Wednesday, December 20, 2006; Page F02
WINE OF THE WEEK
Perrin & Fils 2003 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards ($35)
Tastes Like Ultra-ripe plum and blueberry jam, with notes of Provencal herbs and intense, pure kirsch liqueur, building to a finish of lush, chocolate/mocha-infused tannins.
Grape Varieties70 percent grenache, 15 percent syrah, 15 percent mourvedre.
What's Special About It This second label of Chateau de Beaucastel, made primarily from younger vines and declassified vats from the estate, offers the opportunity to taste wine from one of the greatest wineries of France at a relatively modest price.
Serve With Red meat, game, truffles or mushrooms.
How It's Made Chateau de Beaucastel flash heats the grapes to 176 degrees and then quickly cools them before fermentation, extracting deeper color and flavors without the need for added sulfur. In the vineyards, no chemical weedkillers or sprays are permitted, and the fertilizer is a natural compost.
Winery Although Chateau de Beaucastel is perhaps the best-known wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, its use of as much as 40 percent mourvedre in some vintages makes it less typical and less approachable than the more common grenache-based wines. This wine limits the mourvedre to 15 percent, enough to maintain the Beaucastel flavor profile but allowing it to be enjoyed without aging.
On the Label A papal insignia has been embossed on all bottles of Chateauneuf-du-Pape since 1939. Avignon, 12 miles to the south of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, was the home of several popes from 1309 to 1377, and Chateauneuf-du-Pape ("new castle of the pope") was the pope's country residence during that period.
Geography Beaucastel's vineyards are layered 3 feet deep with potato-size stones called galets, which absorb the sun's heat and radiate it back at night while also providing drainage.
Vintage Note Although the record heat of 2003 caused major problems through much of Europe, in the perennially sun-drenched Chateauneuf-du-Pape, winemakers coped well.
Where to Get It Imported by Vineyard Brands ( http:/
