Château de Beaucastel - Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge 2017

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Tasted just before bottling. Aromas of roasted notes, dark berries, and violets. A very elegant, slender vintage with an imposing structure. Great appeal.

About the estate:

Since 1909, Beaucastel has been owned by the Perrin family. Today, it is run by Jean-Pierre and François, the sons of Jacques Perrin, alongside Cécile, Marc, Pierre, Thomas, Charles, Mathieu, and César—the fifth generation. In other words: a family affair! Situated on 100 hectares of rounded pebble soil, including 30 hectares in the Côtes du Rhône (Coudoulet de Beaucastel), Château Beaucastel produces four wines. For whites, there is a classic cuvée dominated by Roussanne, and the famous Roussanne-Vieilles-Vignes cuvée. For the reds, Mourvèdre plays a major role, accounting for nearly a third of the vineyards—as much as Grenache. This unusual proportion proved strategic in 2018 and helped achieve the finesse and freshness characteristic of Beaucastel. This is undoubtedly one of the finest wine estates in France, with, in our view, an added purity in recent years.

Decanter

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The nose is open, with distinct fruit notes. The wine is juicy overall; dark fruit and spices dominate the profile at the moment. It retains a refreshingly crisp quality that balances its body and power. The fruit is luscious.

About the estate:

With its unique terroir of rounded pebbles, Château de Beaucastel is one of the icons of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This estate can boast of being one of the few to use all thirteen authorized grape varieties in the production of its red wine. A wine that consistently maintains a very high standard, though it faces competition from vintages that have shaken up the appellation’s hierarchy. Certainly, the extremely rare and remarkable Hommage à Jacques Perrin cuvée—composed largely of Mourvèdre and produced only in exceptional vintages—remains a benchmark, as does the sumptuous Roussanne Vieilles Vignes white, which reveals its full potential with age. Under the Perrin family’s capable leadership, Château de Beaucastel remains a benchmark for wines from southern France, a status it must now share with other estates that have reached, or even surpassed, its level.

Wine Spectator

About the wine:

A dark, full-bodied style offering a blend of plum, blackcurrant, and black cherry, infused with hints of black tea, fruitcake, and anise. Solidly structured, lively, and energetic from start to finish, it delivers a wealth of fruit through a long finish. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Counoise. Best enjoyed from 2020 to 2040.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

[...] The 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape boasts a deep purple color and displays a nose typical of Mourvèdre, with notes of black fruit, smoked meats, crushed rock, charcoal, and pepper. Deep and full-bodied, it is built on a beautiful purity and a structure that is still developing. Production is down 40%, but this superb wine is certainly on par with the 2016 vintage.