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2003 Bordeaux

Hailed as an extraordinary vintage by wine critics far and wide, the 2003 vintage in Bordeaux is sure to go into the record books as one of the hottest and ripest vintages ever recorded. Ranging in style from soft, sexy, hedonistic fruit bombs, to the big, muscular, tannic, long lived wines that mark a classic vintage. One thing is for sure, there is a Bordeaux to please everyone in this unusual vintage.

The Wine Spectator rates this vintage as outstanding with a 95 point score
"Exotic and powerful, with big, velvety tannins"
"They may be slightly New World in style for their opulent fruit and ripe character, but the best 2003 Bordeaux remain classic clarets, displaying a richness and structure reminiscent of past great hot-weather vintages. You are going to love the wines - red, white and sweet." James Suckling- The Wine Spectator

Classified Growths

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Size

Clarke   

Clos les Lunelles 

Clos Nardian Blanc

Guiraud 

Haut Brion

Le Dome 

Mouton Rothschild

Pavie

Roc de Candale

Teyssier

Rhones

2003 ~ 2004 ~ 2005

A horrendous 2002 vintage saw record-setting rainfall devastate vineyards in both Northern and Southern Rhone, particularly in Chateauneuf du Pape to the South. World-renowned powerhouse Beaucastel, among many others, did not even produce a 2002 Chateauneuf du Pape, as half of the vineyards were completely flooded out; what was left was of little to no value for wine production. Although the Northern Rhone fared somewhat better, it still produced some of the lightest and lowest rated wines the region had seen since at least 1993, possibly as bad as the 1973 and 1974 vintages, which also saw untimely rains.
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A veritable phoenix-from-the-flames then, has risen from the region in a hat trick of exceptional vintages: 2003, 2004 and 2005. Although the water table was high after the deluges of 2002, areas with clay subsoil were fine, as in Rasteau and Gigondas.  Chateauneuf du Pape was even drier, and produced wines of exceptional ripeness. To the North, many producers reported harvesting over 2 weeks earlier than normal!  2004 saw warmth early, refreshing rain in August and a cool, lengthy harvest season, especially in the South, which stole the spotlight from a somewhat inconsistent North. The jury is out yet as to whether the North will steal the thunder of the highly-touted South in 2005, as the first quick-to-ripen Syrah releases show exceptional promise, although with yields being low and quality high, prices may rise on the 2005 wines from the North.  2005 is a classic vintage for Chateauneuf du Pape, and the savvy French wine lovers, discouraged by the high prices on 2005 Bordeaux, may want to snap up their share quickly!
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Southern Rhone

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Northern Rhone

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Southern Rhone

Northern Rhone

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Southern Rhone

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MORE 2005 RHONES ON THE WAY!  CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES!

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Collectibles

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Old World

New World

Chateau Beaucastel

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Wines are subject to availability.
Although we do our best to assure that the prices shown are accurate, errors do occasionally occur.

TASTING NOTES AND RATINGS

1999 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 96 Points

The recently released 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is closed and less expressive than the 2000, and perhaps more elegant and less weighty. Nevertheless, it is an enormously endowed effort revealing notes of licorice, blackberry and cherry fruit, melted asphalt, tapenade, truffles and smoke. Chewy, with more minerality than most vintages of this wine possess, it requires a minimum of 6-8 years of cellaring. It should last 35-40 years. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035.

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2000 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 97 Points

The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is a blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 10% Counoise and 10% Syrah, the standard blend for this cuvee except for the 1998, which had 60% Grenache and only 20% Mourvedre. The 2000 possesses an impenetrable black/purple color as well as a sumptuous bouquet of melted licorice, creosote, new saddle leather, blackberry and cherry fruit as well as roasted meats. Swet and full-bodied, with great intensity, huge power, and a finish that lasts for 67 seconds by me watch, this is an amazing tour de force in winemaking. Even in a flattering, forward-styled vintage such as 2000, it will need 7-8 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040.

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2001 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 99 Points

The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is a blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 10% Counoise and 10% Syrah. Full-bodied, excruciatingly backward, and nearly impenetrable, it boasts an inky/blue/purple color in addition to a promising nose of new saddle leather, melted asphalt, camphor, blackberries, smoky, roasted herbs and Asian spices. A huge lashing of tannin as well as a formidable structure result in the antithesis of its more flattering, forward, and voluptuous sibling, the classic Beaucastel. Readers lucky enough to come across this cuvee should plan on waiting at least a decade before it begins to approach adolescence. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040.

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2003 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 95 Points

The 2003 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin has turned out even better than I thought last year. Black purple to the rim, with an extraordinary nose of smoke, camphor, blackberry, cassis, sweet cherry, white flowers, licorice and Chinese black tea, the wine has superb richness, huge tannins, massive concentration and a monster finish. Forget this wine for 5-8 years and drink it over the following 35 or more.
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New Arrivals

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