Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - 2017 (750ml) Port (Douro Valley) The first thing you notice

The first thing you notice is the bouquet of flowers in the perfume before discovering the essence of tobacco leaf

blockbuster effort

medium-bodied restrained wine is beautifully made

it has flirted with perfection

subtle spices and mint are all laced together nicely in the glass

Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - 2017 (750ml) Port (Douro Valley) The first thing you noticeThe full bodied, dense 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape seems a bit closed at the moment, but Asian five spice powder still brings plenty of complexity and nuance to the rich, dark fruit aromas and flavors. Multidimensional, layered and long, this is another terrific vintage for Beaucastel's main cuve, perhaps falling just slightly behind the 2016 and 2018. Wine Advocate 93 95 points