Château de Beaucastel - Tribute to Jacques Perrin 2015
In Courthézon, in the northern part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Beaucastel occupies a terroir where rolled pebbles cover soils mixing clays, limestones, and deeper formations. The Perrin family has defended for several generations a unique vision of the appellation, notably by the essential place given to mourvèdre. Created by the fifth generation of the family in memory of Jacques Perrin, Tribute to Jacques Perrin is the most confidential and ambitious selection of the estate. The first vintage was born in 1989 and the cuvée is only produced when conditions allow the mourvèdre to reach the desired level of maturity. The historic organic management of the vineyard accompanies an approach focused on soil vitality and the conservation of the natural balance of the grapes. The 2015 vintage benefits from a warm and dry spring, followed by a particularly sunny summer and then excellent conditions until the harvest. This generous season gives birth to a wine of great depth, but whose richness is supported by a fresh structure and remarkable aromatic precision.
Tribute to Jacques Perrin 2015 is dominated by 60% mourvèdre, complemented by 20% syrah and 20% grenache. Mourvèdre forms the backbone of the wine with dense matter, deep tannins, and a range mixing black fruits, spices, noble animal notes, and garrigue. Grenache brings more volume and a warmer expression of the fruit, while syrah strengthens the color, spicy freshness, and structure. The natural concentration of the vintage allows aging that favors integration rather than a demonstrative woody presence, with the 2015 notably benefiting from a passage in a large oak vat. The matter shows power but is particularly polished, with ripe tannins giving more an impression of depth than hardness. After more than ten years of evolution, the wine begins to open its aromatic range while retaining considerable reserve. Its structure allows for several decades of development under good storage conditions.
The color remains very deep, a dark garnet with still strong reflections. The nose develops blackberry, blackcurrant, and plum, accompanied by violet, thyme, sage, and pepper. With aeration, nuances of black olive, licorice, fine leather, truffle, and a smoky dimension appear, enhancing the complexity of the bouquet. The palate is ample and concentrated, but its power is balanced by persistent freshness and progressively more velvety tannins. The ripe black fruit dialogues with Mediterranean herbs and a mineral dimension that gives length to the whole. The finish, long and spicy, extends notes of garrigue, black fruits, and licorice in a still remarkably youthful register. Tribute to Jacques Perrin 2015 will accompany a royal hare, herb-crusted rack of lamb, roasted pigeon, venison, or cuisine around black truffle.
Grape varieties: 60% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 20% Grenache
