2004 Chateau Beaucastel Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhône Southern Rhône France. $27.99, Beekman Wines, Glen Rock, NJ. 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 20% Counoise. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL.
Deep red color, deep hue, wonderful aroma of berries, fruit, pepper, earth, hints of mushrooms and herbs, very good fruit, spice -- and everything nice! -- good acidity, a bit tannic, indicating that a couple of years more aging will make this an outstanding wine, long, complex finish with many flavor notes. Very good EGA, just a shade weaker than the aroma of the wine, but deepening and showing more mint after an hour. Lovely wine; worth buying more and following its development. 4*.