Vinsobres VV Hauts de Julien, Perrin - Château de Beaucastel 2016

From the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel. This has really vibrant blackberry and blackcurrant aromas with sage and thyme beneath, very fresh and well-defined. The full-bodied wine has concentrated fruits, with clear oak influence that's well integrated and adds spice and complexity of aroma and texture. It has good tannic grip, fine acidity and plenty of fruit for a punchy but well-balanced wine that's a bit of a beast. Drink 2019-2026.

Grenache, Syrah. 50% aged in barriques. Cask sample. Definite new oak influence giving vanilla on the nose, and raspberry ripple ice-cream fruit. Chewy tannin, great concentration and strong oak spice throughout the palate. After their regular bottlings, the oak influence on this Sélection Parcellaires wine comes as a surprise – but the quality of fruit is impeccable. Drink 2018-2032

4 out of 5 Stars

50% Grenache (early 1900s), 50% Syrah (1930s-1940s), aged 70% large barrel, 30% new-1-2 year old 228-litre oak casks for 12-15 months, first produced in 2003, 5000 - 6,000 bottles per year.

Bold dark red colour. The bouquet is brimming, full of blackberry, with some sweet oak, rosemary, marjoram, licorice, black olives. It’s a true southern wine. This is intrinsically powerful, with a welling up of crushed blackberries, and texture from ripe crop and a relatively high degree. The finish has a spark of clarity, licorice there. It’s not confected, but is in that vein, so the longer you wait, the better