1990 Château de Beaucastel "Hommage à Jacques Perrin" Châteauneuf-du-Pape

In a different style than the 1989, yet every bit as good, the 1990 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin checks in as a normal blend of 60% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, and the rest Syrah and Counoise, brought up in a large foudre. Resembling the 2000 with its forward, sexy style, it has awesome kirsch liqueur, blackcurrants, dry aged beef, Asian spice, and garrigue notes all literally jumping from the glass. As with the 1989, it’s fully mature, yet still has a stacked mid-palate, beautiful density and depth, and a seamless texture. This is another magical wine from the Perrin family I wish every reader could taste. Drink it over the coming decade.

The perfection of the 1990 is based on a seamless, classic, harmonious concoction of flowers, melted licorice, blackberries, kirsch, blueberries, and Asian spices. An enormously full-bodied, sweet, expansive, amazing wine with a finish that lasts over a minute, it combines the extraordinary hedonism of the 1998 with an unbelievable intellectual appeal that makes it so hauntingly great. Even though it remains youthful, it can be drunk now or cellared for another 30 years. (RP)