We all waited with anticipating as the big tasting began. Last night was a magnanimous occasion as WAC wine club members all congregated for the great tasting of the year: aged wines from Chateau de Beaucastel. Located in the Southern Rhone region of France, Chateauneuf du Pape 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. 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.
It is clear that red wine existed considerably before the arrival of the papacy but there are no historical records of wine growing in this region 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. In 1923, the local wine producers led by the lawyer Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié started a campaign to establish legal protection for the wine from the commune. The wine classified as Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) is produced from grapes grown in the commune of Châteauneuf-du-Pape as well as in portions of the four nearby communes in the Vaucluse department. The vineyards cover an area of approximately 3,200 hectares.
Chateau de Beaucastel has a longstanding history in Chateauneuf 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 house has belonged to the famed Perrin family since.
Over the years I have had the chance to sample these wines back to the 1980s. They are incredibly complex and show incredible tension and underlying minerality from this site. New wines from this house are considerably more modern and fruit-driven, with higher alcohol levels. 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 Chateauneuf du Pape. I was blown away with the 2009 Chateau de Beaucastel (OB, 95), which showed beautiful flavor density and flavor complexity. I was surprised by the 2012 Chateau de Beaucastel (OB, 94), which is big and burly from this very challenging vintage. Learn more about Chateau de Beaucastel at http://www.beaucastel.com/en/ Here are the fantastic Chateau de Beaucastel wines that I sampled last night.
2008 Chateau de Beaucastel- The 2008 Chateau de Beaucastel comes off very herbal and medicinal on the nose with dried red fruits alongside bandaid and wet stone notes. The palate is very fresh and lithe with a polished texture and seamless mouthfeel. Loaded with mouth-watering acidity, this shows a dizzying array of sour and dried red fruits that mingle well with kumquat and shades of garrigue. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next several years. Drink 2023-2029- 93
2009 Chateau de Beaucastel- The 2009 Chateau de Beaucastel combines 30% Mourvèdre with 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counties and 5% Cinsault. Showing a deep core, this offers an entirely different flavor and aromatic profile than the ’08. Roasted figs, anise, dark currants and suggestions of tilled soils all mark the nose. The palate comes off very fresh and refined with a seamless texture. Intense and still showing a deep core of red and dark fruits, with a bright underlying acidity, this is beautiful wine that will show well for another decade. Drink 2023-2033- 95
2011 Chateau de Beaucastel- The 2011 Chateau de Beaucastel is a beautiful blend of equal parts Grenache and Syrah (30%) with the remainder other Rhone varietals. This smells beautifully perfumed with suggestions of red rose petals, white pepper, Provencale herbs and hints of smoldering stones on the nose. The palate comes off very fresh and lithe, with a polished texture. Layers of ripe salmonberry and boysenberry combine with salty and stony undertones on the palate. Very complex, this is finesse-driven and delicious wine to consume now and over the next seven plus years. Drink 2023-2030- 94
2012 Chateau de Beaucastel- The 2012 Chateau de Beaucastel is a nothing short of a magnificent effort from this challenging vintage in the southern Rhone. A dazzling nose awaits with potpourri alongside raspberry coulis, dried rosemary and suggestions of salted wet stone. The plate is very fresh and shows good weight. Considering the heat of the vintage the level of finesse displayed is quite impressive. Generous and broad-shouldered, enjoy this beauty now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 94