eRobertParker.com June, 2013 Still closed and tight, the 2003 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is ruby to the rim in color and offers up smoked black fruits, assorted floral characteristics, licorice, truffle and big minerality to go with a full-bodied, dense and chewy palate feel. Turning more spice-driven with air, this beauty is just now entering the early stages of maturity and needs another 3-4 years in the cellar to fully shine. It should have another decade or so of prime drinking after that. Impressive! It is a big step up from the traditional cuvee. It is worth noting that this bottle developed subtle corky aromas over the evening. However, even on the second day, this was still subtle and dwarfed by the core of fruit, hence, my decision to still include this review.

The 2003 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is fully mature (I’ve had other bottles show more closed and tight, I’ve also had bad luck with corked bottles of this wine) and is a beautiful 2003 that does everything right. Loads of ripe dark fruits, truffle, underbrush, spice, and licorice notes all give way to a full-bodied effort that has loads of sexy fruit, beautiful Mourvèdre spice and meaty characteristics, ripe tannins, and a great finish. I love its mid-palate, it has good purity and precision, and is another vintage of this cuvée that can be drunk today or cellared for another decade or more.

Looks much older than the 2005 vintage, paler and browner. Notes of beef stock and some damp autumn leaves, the aromas a pricked by a little volatile acidity and the fruit is starting to fade. There is good complexity on the nose however. Tannins are damping down now, leaving richness of body, but some dryness on the finish, which is beginning to appear a little harsh. It's not going to fall apart any time soon, but it's time to drink up.