In 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 conditions were so favorable that the Perrin family decided to make a special cuvée in honor of their father who passed away in 1978.
•Collectibility—Truly one of the finest, most singular, and complex wines in all of the Rhone Valley and France
•Production—typically 400-425 cases are produced from 5 acres
•Average age of the vines for Hommage are 65-90+ years
•Appellation/Location—Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the Southern Rhone, northernmost sector of Chateauneuf du Pape near the town of Courthezon
•Terroir—Mediterranean climate (mild winters and hot summers), Beaucastel’s vineyards are covered by galets roulés which store heat and also help retain soil moisture. Retained heat reflects back onto the vines at night for increased ripeness and reduces acidity, Beaucastel’s vines are planted on clay soils
•Varietal Blend—typically 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Counoise except for the 1998, which had 60% Grenache and only 20% Mourvedre
•Mourvedre cuttings are from Domaine Tempier in Bandol
•Varietal Profile—Mourvedre has small, thick skinned berries that tend to be high in alcohol and tannins and are somewhat gamey in youth. The tightly formed bunches of Mourvedre are highly susceptible to rot but this is mitigated by the drying influence of the Mistral. Mourvedre also has excellent antioxidant qualities
•Varietal Aroma and Bouquet—Mourvedre aromas and bouquet include blackberry, spice, an earthy character like forest undergrowth, truffles, tree bark and animale notes like fur, leather, and game
•Mourvedre can be misinterpreted by tasters as brettanomyces
•Viticulture— most vines are Gobelet trained although Syrah is trained on wires in single Guyot, farmed organically since the 1950s and estate grown fruit only
•Vinification—destemming for Mourvedre and Syrah, fermentation in cement tank, then large oak foudres for 8-18 months, bottled after 24 months. Syrah is fermented in small oak barrels
•Vinification includes vinification a chaud—heating of the must on arrival for extraction of color, flavor and aroma, to slow fermentation and to hault oxidation. The must is subsequently cooled as it goes into tank. This heating also breaks long chain molecules to liberate valuable nitrogen for yeast nutrition and greatly reduces sulphur requirements during elevage
•Cellar Recommendations—Hommage requires proper ageing for a minimum of 6-10 years to develop and integrate (depending on vintage), and can age effortlessly for many decades
Availability as of 7/17/07
1998 blend includes 60% Grenache and only 20% Mourvedre
1998 Beaucastel - Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin $549
WA 100 Drink Date 2003-2033
….” an extraordinary effort, and from a purely hedonistic standpoint, probably my favorite Jacques Perrin”…..Robert Parker
2003 is a blend of 40% Mourvedre, 40% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Counoise
2003 Beaucastel - Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin $329
WA 95 Drink Date 2011-2046
….” A 50-year effort”….. Robert Parker
2004 was an exceptional vintage for Mourvedre
2004 Beaucastel - Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin $349
WA 96-98 Drink Date 2007-2047
…. “The 2004 is potentially one of the legendary Jacques Perrin cuvees since the debut vintage of 1989”….Robert Parker
