2016 Familie Perrin Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Drawn from a number of parcels around the appellation and including young-vine fruit from Beaucastel, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape les Sinards is a fruit-forward, juicy, mouthwatering effort to enjoy over its first decade. Cherry and raspberry fruit come together easily in this full-bodied, plush, supple wine.

The entry-level, younger vine 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards is classic, offering plenty of peppery herbs, red and black fruits, spice, and a touch of new saddle leather. It's medium-bodied, silky, and balanced, and shows how terrific this vintage was for the region. One of the old guards of the region, Château de Beaucastel is nevertheless one of the most progressive and forward-thinking estates out there. They have a wealth of old vine Mourvèdre planted in the northern part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and have purchased heavily in the cooler appellation of Gigondas. They’ve broken the lineup into their Château de Beaucastel releases for the estate wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and several additional cuvées released under their Famille Perrin label. Looking at the 2016s, these wines remind me of how the 2001s tasted on release. They are some of the finest wines in the vintage as well as ever made at the estate. These are classic, concentrated, yet perfectly balanced wines that will benefit from bottle age. In contrast, the 2017s are also brilliant but more forward and charming, and I suspect the preponderance of clay soils at this estate helped dramatically with keeping the vines ripening grapes as opposed to shutting down during this hot, dry vintage.

Grenache Blanc. 50% aged in new oak barrels. Canny blend of smoke, apple, lemon and something richer and more cooked, like bread pudding almost? Fairly low acidity. Creamy finish that could use a bit more zip. (RH)