Château de Beaucastel

Run by the Perrin family, Château de Beaucastel is one of the most important in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation and was one of the first to practise organic viticulture – no herbicides, insecticides or any other chemical. It is now farmed according to bio-dynamic principles, using all 13 permitted grape varieties in its final blend with the Mourvèdre variety being the most important, often accounting for a third of the final blend. The vinification process is rather interesting in that when the grapes arrive at the winery, they are heated rapidly in order to extract colour and aroma, whilst also killing bacteria. This is known as “à chaud” and is not widely used. After maturation in large oak foudres the wine is bottled with a light fining but without filtration. When mature, the wines of Château de Beaucastel are quite spellbinding. A true “wine experience”.

"It has an exceptionally pure bouquet with plush, macerated red cherries, cranberry, raspberry and melted tar, all with superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with layers of black plum, cassis, bay leaf and truffle all wrapped up in silky smooth tannins that do not put a foot wrong." Neal Martin

Try with cassoulet of white beans with braised pork, sausage and duck confit.

97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - " A classic example of the vintage, the 2005 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage À Jacques Perrin is made from 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, and the rest Counoise and Syrah. Inky colored, it offers an iron, beef-blood and gamey aromatic profile to go with gorgeous purity and focus on the palate. Reminding me of the 2010, yet even more firm and focused, this full-bodied effort will need another 7-8 years to start to show maturity, and will have upward of 40-50 years of overall longevity." 97+ (2/2015)