2011 Perrin & Fils - Vinsobres Les Hauts de Julien

The 2011 Famille Perrin Vinsobres les Haut de Julien Vieilles Vignes is also rock-solid. A blend of Grenache and Syrah that’s from 90-year-old vines and the northern part of the Southern Rhone, it gives up mostly Syrah characteristics with dark berry fruit, licorice, smoke, spice and background meatiness. Medium to full-bodied and impressively concentrated and rich, it’s an outstanding wine and will drink nicely through 2021. Drink now-2021. Covering a full 175 acres in Chateauneuf du Pape, with significant holdings throughout the Southern Rhone (mostly vinified at and released under their Famille Perrin brand), Chateau De Beaucastel is a benchmark estate that excels at all price points. Looking at the wines reviewed here, 2011 is surprisingly strong (especially for the Chateauneufs) and with their perfumed aromatics and supple textures, they show a lot of similarities to the 2009s. The 2012s as a whole show more freshness and purity, with good concentration, and should require more bottle age to come around. Both vintages are worth seeking out. Looking at the 2011s across the board, all of which were in bottle, it appears to be a strong vintage here. While the vintage suffered due to uneven ripening in the Grenache, it was actually a solid vintage for Mourvedre and this shows, particularly in the Chateauneufs. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

Very dark blueish crimson. Meaty nose – almost roast beef. Polished tannins. Seems much more forward than the Coudoulet. Almost satin texture. Though some tartness on the finish. (JR)