Château de Beaucastel 1995 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Jul 12, 2003 3 Replies
T

I am very new to the list, I have been lurking for maybe a week. Today I ran across a Château de Beaucastel 1995 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Southern Rhone) in a 375ml bottle for around $25 and picked it up. I have two questions..


1) Was that a good deal? Wine Spectator rates it at 92 with a $40 price tag on a normal bottle.


2) When should I drink this? I have seen some TNs that say hold until around



2005 or longer, but my understanding is also that 375 will age faster than a normal 750. Any advice would be appreciated.

Also, unrelated question.. Is there an archive of AFW anywhere? A quick internet search didn't turn one up. Thanks



Tim


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K

I've got 750mls (one of each) of the 88, 90, 95, and 99 Beaucastels - wondering when I should have a tasting of them all.

I paid $50 for the 88, $100 for the 90, $30 for the 95, and $62 for the 99.

That lawyer-turned-wine critic from Maryland said, in summary: The 88 will evolve for another 12-15 years and age even longer, 90 points; the 90 will age for at least 30 years, 94 points; the 95 will require discipline, not be enjoyable for at least a decade, and that purchasers over the age of 40 (I'm

37) should be buying this wine for their children, 93 points; the 99 is one of the blackest, most opaque of the Beaucastels of the last decade, requiring at least 8-10 years of cellaring, and will age effortlessly for three decades or more, 91 points.

Let us know when you try it Tim, and what your thoughts are on the 95.

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K

I agree; I have no intentions of waiting over another few months to try it! And I don't have kids to pass it along to!

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