2023 Beaucastel - Chateauneuf du Pape (750ml)
One of the great names in all of France, biodynamically farmed since the 1950s and one of the few estates to plant and utilize all 13 permitted Châteauneuf varieties. A vintage shaped by Grenache losses due to shatter, pushing Mourvèdre to a dominant 40% of the blend — a shift that adds extra depth and structure. The wine wafts from the glass with aromas of pepper, garrigue, dark berries, and flowers; medium- to full-bodied, round and sappy on the palate, with a layered core of fruit and a dense, precise mid-palate framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a firmer, gently spicy finish. The 2023s across the appellation are more alluring and accessible than the structured 2022s, focused on red and black fruit complexity — built to shine earlier while the finest are still built to last. Aged in large foudres, as always. Drink 2027–2045