Viticulture and Vinification

The terroir at Château de Beaucastel is fascinating and distinctive. The topsoil contains a high proportion of rounded stones, sometimes referred to as galets. These galets make an important contribution to the style and quality of the wines, as they retain the heat from the sun during the day and radiate it to the vines at night. These 'natural radiators', combined with the stony, aerated and free draining soil, and large daily fluctuations in temperature within the vineyard, provide for an exceptional quality of fruit and a uniqueness in the wine that is unmistakable.

The Château cultivates all thirteen of the permitted varieties within the appellation. This allows for the production of complex, spicy, full bodied and rich red wine and also for full bodied and intriguing white wine. Also, the largely organic methods adopted at the Château allow for healthy, balanced grapes that are a true expression of the terroir.

Each year the grapes are hand-picked and totally de-stemmed, prior to vinification in fermentation vats. All of the grape varieties are vinified separately and are then blended, which is a time consuming and meticulous process as the blends vary from year to year. The wine is then matured for 12 months in large oak barrels.

Hommage à Jacques Perrin is only produced in outstanding vintages and is mostly made with fruit from ancient Mourvèdre vines and is blended with Syrah, Counoise and Grenache. This provides for exceptionally concentrated wines, with aromas of black cherry, cassis and spice that are capable of ageing and improving for decades.

Classification

• Hommage à Jacques Perrin - Appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape Contrôlée
• Beaucastel Rouge - Appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape Contrôlée
• Beaucastel Blanc - Appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape Contrôlée
• Roussanne Vieilles Vignes - Appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape Contrôlée
• Coudoulet de Beaucastel Rouge - Appellation Cotes-du-Rhône Contrôlée
• Coudoulet de Beaucastel Blanc - Appellation Cotes-du-Rhône Contrôlée

Varieties

• The Château cultivates all thirteen of the permitted varieties within the appellation: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vacarese, Counoise, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Picardin, Bourboulenc and Roussanne.

Wines Produced

In each vintage the blends differ slightly as directed by the team of oenologists. However, the general make-up is as follows:

• Hommage à Jacques Perrin – made in selected vintages from very old Mourvèdre vines.
• Beaucastel Rouge – this wine is a blend of all 13 varieties with Mourvèdre and Grenache (30%) dominant in the blend and Syrah, Counoise and Cinsault making-up the majority of the rest.
• Beaucastel Blanc – 80% Roussanne, 15% Grenache Blanc and other various varieties.
• Roussanne Vieilles Vignes – 100% Roussanne.
• Coudoulet de Beaucastel Rouge – 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah and 20% Cinsault.
• Coudoulet de Beaucastel Blanc – 30% Marsanne, 30% Viognier, 30% Bourboulenc and 10% Clairette.