Wine Advocate
par Robert Parker le 30/08/1996
Quantities of the 1995 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Jacques Perrin will be slightly more abundant than the 300 cases of the 1994. The wine reveals a black/purple color, and a huge nose of Provencal herbs, smoked olives, grilled meats, and sweet, jammy black-cherry and black-raspberry fruit. Full-bodied, and oozing with extract and glycerin (nearly concealing the wine's formidable tannin levels), this blockbuster Chateauneuf du Pape will need a minimum of 10-12 years of cellaring; it should keep through the first half of the next century.
This wine was tasted between June 1 and June 16, 1996.
Beaucastel represents the highest level of serious, artisanal winemaking, but readers need to keep in mind that Beaucastel is the most atypical wine of Chateauneuf du Pape, so different, it almost deserves its own appellation.
Beaucastel has had spectacular vintages in both 1994 and 1995. In 1994, the estate began its harvest early (August 31). In 1995, the key was to wait out the two weeks of intermittent showers between September 7 and 19, and pick late. The success of this philosophy was seen time and time again when tasting the successes and mediocrities of the two vintages. Those producers who harvested early in 1994 made the finest wines, but in contrast, those who picked late in 1995 were usually the most successful.
The red wines of Beaucastel have a tendency to close down once they are bottled, as the high percentage of Mourvedre begins to dominate the wine's personality for the following 6-10 years. For example, the 1993 Beaucastel, which was so flattering after bottling, is completely shut down, and it is anybody's guess as to when it might re-emerge into full bloom. The 1994 and 1995 red wines are made from riper fruit than the 1993, but do not be surprised to find them more structured upon their arrival to these shores.