Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Beaucastel, Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, Perrin - Château de Beaucastel 2012

Even more impressive and coming from a single parcel of vines planted in 1909, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is an off-the-hook effort and certainly the greatest white produced in the Southern Rhone. Offering up exuberant and perfumed notes of marmalade, buttered citrus, orange rind and lavender, this full-bodied voluptuously textured white has knockout richness that's balanced by gorgeous purity and freshness. Always showing brilliantly in their youth, this cuvee can shut down and be hard to judge when (or if) it will come back around. Per the Perrin family, every vintage goes through this stage and re-emerges at some point. You can drink them in their exuberant youth (which is my recommendation), or cellar them and hope for the best. Drink now-2018+

The 2012 Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes was beautiful, with notes of rose petals, delicate apricot marmalade and honeysuckle. The wine was medium to full-bodied, fresh and endearing.