Esprit de Beaucastel

2005 Esprit de Beaucastel
$36

We decanted this one for an hour. It has a smooth, velveety texture, probably from the Mourvedre. The palate shows sweet violet, blackberry and plum flavors. It has a long finish and is rich, big, concentrated and very slurpable. There is a pleasant astringency on the finish. This is a well crafted and magnificent wine. It is well worth the price and will probably even be better in a few years.