Wine Advisor
Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The Beaucastel 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is off-the-charts in terms of richness. Aged in one-year-old barrels (50%) and new oak (50%), with no malolactic, it boasts stunning aromas and flavors of marmalade, peaches, apricots, nectarines, mangoes, rose petals, creme brulee and buttered citrus. This full-bodied, gorgeously rich, voluptuously textured white has enough acidity to carry it for a decade or more. The Perrin brothers, Jean-Pierre and Francois, and their sons, Thomas, Marc, Pierre and Mathieu, have long owned over 200 acres of top sites in Chateauneuf du Pape and can now claim over 1,000 acres in the southern Rhone as their empire under the Perrin et Fils label expands considerably. This is good news for consumers as the Perrins, one of the great winemaking families of France, are dedicated to producing high quality wines, preserving top terroirs, and to providing a range of wines in all price ranges that are as good as consumers can expect. Purchasing a wine from this family is about as close to a guarantee of authenticity and high quality as one can expect. There is no secret to surviving the recent world-wide recession and fragile economy. No matter what field one is in – wine, the service industry, product development, etc., one has to over deliver in order to keep consumers happy. Don’t do that, expect a dwindling economic return and possible failure. The Perrins long ago adopted this philosophy, even in boom times. Speaking of wines that over deliver, readers should be searching out the super inexpensive, bargain priced La Vieille Ferme offerings. The Perrins have put together a terrific portfolio of top wines from the leading Cotes du Rhone Villages. With the exception of the estate wines in Vinsobres, they are all dominated by Grenache. To date, the finest wines have emerged from the 2007 vintage, but very strong efforts have been produced in 2009. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Vieilles Vignes (Roussanne) is a staggering wine of extraordinary complexity and richness. Aromas of rose petals, exotic fruits such as mango and nectarine intermixed with peach marmalade, honeysuckle and crushed pineapple emerge from this full-bodied white along with good acidity and lavish amounts of fruit and glycerin. It offers a nearly out of body wine tasting experience. 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. The Perrins’ greatest success is undeniably their enormous quantities of high quality, inexpensive wines called La Vieille Ferme, a white from the Cotes du Luberon and a red from the Cotes du Ventoux. The Perrins are now the top producers of wines from the cool climate southern Rhone appellation of Vinsobres, located in the northern sector of the region and meaning “sober wine.” In 2008, the Perrins purchased one of the better estates in Gigondas, Clos des Tourelles, a 25 acre property located at the southern end of the village from which they make two cuvees. True stars in the Perrin portfolio are the white and red Cotes du Rhone from their estate called Coudoulet which is adjacent to the appellation of Chateauneuf du Pape. As longtime readers know, Chateau de Beaucastel makes two of the great white wines of the southern Rhone, although in Chateauneuf du Pape the rather dramatic amelioration of quality that has taken place with white winemaking has given them more competition than they had a decade ago. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Vivid gold. Heady aromas of citrus and pit fruits, smoke, anise and honey, with a floral topnote. Powerful, delineated poached pear and nectarine flavors are lifted by zesty acidity. Suggestions of smoke, spice and exotic honey linger on an impressively focused, persistent finish.
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
While I couldn't quite reach triple digits in scoring this 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, I was still completely blown away by its voluptuous majesty. Full-bodied, rich and ripe, it rolls easily across the palate in swells of amazing honey, pear, tangerine and marmalade notes. Almost ageless, it lingers elegantly on the finish, adding piquant hints of white pepper. Twenty years of enjoyable evolution doesn't seem remotely out of the question for this tour de force.
About the Producer
Chateau de Beaucastel (also known as Château Beaucastel) is located in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation, one of the most famous sub-appellations of the Rhone Valley, France. Founded in the 16th century by the Beaucastel family, the estate was acquired in 1909 by the Perrin Family, currently owned by Charles Perrin. Jacques Perrin was a pioneer in organic farming in the 1960s and in 1974 he adopted the principles of "biodynamic" management of the vineyards, going against the trend of the time. He was convinced that respecting the nature of the terroir was the right way to go. Mourvedre, a native grape variety that has been present in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation since ancient times, has long been abandoned by most people because it is not easy to grow. Jacques Perrin has worked tirelessly to cultivate Mourvedre, restoring the original flavour of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines and enhancing their value. Jacques Perrin's red wines are made from Mourvèdre, the rare grape variety from which they derive their classic flavour. When Jacques Perrin died in 1978, the estate was managed by Jacques' sons, Jean-Pierre and Francois. Under the management of the two brothers, the winery has flourished. Today, the affairs of the estate have been taken over by Jean-Pierre's son, Charles Perrin. The vineyards of Château de Beaucastel have a rare terroir - the underlying limestone is covered with rounded pebbles, clay and gravel, with good drainage, which allows the vines to have deep, strong roots. At the same time, the Mistral winds bring a cool microclimate to the vineyards, which favours the growth of the grapes. Organic fertilizers are used exclusively in the vineyard. The vineyards are still planted with the 13 grape varieties approved by the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation of Origin, including Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault and Counoise for the red grapes and Roussanne and Grenache Blanc for the white grapes. Grenache Blanc.) Château de Beaucastel produces both red and white wines, with the Mourvedre grape predominating in the red wines and the Roussanne grape in the white wines. Some of the better known wines are the Chateau de Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin (Chateauneuf-du-Pape), the Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Châteauneuf-du-Pape), the Chateau de Beaucastel Nouvelle Vague (Châteauneuf-du-Pape) and the Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Châteauneuf-du-Pape), Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and the Coudoulet de Beaucastel, Cotes-Du-Rhone. The most noteworthy of these is the Château Beaucastel Salute to Perrin dry red wine. The weather was perfect in 1989 and the quality of the Mourvèdre harvested at the estate was outstanding. The brothers Jean-Pierre and François, the owners, decided to make a special wine in memory of their father. They named the wine Château de Beaucastel Tribute to Perrin, using Mourvèdre from old vines as the main grape. These old vines produce very low yields of ripe, concentrated fruit. For the past 30 years, Château de Beaucastel has been considered one of the greatest wineries in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region. Today, under the stewardship of Charles Perrin and his siblings, Château de Beaucastel is creating new glories and continuing the legacy of the Rhone Valley.
