A famed house the southern Rhone region of France, Chateau de Beaucastel produces some of the finest Châteauneuf du Pape in the world. Everyone who has tried this famous wine can think back to their first bottle of Chateau de Beaucastel. I recall my first one while I was in college, enjoying the absolutely epic 1998 Chateau de Beaucastel. I remember the stunning combination of weight and tension in the bottle — one that literally begs you to enjoy more. I have very fond memories of a 1989 Chateau de Beaucastel, one of the famed vintages for this wine that I had the pleasure of enjoying with friends several years back.
The region of Chateauneuf du Pape has an incredible history and was was first mentioned in 11th century historical records. The town of Avignon in this region was the previous site of the papacy, following a Roman invasion. Bertrand de Got, archbishop of Bordeaux, was elected pope in 1305, and took the name of Clement V as he transferred the papacy from Rome to Avignon in 1309. The register of pontifical letters reveals that Clement V visited Châteauneuf on several occasions, sometimes for long periods of time.
It is quite clear that wine had some influence in this region before the arrival of the papacy but there are no actual historical records of wine or vineyards prior to this time. We do know that most of the wine grown in this region prior to the 18th century was drunk within a year, which was true to the cultural times. It wasn’t until 1923 when local wine producers led the way to have their wines classified as Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) was formed.
Chateau de Beaucastel has a longstanding history in Châteauneuf du Pape. The winery is named after the Beaucastel family which lived in this region in the 16th century. Records show a Pierre de Beaucastel buying a barn and some associated land at Coudoulet in 1549, and this land is still part of Château de Beaucastel's holdings. In the 19th century, when the Phylloxera epidemic struck the region, the owner decided not to replant the vineyards but rather to sell the property. In 1909, it was bought by Pierre Tramier, and the vineyards were rebuilt under his ownership. After him, his son-in-law Pierre Perrin took over management and expanded Château de Beaucastel's vineyard holdings considerably. The property has stayed in the Perrin family since.
In the past I have had the great fortune to sample some very old bottlings of this estate, back to the 1980s. These wines are extremely complex, acid driven and age-worthy. Chateau de Beaucastel is one of the few wineries that uses 13 different Rhone varietals in its Châteauneuf du Pape, and typically uses a high proportion of Mourvèdre. I was very impressed with the vertical tasting, as these wines show as well as any other estate in Châteauneuf du Pape. They also make highly sought after white blends that are absolutely some of the best of the region.
2017 was actually the driest vintage on record for Chateau de Beaucastel. What they have created is nothing short of a masterpiece. The 2017 Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape (WWB, 95) is impeccably balanced and already shows very impressive aromatic and flavor range. This gorgeous wine will provide drinking enjoyment for fifteen to twenty years. Learn more about this famed estate at http://www.beaucastel.com Here is the gorgeous new Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape.
2017 Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape- The thrilling 2017 Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape is a scintillating new wine by Marc Perrin. The final blend is 30% both Grenache and Mourvedre, 10% Counoise, 10% to varietals Vaccarèse, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Picardan, Bourboulenc, Roussanne and 5% Cinsault. Needing a one hour decant to be fully aroused, the 2017 Chateau de Beaucastel shows nice stony and smoky tones with green olive tapenade, huckleberry, herbs de Provence, and shades of Umami. The palate shows amazing freshness and astringency, with a seamless texture and marvelous mouthfeel. Rich black fruits mingle with shades of saline dusted red currants, Kalmata olive tapenade, bulls blood, smoked pork shoulder and menthol tones that all sing in harmony on the palate. Lively, with a great veil of tension and showing great weight, this beautiful wine is only an infant at this juncture and will provide drinking enjoyment for decades to come. Drink 2020-2038- 95