Slightly more serious and classy, the 2012 Famille Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape Les Sinards Blanc is a blend of Clairette and Grenache Blanc that comes from a cooler terroir. Fermented and aged in 50% new oak, it’s rich and nicely textured, with plenty of white peach, pineapple and vanilla custard aromas and flavors. Enjoy this slightly modern styled, fresh and lively effort over the coming year or three. Drink now-2017. 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