The other night with friends at the house I grabbed some gluten free pizza and a few other tasty treats from Urban Pi, a really good modern era pizzeria. My first wine was a really good 1999 Gigondas but honestly, I forgot the name of the producer but it was so good, I went hunting in the cellar for other 1999's. Up popped the Beaucastel, and given my approach to anything pre 2000 — if I find it, I open it, it met the criteria.
The Beaucastel was classic 1999. Ready, forward, rich with just a hint of barnyard. Once it opened there was tons of fruit that just kept opening up as the wine was tasted. Of course there were blueberries and blackberries, but there was also black cherry, cassis, red plums, a hint of toasted bread, black pepper and tar.