Smoky aromas of black raspberry, cola, licorice, tar and dried flowers expand with air while maintaining focus. Extremely fresh, with energetic red and dark berry flavors strongly underscored by candied flowers and minerals. I kept waiting for tannins to come out but it didn't happen. Finishes lush and creamy, with lingering notes of red fruits and tobacco. The blend this year is 30% each of mourvedre and grenache, 10% each of syrah and counoise and the rest "all the others." 93-96

Beaucastel's 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape has turned out even better out of bottle than I predicted. An inky/ruby/purple color is followed by a glorious nose of blue and black fruits, truffles, pen ink, licorice, and meat juices as well as glorious levels of acidity and sweet tannin, buttressing the fruit's fabulous freshness and vibrancy. This full-bodied effort still displays considerable tannin, no doubt because of the relatively high Mourvedre content. It should resolve its tannins in 2-4 years, and last for 25 or more.