Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Château de Beaucastel

Red 2020

Presentation

Château de Beaucastel has long been regarded as one of the greatest wines in France. It is notorious for its elegance, balance and ageing potential. Beaucastel has an exceptional terroir at the Northern limit of Châteauneuf du Pape, exposed to the Mistral wind. All thirteen varieties of the appellation have been organically grown since the sixties.

The Vintage

The 2020 vintage in Southern Rhône was favoured by very good weather conditions, it is an optimal vintage, in terms of quality. Not as hot as in 2019, this year was very windy, throughout the growing cycle, with light rainfalls. After a fairly mild winter (one single episode of frost was noted during the night of March 24, but only the early ripening plots were very slightly affected). The spring was radiant, quite warm and very windy, which allowed the soils to preserve their freshness. Flowering began on May 18, under very healthy conditions. The good weather continued in June, July and August, with plenty heat but lower temperatures than in 2019, cool and humid nights and wind which continued to blow, preserving the freshness of the vines and maintaining perfect sanitary conditions for the grapes. The harvest, which was fairly early, therefore began under these very good conditions on August 26 with the white Côtes-du-Rhône and continued until the end of September with the Mourvèdre. September was warm at the beginning of the month and then more temperate, offering idyllic harvest conditions and allowed each plot to be harvested at perfect maturity. The harvest was very healthy with beautiful juicy and very ripe grapes, reasonable alcohol levels, good acidity and already a great balance.

The Wine

Between Orange and Avignon, Château de Beaucastel Red stretches over 70 hectares at the heart of the Châteauneuf du Pape appellation. Its single continuous vineyard, located in the northern part of the appellation, represents the archetype of great terroirs with rolled pebbles on the surface and clay, sand and limestone at depth. The vines, cultivated organically for more than fifty years, sink their roots deep into the soil and express the richness of the thirteen grape varieties permitted by the appellation. Each variety is harvested separately by hand, then vinified in wooden truncated cone vats for reductive varieties such as Syrah and Mourvèdre or in traditional concrete and enamelled stoneware tanks for the others. After malolactic fermentation, the blending is carried out by the Perrin Family and the wine is then aged for one year in oak foudres which bring harmony and depth.

Tasting

Magnificent deep-colour of an intense ruby-red. Typical of Beaucastel, the nose is rich and complex but very fresh, with an opulent aromatic bouquet dominated by notes of fresh fruit and spices. Full,-bodied, soft, eminently silky, this very elegant wine reveals a superb, dense structure on the palate, very fine tannins and gourmet aromas of fresh red fruit, currants and noble spices. The finish has great length, ample and harmonious. A fruity vintage with great aging potential.