Today we share the famed wines of 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.
We do know 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 is one of the famed sites of 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 for many years.
I have adored these wines for many years. I’ve had the chance to try the wines back to the 1980s and am amazed with how they age. The new wines I tried were incredible, coming from the 2021 vintage. The new 2021 Chateau de Beaucastel Rouge (OB, 95), is an insanely good wine from this year, showing plenty of body and freshness. I was blown away with the new 2022 Chateau de Beaucastel ‘Vielles Vignes’ Roussanne (OB, 99) which flirts with perfection and is one of the finest versions of Roussane that you will find. Learn more about Chateau de Beaucastel at http://www.beaucastel.com/en/ Here are the fantastic Chateau de Beaucastel wines that I have recently reviewed.
2022 Chateau de Beaucastel Blanc- The 2022 Chateau de Beaucastel Blanc is a stunning wine is mainly Roussanne (80%) with the remainder being a blend of other Rhone white varieties. White peach and honeysuckle notes mark the nose alongside shades of sweetened gooseberry and stony essence. The palate is soft and refined, with serious weight and beautiful underlying tension. A total stunner, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 96
2022 Chateau de Beaucastel ‘Vielles Vignes’ Roussanne- A total head-turner, the 2022 Chateau de Beaucastel ‘Vielles Vignes’ Roussanne is a total masterclass by the winemaking team at Beaucastel. Big, unctuous and broad-shouldered, this shows salty and stony minerals once on the mouth with a silky mouthfeel that makes this glide throughout the drinking experience. While deeply concentrated, this is not at all flabby or overly ripe, as intense melon and citrus fruits mingle well with suggestions of cardamom dusted pastry crust. Wait for the near minute-long finish! This beauty will easily last for another two decades. Drink 2024-2044- 99
2021 Chateau de Beaucastel Rouge- The intoxicating and thrilling 2021 Chateau de Beaucastel is a marvelous blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Counoise, 5% Syrah, 5% Cinsaut and a range of other allowed varietals. It is dense and rich, showing hoisin sauce and bacon notes alongside shades of dark currants, tobacco leaf and salty minerals. Medium to full-bodied, this is on the graceful and elegant side for this wine — but is absolutely sensational to drink right now. This will surely live on past another decade. Drink 2024-2038- 95