1 | Wine | Red Rhone Blend, 2005

"This is dense and chewy, but not tiring to drink, thanks to fresh acidity and an edgy, gravelly feel that drives the blackberry, currant and sweet spice notes. The long finish has great briary grip, with notes of garrigue and hot stone checking in."

"The 2005 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin represents the essence of Beaucastel. A super-concentrated, somewhat over the top style of wine based on 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, and the rest Counoise and Syrah, they only made 4,000 bottles in 2005. The wine has an inky blue/purple color, a more dramatic bouquet than the regular cuvee, consisting of asphalt, crushed pepper, fresh red beef, tar, truffle, and loads of blueberry, blackberry, and cassis. The wine is very full-bodied, extraordinarily powerful, frightfully concentrated, and very tannic and backward." Reviewed by Robert Parker. 98+ points.

"Deep ruby. Seductive dark berry and kirsch aromas are complicated by musky garrigue, black olive and dark chocolate. Dense blackberry and bitter cherry flavors stain the palate and develop a licorice character with air. Tightens up on the long, chewy finish, which is dominated by tangy red berry fruit. This hugely concentrated wine deftly combines liveliness and power."

"This wine always comes from the three best parcels of the estate – Les Serres, La Crau, and Guignasse. This hugely concentrated, muscular wine is very powerful, excruciatingly tannic at present, but super-rich. Yields were a low 22 hectoliters per hectare because of the drought, and this blockbuster, muscular, virile style of wine needs at least 5-6 years of bottle age and should keep for two-plus decades. It is certainly a terrific Mon Aieul, but for those who are very patient." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Really dense and locked up now, this is packed with dark fig, currant and blackberry fruit shrouded by layers of tar, hot stone, bittersweet licorice and espresso. The long, dense finish has a great tug of iron buried within it."

"Really dense and locked up now, this is packed with dark fig, currant and blackberry fruit shrouded by layers of tar, hot stone, bittersweet licorice and espresso. The long, dense finish has a great tug of iron buried within it."

"Seductive dark berry and kirsch aromas are complicated by musky garrigue, black olive and dark chocolate. Dense blackberry and bitter cherry flavors stain the palate and develop a licorice character with air. Tightens up on the long, chewy finish, which is dominated by tangy red berry fruit. This hugely concentrated wine deftly combines liveliness and power."

"Intensely perfumed, sexy bouquet of wild strawberry, raspberry, kirsch, Asian spices and potpourri. Suave, silky red berry flavors display liqueur-like depth and are nicely framed by fine-grained tannins. A sneaky note of licorice builds and carries through the long, sweet finish of this precise wine."

"The fabulous 2005 Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis is a resounding success. ...Dark ruby/purple to the rim, it boasts an extraordinary bouquet of ground pepper, creme de cassis, blackberries, coffee, bacon fat, and herbs. With outstanding concentration, huge tannin, and massive intensity as well as extract." Reviewed by Robert Parker. 96-98 pts.