Beaucastel Dinner (menu)

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Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey


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The Hommage 2011 was out of magnum and the Hommage 2012 was out of 3 liter (photo shown above).

. . . . Pete
 
They made an Hommage in 2011? they must have changed their policy about only making it in good years?

What was the Tourelles like? I tasted it once after the Perrins bought the estate and it was an over-oaked mess. But that was a few years ago.
 
Jonathan, the 2011 Hommage showed very well. It was drinking a bit better on this occasion than the younger, darker, riper 2012 which was out of a 3 liter.

With the Tourelles, there was nothing not to like if you like Grenache (I seem to recall that you might not care for Grenache?). I believe Marc said it is 80% Grenache plus Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre. The Mourvedre adds a nice element of complexity I thought.

I asked Marc his feeling about oak. And he said he didn't favor it at all and seemed to have feelings similar to mine about oak so often being offputting.

. . . . Pete
 
No, I'm a Southern Rhone wine fanatic, which means I think Grenache is just dandy.I am very oak averse, though. I'll have to try Tourelles again to see if they've reduced the oak regime. If it were as it was when I tasted it, I doubt you could have missed it.

There are very good 2011s, particularly for drinking now. It is no surprise that it showed better than the 12, which is a year that will need a while to come out. But it is no one's idea of a great vintage there. My point was that I thought they only made Hommage in great years. Maybe I'm wrong about that.
 
Jonathan, I wish I had known that it would be useful to ask Marc about their criteria for making Hommage.

[EDITED TO ADD] I just googled and saw some assertions that the Hommage is only made in the best years. Don't know if that it old news or still true.

By the way, back on the Tournelles, Marc alerted us to look for blueberries and, sure enough, they were readily identifiable once we were cued to look for them.

. . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

Jonathan, the 2011 Hommage showed very well. It was drinking a bit better on this occasion than the younger, darker, riper 2012 which was out of a 3 liter.

With the Tourelles, there was nothing not to like if you like Grenache (I seem to recall that you might not care for Grenache?). I believe Marc said it is 80% Grenache plus Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre. The Mourvedre adds a nice element of complexity I thought.

I asked Marc his feeling about oak. And he said he didn't favor it at all and seemed to have feelings similar to mine about oak so often being offputting.

. . . . Pete
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perhaps you don't correctly recall marc's account of the composition. . .

from john livingston the hommage a jacques perrin is:

60% Mourvèdre (oldest late 1940s, 1950s, and subsequent hand grafted replacements from the Courrieux vineyard site near the ch“teau of the Ch du Pape village), 20-30% Grenache, 5-10% Syrah, 5-10% Counoise (was 70% Mourvèdre, 10% each Grenache, Syrah, Counoise until early 2000s), aged large barrel 18 months, fined, unfiltered,
 
So I tasted the 2015 Tourelles Gigondas at the Gigondas Caveau today. The oak regime was definitely very much reduced, but it was still there. The wine was OK, but at over 40 Euros (ex cave price in France!), I could name 10 other Gigondas at half the price or less that were much better. Beaucastel will always have a distinctive place in the world (I tasted their 16 at Printemps au Chateauneuf), even after they've cleaned themselves up out of some of their distinctiveness, as will Coudelet, for me. But I really don't see what they are doing with Les Tourelles, and they've owned the place for over 10 years now.
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

Marc alerted us to look for blueberries and, sure enough, they were readily identifiable once we were cued to look for them.
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*Everything* is readily identifiable once you're cued to look for it - whether it's there or not! In wine and everything else.
 
Jonathan, thanks for sharing your opinions.

The wine showed well at our dinner as per the opinions of all the attendees. Otherwise, the ratings I've seen on the wine (with apologies for referencing ratings here) have all been [E] or above with glowing remarks.

I'm not familiar with enough Gigondas to form an opinion on whether the price (~$40+) for the Tourelles is justified relative to its competition. Personally, agreeing with you, I wouldn't rush to pay $40+ for it.

As always, different strokes for different folks...and neither side is right or wrong when it comes to wine opinions.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

. . . . Pete
 
Amazingly, given the ex cave price, the Wine Searcher price I see for the Tourelles is $45=50. I wouldn't even consider it for that. One can still get Raapail Ay and Gour de Chaulé for $30 an St. Damien and Joncuas for well under that.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
Amazingly, given the ex cave price, the Wine Searcher price I see for the Tourelles is $45=50. I wouldn't even consider it for that. One can still get Raapail Ay and Gour de Chaulé for $30 an St. Damien and Joncuas for well under that.
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jonathan--i've read in the past that st. damien is under the influence of cambie, which would make me think that it would not be your cuppa tea.
 
originally posted by robert ames:
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
Amazingly, given the ex cave price, the Wine Searcher price I see for the Tourelles is $45=50. I wouldn't even consider it for that. One can still get Raapail Ay and Gour de Chaulé for $30 an St. Damien and Joncuas for well under that.
Click to expand...

jonathan--i've read in the past that st. damien is under the influence of cambie, which would make me think that it would not be your cuppa tea.
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I understand that it is a Cambie wine. There are a couple of others that are Cambie wines that I also like. I don't know what to tell you except that either he or I are not to be trusted.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
originally posted by robert ames:
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
Amazingly, given the ex cave price, the Wine Searcher price I see for the Tourelles is $45=50. I wouldn't even consider it for that. One can still get Raapail Ay and Gour de Chaulé for $30 an St. Damien and Joncuas for well under that.
Click to expand...

jonathan--i've read in the past that st. damien is under the influence of cambie, which would make me think that it would not be your cuppa tea.
Click to expand...

I understand that it is a Cambie wine. There are a couple of others that are Cambie wines that I also like. I don't know what to tell you except that either he or I are not to be trusted.
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well, i lack the data to answer that conclusively. i do have access to st. damien wines, but based on the cambie connection have not tested those 'waters'. looks like it's time for me to give their wine a try.
 
Just to help you in your research, I also like Domaine la Garrigue. Their Gigondas isn't available in the U.S. but the Vacqueyras is pretty easily found.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
Just to help you in your research, I also like Domaine la Garrigue. Their Gigondas isn't available in the U.S. but the Vacqueyras is pretty easily found.
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Slightly off topic - but you seem to be one of the few CnP aficionados on the board - which estate(s) might you suggest for someone who likes Grenache but eschews wood, high alcohol and extraction? Which recent vintage(s)? 2014?
 
Roger Sabon Olivets, Les Cailloux, Mont-Olivet Mt Papet, Font de Michelle, Deus-Ex Machina St Jean, Vieux Donjon, Rotem Mounir Saouma Omnia, Texier VV, Vieux Telegraphe La Crau, etc., etc.

. . . Pete
 
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