Score: |
94+ JG. "Out of its rather gangly youth has now emerged an absolutely stellar vintage of Beaucastel, and the 1978 is still climbing up the quality ladder. The bouquet is deep, complex and blossoming brilliantly, as it offers up notes of fruitcake, bonfires, fading notes of barnyard from its youth, saddle leather, fallen leaves and espresso. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and resolving beautifully, with a great core of pure fruit, melting tannins, fine acidity, and superb length and grip on the complex and really blossoming finish. I would still give this fine wine another few years to let it develop the same degree of transparency as exhibited by the 1972 and 1967. It will be a great, great wine in another few years, and is already rather spectacular. I never envisioned this vintage of Beaucastel would turn out so well, and just goes to show that one needs to give top vintages of Beaucastel plenty of time to evolve in the bottle. A terrific wine." John Gilman, View From the Cellar, Nov/Dec 2008, Issue #18 |