Château de Beaucastel, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

An intense nose follows through well onto the palate which is dominated by the black Mourvedre fruit. It probably needs time to show at its best but its gorgeous from the off and very long on the finish, possibly even better than the fantastic 2016.

Drinking Dates: 2023 to 2030+

Cépagement: 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 5% Cinsault, 15% other varieties

Soil: Diluvial alpine deposits with rolled pebbles over a former molasse sea bed of the Miocene epoch (tertiary period)

Upbringing: Handpicking and hand-sorting is followed by flash heating of the berries to 80°C and cooling to 20°C. Classic maceration in open-topped wooden vats for Syrah and Mourvèdre and in lined concrete vats for the other varieties.

ABV: 14.5%

'Moving to the two Châteauneuf-du-Pape releases and 35% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 12% Counoise, the rest other permitted varieties (Marc calls this a Mourvèdre vintage), the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape sports an inky purple color as well as a textbook Mourvèdre nose of black, black fruits, smoked meats, crushed rocks, charcoal, and pepper. It's deep and full-bodied, with beautiful purity and building structure. Production is down 40%, but this brilliant wine is certainly in the same league as the 2016.' 95-97/100 (jebdunnock.com)

'The Grenache and Cinsault are fermented in cement, while the Syrah and Mourvèdre are in foudre. Finely pixellated fruits of the forest aromas with a full bodied but fresh and lively palate. The Mourvèdre element is strong, bringing vibrancy and power. It’s firmly savoury, very dry and dramatic. A seriously structured Beaucastel for the long term.' 95/100 (Decanter)