This is now the second edition of the Beatus which is one of the most electric new projects that I tasted last year out of the Pacific Northwest. A fantastic story about Todd Alexander making wines from the Southern Rhone, Alexander was enchanted by the terroir of Chateauneuf du Pape and connected with Anne-Charlotte of Chateau de la Font Du Loup to make this very special wine coming from her estate vineyard.
For those less familiar with Chateau de la Font Du Loup, proprietor Anne-Charlotte Mélia Bachas is the fourth generation winemaker in the Mélia family. Soils at this 20 hectare site are quite diverse, having a large portion of sand and also cobblestone material. The stones range considerably in size here, from small pebbles to larger cobblestones.
Alexander made a world-class 2020 bottling and the 2021 wine is every bit as good. The 2021 Beatus Chateauneuf du Pape (OB, 97) is dense and shows a fantastic purity of red fruits. This is hedonistic and highly pleasurable stuff that shows beautiful salty accents and depth. Learn more about these wines at https://beatuswine.com/ and here is my review of the 2021 Beatus Chateauneuf du Pape.
2021 Beatus Chateauneuf du Pape- A total masterclass, the 2021 Beatus was sourced from the Chateau de la Font Du Loup estate vineyard. Dense, heady and really pleasurable in its full-throttle youth, the 2021 Beatus offers ripe red currants, menthol and red rose petals on the nose alongside shades of cardamom. The palate is vibrant and nervy with terrific richness and mouth-watering acidity. Ripe guava flavors mingle well with salty minerals, pomegranate seed and anise notes on the palate. Finishing very long, this is a stunning example of top Chateauneuf du Pape and will cellar well for many years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 97