2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Les Sinards

Coming from a number of parcels spread throughout the appellation, and getting the younger vines from Chateau Beaucastel, the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape les Sinards is an outstanding wine. Possessing beautiful purity in its black raspberry, crushed flowers, pepper and hints of olive, it flows onto the palate with medium to full-bodied richness and depth, a layered, seamless texture and good underlying structure. It shows additional tannin on the finish, but the overall feel here is one of upfront fruit, so drink it over the coming 5-6 years.

Very sweet, blossomy nose strongly reminiscent of cow parsley (what's that in French?). Honeysuckle on entry and then a hint of linden blossom. Exuberantly floral and quite full bodied. Ready! But with a bit of astringency on the finish. (JR)

A wine that’s partially made from younger Beaucastel vines, the 2012 Famille Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape Les Sinards comes from the cooler, northeastern portion of the appellation. Medium-bodied, with quality mulled black fruits, spice-box, licorice, olive and stony mineral notes, this chewy, savory and structured 2012 will have upward of a decade of longevity. Drink 2014-2022. Covering a full 175 acres in Chateauneuf du Pape, with significant holdings throughout the Southern Rhone (mostly vinified at and released under their Famille Perrin brand), Chateau De Beaucastel is a benchmark estate that excels at all price points. Looking at the wines reviewed here, 2011 is surprisingly strong (especially for the Chateauneufs) and with their perfumed aromatics and supple textures, they show a lot of similarities to the 2009s. The 2012s as a whole show more freshness and purity, with good concentration, and should require more bottle age to come around. Both vintages are worth seeking out. Looking at the 2011s across the board, all of which were in bottle, it appears to be a strong vintage here. While the vintage suffered due to uneven ripening in the Grenache, it was actually a solid vintage for Mourvedre and this shows, particularly in the Chateauneufs. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802