Coudoulet de Beaucastel - Côtes du Rhône rouge 2022

Bettane & Desseauve

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

About the wine:

Deep color. Supple, juicy, and velvety tannins. An approachable and well-balanced vintage from Coudoulet that should age well thanks to its refined tannins, acidity, and freshness. However, it is a fairly tannic vintage, so it will need some time to open up.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

A blend of 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 10% Cinsault, the 2022 Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel offers a delicate, fragrant bouquet of black cherries, spices, violets, and spring flowers. It is medium-bodied to full-bodied, enveloping and complex, with a juicy, fruity core, a taut mid-palate, and a fresh, ethereal finish. It is a consistent wine offering excellent value for money.

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

About the wine:

A beautifully mature wine that expresses itself through red and black fruit. The palate is juicy, with lovely freshness, and spicy notes that add complexity. The mouthfeel is harmonious, revealing a certain power, built on well-integrated tannins. The overall impression is delicious.

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.

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

The palate is elegant and rounded, with fine tannins, notes of blueberries and violets, and a floral character. It is firm, taut, and well-balanced, with a lovely finish.

Vinous

About the wine:

Ripe raspberries, crushed violets, licorice, and dried herbs make up the multifaceted aromatic profile of the 2022 Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel. Gently shaped by supple tannins, this refined red wine has a solid structure and concludes with a classic, lingering finish. Give it another two years to begin revealing its full potential.

James Suckling

About the wine:

A concentrated, lively, and succulent Côtes-du-Rhône with aromas of cherries, raspberries, dried herbs, and baking spices. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins. Alluring and precise, with crisp red fruit flavors on the palate. A concentrated and long finish. Ready to drink now or for aging.