '98s went through the typical CNdP dumb phase, but Beaucastel almost always develops slower than others, courtesy of all that Mourvedre. FWIW, I just opened a '93 Beaucastel last year and it was singing. My '89 is gonna wait another 5 years or so while I dip into my '94 and '95. I don't expect to open a '98 until 2010 or so, and then only out of curiosity.

Mark Lipton

Bill Spohn has reported on this in the past year or two. From what I recall, he thought that it was just yummy now but probably capable of further growth. Keep in mind, though, that Bill's cellar is kept at a fairly low temp (50 F or so) so your bottle may be more advanced, depending on your own cellar conditions. Mark Lipton
(who also is down to a single bottle)

He did indeed. I'll probably keep asking the same question every time anybody brings up having experience with the bottle and finally drink it after someone says it is past its prime, if I'm still alive.

I've got one stinking (I sincerely hope) bottle of the '89. Any idea if it has peaked yet? I am having a hard time bringing myself to open it.

We drank the 89 Beaucastel a couple of years ago and it was barnyard beautiful--full and rich--capable of longer but I wouldn't wait too long--cause it was GORGEOUS!

We drank it with the 90 and an 89 Vieux Telegraph and one other 90 ChndP (but I can't remember which one and my notes are not here).

I am happy to help you drink this anytime!


Ruth

[Jenise]

Covert, you nut, you just had a birthday. Why didn't you open this then? The wine's in it's prime stage--and one of the axioms about wine that my friends here on line taught me years ago applies here: better to drink it too young than too old. Only, this won't be too young. Maybe it will be so awesome you'll decide to spend the Lunch Bags money on another one.

Ruth - nice score on the Hommage - I've only tasted 2 or 3 - very hard to find. And you like whites, seek out the Vielles Vignes Roussanne!

Mark - my cellar isn't quite that cold, closer to 286 Kelvin.....

Beaucastel:

1989 - lot of bottle variation, many corked bottles, some mildly so. Lots of animal in the nose, but not uniformly so - makes it hard to know if you have a good bottle or not. This has started to drink well. You wouldn't be committing infanticide by popping the cork now, but no rush.

1990 - just starting to drink well, also no rush. Also shows big Brett sometimes

1994 Drinks well now - not a top vintage but quite good

1995 - my choice for killer vintage - drink over the next decade. I prefer this to the 1998

We drank the 89 Beaucastel a couple of years ago and it was barnyard beautiful--full and rich--capable of longer but I wouldn't wait too long--cause it was GORGEOUS! I am happy to help you drink this anytime! Ruth

Ruth, that is what I was waiting for. Huzzah! It's done. This holiday season it is.

I'm north of nowhere, too, but not quite as far north as you are. If you can get to the Adirondacks over the holidays, you are welcome to a glass or two.

But this time you might have to enjoy it vicariously. You can be sure I will talk about it on this forum.

Covert

Beaucastel:

1989 - lot of bottle variation, many corked bottles, some mildly so. Lots of animal in the nose, but not uniformly so - makes it hard to know if you have a good bottle or not. This has started to drink well. You wouldn't be committing infanticide by popping the cork now, but no rush.

Bill,

My one and only bottle has lost a little liquid, but I seen no signs of seepage around the seal. But that means it has suffered at least a little oxidation. RP suggests a plateau between 2006 and 2032, which concurs with your idea of it, but puts me in a dilemma with the potential cork situation. I guess I will drink it over the holidays, but if the ullage was better, I would wait.

Covert

Covert, just to make your decision harder, while there is always an enhanced risk of oxidation with too much ullage, I have had many bottles that were low fill and still wonderful.

I recently had a 1970 Bordeaux with low shoulder fill that you figure would be toast - it was just great!

But I don't think you'll go wrong drinking yours now, either.

Ruth, Bob Parsons and any other Edmonton forumites:

I just returned from the 123rd Street Liquor store to pick up some Musar Pere et Fils and noticed several bottles of '01 Beaucastel Hommage - $200 each!

Thanks Mike...digging around those Lebanon shelves again!!!!!