91 Points + 93 Points = Wine Epiphany

Your blogger is a fan of Rhone wines in general, and especially Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Unfortunately, they are usually special occasion wines. However, when our buyers take advantage of an outstanding opportunity, we grab a bottle for our own collection. Don't worry; there's plenty of the Domaine de Beaurenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011 left for you.

The wine is 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Cinsault and other AOC varieties. The bunches are picked and sorted by hand. They are then destemmed, slightly crushed and placed in a fermenting vat. These steps, combined with long vatting, gently extract the maximum amount of phenolic constituents – tannins, anthocyans and resveratrol – which give the wine its structure and colour and also have health-promoting properties. During the 12-15 months the wine spends in barrels and truncated vats, we continue to refine its structure to achieve balance and harmony.

Domaine de Beaurenard  makes highly concentrated wines of great finesse, elegance and minerality. This is the true signature and pedigree of the local soils, which makes Beaurenard wines suited to lengthy aging. They can also be drunk young, to procure an intense, lush pleasure.

91 points from Wine Spectator. Their review: "Offers a vivid, racy edge, with lots of red and black licorice notes pumping along, while steeped cherry, currant and raspberry flavors form the core. This presents a mouthwatering anise accent on the finish, revealing a subtle singed wood hint. Best from 2014 through 2024." Also rated 90 points from Wine Advocate and IWC. The release price was $45.00, but it's only $32.99 in the Bottle Club®.

If, like us, you are a fan of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, or if you want something even more upscale, we also have an outstanding opportunity on another wine from Domaine de Beaurenard, the Boisrenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011.

This wine rated 93 points from Wine Spectator. "Offers a fleshy, inviting feel, with dark plum, currant paste and steeped blackberry notes, studded with anise, fruitcake and cocoa details. A smoldering charcoal hint lines the finish. Shows solid depth for the vintage. Best from 2014 through 2024."

 Oh, this also rated 93 points from Wine Advocate. "Even better and showing a similar polished, elegant profile, the 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Boisrenard is a blend of 60% Grenache, and the rest a blend of all permitted grape varieties, that spent 18 months in 1- to 5-year-old barrels. Possessing thrilling notes of black raspberry, vanilla, licorice and crushed flowers on the nose, it flows onto the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, solid overall concentration, good acidity and sweet, silky tannin. Relatively approachable, especially by this cuvee’s standards, it can be consumed now or cellared for a decade. Drink now-2023."

The release price was $75.00, and we have this in the Bottle Club® for only $43.99.