Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Château de Beaucastel
Roussanne Vieilles Vignes White - 2021
Presentation
Considered as one of the greatest white wines in France, only 6000 bottles of this wine are produced. It's made with 100% very old Roussanne vines and harvested slightly over ripe. This exceptional wine must be drunk within 3 years or after 15 years. To be enjoyed with gastronomic cuisine.
The vintage
2021 is a vintage marked by freshness, which is similar to the vintages we had in the eighties and nineties. It is also what we call a "winegrower vintage", human intervention and the care given to the vines were decisive for the quality of the vintage. Marked by climatic vagaries, with an episode of frost in April and interrupted harvest because of rain, this year has indeed required constant investment from our teams in the vineyard. Their attention and their commitment have borne their fruit: this vintage is very promising with lots of freshness and great balance.
The Wine
Château de Beaucastel dedicates 7 hectares of its vineyard to white grape varieties, planted on Miocene marine molasse topped with an Alpine diluvium of rolled pebbles. The hand harvested grapes are carefully sorted, collected in small crates and pneumatically pressed before settling. Fermentation takes place 30 percent in oak barrels and 70 percent in stainless steel tanks, followed by eight months of ageing in the same proportions before bottling. This precision in winemaking reveals the elegance and balance that characterise the great white wines of Beaucastel.
Tasting
A magnificent deep and intense golden robe. Opulent and complex, the nose is particularly seductive, typical of this Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, with notes of honey, lightly stewed, very ripe fruit such as apricots, peaches and brioche. Very elegant on the palate, a delicate bitterness and a subtle salinity perfectly balances the richness, power and structure of Roussanne. This remarkably balanced wine reflects the perfect development of Roussanne on this exceptional terroir.