2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Roussanne, Vieilles Vignes, Château de Beaucastel, Rhône
Critics reviews
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 31/10/2012
(Jancis Robinson & Julia Harding MW - www.jancisrobinson.com - 20 Dec 2011)
A luxurious amount of rose water notes intermixed with honeysuckle, pineapple, nectarine, peach and subtle smoke emerge from this beauty. It possesses a terrific texture, zesty acids, an unmistakable minerality and a sumptuous personality.
(Robert Parker - Wine Advocate #197 Oct 2011)
Brothers Jean-Pierre and Francois Perrin as well as their four sons, Thomas, Marc, Pierre and Mathieu, have quickly become the dominate wine producers of the entire southern Rhone Valley. They have expanded their operation even further by partnering with the Jaboulets. Now having over 1,200 acres in vine and extensive contracts, this is a high quality locomotive, great news for consumers seeking a range of top quality red and white wines in all price ranges.
About this WINE
Chateau de Beaucastel
The Perrin family of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are one of the Rhône Valley’s greatest vineyard owners. With over 200 hectares of top level, prime vineyards at their fingertips, they have the terroir and skill required to produce some of the region’s finest wines.
The estate traces its history back to a plot of Coudoulet vines bought by Pierre de Beaucastel in 1549. The estate was transferred into the Perrin family in 1909 through marriage, where it remains firmly to this day. Despite being one of the old guards of the region, they are also one of the most progressive estates. They were one of the first converts to organic and biodynamic faming in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which they adopted in 1950 and 1974 respectively.
César Perrin, winemaker at Beaucastel, is very happy with his 2021s. He tells of a cool and long growing season producing wines which are bright, fresh and lower in alcohol than has become the norm in recent years. Their Syrah vines were more heavily impacted by the Spring frosts, so a higher percentage of Mourvèdre - already signature of the Perrin’s style - went into the Beaucastel red than usual (40%, whereas the norm is nearer 30%). This helps bolster the dark fruit profile of the wine, as well as ensuring a balanced tannin structure.
We offered the Perrin’s full range of wines upon release in October last year, though we held back a small amount of their two flagship Château de Beaucastel wines so we could offer them to anyone who missed out.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The most celebrated village of the Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the birthplace of the now indispensable French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system – imperfect though it may be. Compared to the Northern Rhône, the vineyards here are relatively flat and often feature the iconic galet pebbles – the precise benefits of which are a source of much debate. Minimum alcohol levels required by the AOC are the highest in France, but at 12.5% it is well below the natural generosity of Grenache, which only achieves its full aromatic potential when it is fully ripe and laden with the resultant high sugars. Syrah and Mourvèdre contribute the other defining elements in the blend, adding pepper, savoury spice and structure to the decadent Grenache. There are a further 10 permitted red grape varieties which can be used to adjust the “seasoning”. Of the five white varieties permitted, it is Grenache Noir’s sibling – predictably perhaps – Grenache Blanc, which dominates, though Roussanne shows a great deal of promise when handled well, notably at Château de Beaucastel.
Roussanne
Roussanne is one of the most important white grape varieties in the Rhône Valley. It is a particularly pernickety grape to cultivate being a notoriously low yielder as well as being highly susceptible to rot. It is difficult to ripen, and seemingly prone to oxidation at every opportunity. Roussanne's name comes from its russet-coloured skin and it produces richly aromatic wines, often with fruit characteristics of lime and blossom.
In the northern Rhône it is typically blended with Marsanne to produce the white wines of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, St-Joseph, and St-Péray. Generally Marsanne is the dominant partner and it lends colour, body and weight to the blend, as well as richly scented fruit, while Roussanne contributes bouquet, delicacy and finesse.
It is grown less extensively in the southern Rhône although it is one of the permitted varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There are plantings of Roussanne in the Languedoc and Rousillon and in the last decade the grape have been cultivated with particular success in California, where it is produced both as a single varietal and as a component of Rhône-style blends.
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Description
From 1909 plantings, thus well into its second century , this is one of the greatest , most intriguing white wines in the world, its greatness immediately obvious such is its rich texture, and its beguiling combination of honey, lemon zest and white flowers, all in wonderful suspended tension.
Intriguing because after five years the wine will be overtaken by somnolence and assume a dark colour and an unnerving rancio odour... only to emerge a few years later into a second childhood, seemingly fresher than ever, but with the finely-wrought wisdom of minerality etched into its persona.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, February 2012
Beaucastel occupies an almost homogenous 100 hectare plot in the north-east zone of the appellation, the zone which is perhaps the most resistant to rapid climate change as it is the most exposed to the Mistral and has a great number of the famous pudding stones, with their capacity to regulate excess temperature over the course of a day and a night.
The reputation of the property continues to climb, its stewardship now secure in the hands of the next generation of Perrins. One of whom, the affable yet very industrious Marc, maintains that he has not seen a vintage better than 2010. For him the nearest comparisons are 1978 and 1962, the latter of which he will not have encountered personally, merely though the enviable library stock held at the property.
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