Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews

Learn More About Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Through its Reviews,
2020 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
97 Pointz James Suckling
Very dense black-fruit aromas, but also licorice, an entire microcosm of spice and a whiff of smoked bacon. Very dense and meaty with an incredible tannin structure that enables this to be simultaneously very big and elegant. Super-long finish with enormous mineral freshness. Drink or hold.
97 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Beaucastel’s 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is shaping up as a blend of 30% each Grenache and Mourvèdre, with 10% each Counoise and Syrah, plus 20% other permitted varieties, including a healthy proportion of white grapes. Complex and red-fruited, with hints of flowers and garrigue, it’s expansive and richly textured on the palate, finishing long and silky.
96 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape was scheduled to be bottled the week after this tasting, and it’s the usual blend of 35% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, and the rest Syrah, Counoise, and other permitted varieties. While the estate compares this to their 2016, it reminds me slightly of their 1990 and has a wonderful perfume of red, blue, and black fruits, as well as sappy garrigue, saddle leather, and ground pepper. It’s beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied has a good sense of freshness, and fine tannins, as well as a tight, focused style on the palate that bodes well for longevity. It deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and should be long-lived.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
96 Pointz Decanter
Fresh and bright nose, then a palate with exceptionally smooth and fine tannins, lovely acidity, and notes of blackberry and raspberry juice. Particularly fine, elegant, and balanced this year. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre. Drinking Window 2028 – 2042.
2019 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
97 Pointz James Suckling
So much ripe damson plum and blackberry fruit, but also notes of licorice, candied ginger, and baking spices. In spite of all the considerable power and concentration, this is anything but loud or domineering, rather it tastes very poised and precise. Very long finish with pronounced stony character.
96 Pointz Decanter
Immediately rich and damson-scented with a shot of cassis running through it. A medium-bodied, very classic vintage with good freshness. Has a good sense of weight and drive, not endlessly deep like 2017 or 2016 but perfectly balanced. Should age well into the medium, if not long term, but what’s more important is that it’s extremely delicious, balanced, and fresh. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre. A little less Syrah this year.
96 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is the usual blend of roughly 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties that was brought up in foudre. It offers a vivid ruby/purple hue as well as stunning aromatics of blueberries, violets, peppered beef, leather, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant, it has just a kiss of classic Beaucastel wild, sauvage nuances, ripe, silky tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades.
96 Pointz Wine Spectator
#8 Wine of the Year 2022
This is pretty gorgeous, with a remarkably pure display of cassis, cherry puree, and plum reduction flavors laced ever so gently with threads of leather, alder, and dried garrigue. The sleek iron spine is buried deeply on the finish, and there’s a lingering hint of warm stone as the fruit echoes through. Built to last.
95 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The dark-fruited, plummy, and cola-scented 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape is a rich, full-bodied effort reminiscent of the 2007 or 2009. Dense, powerful, and savory, it may drink well for a short time on release, but expect it to close up shortly, only to reemerge in several years. There’s ample concentration and sufficient tannins for the long haul, with a long, dusty finish and hints of licorice that bodes well for the future.
95 Pointz Vinous
Powerful, mineral-accented cherry, blackberry, licorice, and -garrigue- scents, along with a hint of candied flowers. Deep, penetrating, and alluringly sweet, offering cherry liqueur, dark berry, lavender, exotic spice, and cola flavors that are given spine by a core of juicy acidity. In a concentrated yet lively, fluid style. Finishes extremely long and precise, with building tannins and a powerful echo of spiciness and florality.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
96 Pointz Decanter
Immediately rich and damson-scented with a shot of cassis running through it. A medium-bodied, very classic vintage with good freshness. Has a good sense of weight and drive, not endlessly deep like 2017 or 2016 but perfectly balanced. Should age well into the medium, if not long term, but what’s more important is that it’s extremely delicious, balanced, and fresh. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre. A little less Syrah this year.
18/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Cask sample, tasted at the domaine. What a stunning nose! Piercingly fresh and expressive notes of violet, garrigue, and black olive tapenade. Defined tannins support the fresh zesty mid-palate and is all beautifully encased in a toasty cape of dark fruit.
2018 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
95 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
At the moment, Beaucastel’s 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape bucks the vintage trend toward open, expressive wines, seeming a bit closed on the nose and tight on the palate. It also shows a bit more depth and tannin than many of its peers. A blend of 30% each Grenache and Mourvèdre, with 15% Syrah, 10% Counoise and smaller amounts of other permitted varieties (including some white grapes), it delivers hints of mixed red berries and garrigue, a medium to full-bodied feel in the mouth, some dusty tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish. Give it another couple of years to soften and reopen, then drink it over the next decade and a half.
95 Pointz Wine Spectator “Collectible”
Really pure in profile and alluring in feel, with cassis and cherry puree flavors seamlessly layered with melted red licorice and fruitcake notes. A dash of roasted apple wood underscores the finish, letting the fruit be the primary player. Subtle mesquite and incense accents are tucked in the background for now. Approachable, but no rush.
94 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the reds, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape showed nicely with a deep ruby/purple color as well as classic Beaucastel aromas and flavors of darker currents, blueberries, smoked meats, black licorice, and roasted herbs. With medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, clean, elegant texture, sweet tannins, and a great finish, this seamless, elegant Beaucastel will be approachable in its youth, yet still have 20+ years of prime drinking.
94 Pointz James Suckling
Very rich aromas of blackberries, chocolate, and crushed stones. Some cloves and black pepper, too. Medium-bodied with round, juicy tannins that are soft, polished, and nicely integrated into the wine. Delicious finish. Very drinkable now, but will improve with age.
94 Pointz Vinous
Cherry, blueberry, smoky mineral, and pungent floral qualities on the perfumed nose, along with spice and garrigue flourishes. Sappy and well-concentrated red and dark fruit preserve flavors show surprising and welcome energy for their depth and pick up candied lavender and spice nuances as the wine opens out. Closes very long and lively, with chewy tannins framing floral pastille and dark berry notes,
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
95 Pointz Decanter
A tight and compelling tannic structure, muscular and knitted down at this stage, rich and concentrated with blackberries and olive paste. Needs a few years, but already you can discern the floral aromatics that overlay the core, and this is going to evolve into a beautiful Beaucastel.
17.5/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Raspberry and redcurrant, milk chocolate, really juicy and effusive. Front-loaded with fruit right now, but it has the structure and density to last. Another classic, and perhaps not as strong as the 2017 but still one of the best of the vintage.
2017 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
95 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape is another sunny, beautifully Provençal effort that has a huge nose of garrigue, raw steak, leather, truffle, and peppery spice. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and balanced, it’s not a massive Beaucastel yet it has a classic, Provençal, incredibly satisfying style that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.
95 Pointz Wine Spectator
A dark and winey style, offering a mix of plum, black currant and black cherry notes, infused with black tea, fruitcake and anise accents. Solidly built, vibrant and energetic from start to finish, this carries copious fruit easily through the lengthy finish.
94 Pointz Vinous
Dark bright-rimmed ruby. Ripe black and blue fruit liqueur, incense, smoked meat, and candied lavender qualities on the deeply perfumed, spice-accented nose. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering intense black raspberry, bitter cherry, and fruitcake flavors that tighten up and turn livelier with air. Shows plenty of energy for a hot-vintage wine and finishes impressively long and chewy, with mounting tannins and repeating smoke and floral notes.
94 Pointz Vinous
Dark bright-rimmed ruby. Ripe black and blue fruit liqueur, incense, smoked meat, and candied lavender qualities on the deeply perfumed, spice-accented nose. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering intense black raspberry, bitter cherry, and fruitcake flavors that tighten up and turn livelier with air. Shows plenty of energy for a hot-vintage wine and finishes impressively long and chewy, with mounting tannins and repeating smoke and floral notes.
94 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Now that it’s in the bottle, Beaucastel’s 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape comes across as full-bodied and rich, but also a bit shut down and reticent on the nose. With air, black olives and asphalt give way to black cherries and briery spice notes, backed by velvety but substantial tannins and a long, richly textured finish. Given a few years in the cellar, I have no doubt this will drink well for the next 15-plus years. I’ll have additional reviews of the Perrin Family’s other offerings in the next installment of my Southern Rhône non-odyssey, but now that I’ve had a chance to taste it out of bottle, let this serve as a reminder not to overlook the 2017 Beaucastel, which should age well for up to two decades.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
95 Pointz Decanter
At Beaucastel, the Grenache and Cinsault are fermented in cement while the Syrah and Mourvèdre are fermented in foudre. The result features finely pixellated fruits of the forest on the nose, with a full-bodied but mightily fresh and lively palate. The Mourvèdre element is strong this year, bringing vibrancy and power. It’s firmly savoury, very dry, and dramatic. A very tannic year has produced a seriously structured Beaucastel for the long term.
18/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Rich, succulent black fruit with wonderful clarity and effortless depth. A real masterclass of the appellation, with meaty complexity on the palate as well as persistent fragrant spices. Spot-on balance to finish, even though the tannins are still very brash and furry. Certainly needs age, and should be a really wonderful investment.
2016 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
99 Pointz James Suckling
This is a stunning Beaucastel. A classic! Has a superb array of fruit, ranging from red, through to blue, darker purple, and black. Nuances of dark, stony minerals, spices, wildflowers, and herbs. So fleshy. This has impeccable balance, super-silky tannins, and an extraordinarily long finish. This has decades ahead of it. Drink or hold.
97 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Bottled only a week before my visit, I was blown away by how well Beaucastel’s 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape was showing. It’s full-bodied, creamy, lush, and rich, with layers of raspberry fruit, garrigue, and spice that unfold across a seamless palate. No doubt it will go through cycles of being open and closed throughout its lifespan, but it would be a mistake to simply order a case, put it into storage, and forget about it without trying one first and swooning over the sheer lusciousness and youthful complexity.
97 Pointz Wine Spectator
“WS Top 10 – #6 Wine of the Year:
Youthfully reticent, but warm and polished in feel, with a large core of cassis, raspberry, and cherry puree notes lying in wait for now. Threads of red licorice, warm stone and singed mesquite and cedar emerge steadily through the lengthy finish as the fruit unwinds slowly. Concentrated yet precise. Sock this away in the cellar.
96 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
Being bottled the day of my visit, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape checks in as a blend of 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties. It offers a ripe, sexy, rounded style that quickly shows more structure, minerality, and tannin with time in the glass. Blackberries, blueberries, smoked earth, violets, and garrigue all give way to a full-bodied, deep, structured Beaucastel that’s going to benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and keep for two decades. It reminds me of the 2001.
95 Pointz Vinous
Deep brilliant crimson. Aromas of ripe red and dark berries, musky flowers, and garrigue develop a spicecake nuance as the wine opens up. Juicy and seamless on the palate, offering sweet black raspberry, cherry compote, licorice, and lavender pastille flavors that display superb depth as well as unlikely energy. Doesn’t let up on the impressively long, spice-tinged finish, which features smoothly interwoven tannins and a lingering cherry note.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
96 Pointz Decanter
The nose is tightly wound for now, but shows fresh black fruits and an underlying herbal seam. It’s full-bodied but immediately lifted and fresh on the palate, with powerful fruit and a dense lattice of ripe tannins. It is beautifully textured, very straight in style, with great length and energy. It’s already very well integrated and balanced. Tight, refreshing, mineral, and intense. A truly excellent Beaucastel.
18/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and all the other varieties. Some reductive notes on the nose. Floral and rich on the palate with gorgeous spice mix and effortless balance. A great wine, with great pedigree – you can taste this in the sheer elegance and intensity.
2015 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
97 Pointz James Suckling
“Top 100 of 2017”
All 13 grapes. This has a dark fruited, blueberry and blue plum nose with wide swinging tannins. Some white peppery elements, violets, brooding dark spices, blue fruits and dark plums. Builds from the ground up. Dark stones. Impressive, powerful wine. Drink from 2025.
97 Pointz Wine Spectator
A stunner from the get-go, with waves of thoroughly seductive boysenberry, plum, blueberry, and raspberry reduction forming the core, while roasted apple wood, rooibos tea, bergamot, and anise notes flash throughout. Has plenty of bass, with a Turkish coffee accent and a hint of alder driving underneath. Everything moves in lockstep through the seriously long finish. Best from 2020 through 2045.
96 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape checks in as a blend of 30% each of Mourvèdre and Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise and the rest a mix of permitted varieties, and they’re more and more keeping the stems with Syrah component. This is a beauty that offers more depth and richness than just about every other wine in the vintage. Blackberry, black raspberries, garrigue, spice, and hints of saddle leather all flow to a full-bodied, rich, layered 2015 that has a stacked, concentrated mid-palate, ripe, sweet tannin and an undeniable opulence that’s missing from too many 2015s. Marc Perrin compared this cuvée to 2001, and I can’t disagree with him. Drink this blockbuster beauty anytime over the coming two decades. The Perrin family continues to knock it out of the park and have produced some of the wines of the vintage in 2015.
96 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Bottled in late July, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape is an amazing effort, especially when one considers the production volume. Loaded with black cherry fruit and cola-like spice, this full-bodied, richly textured wine never seems heavy or warm, while exotic Indian spice notes linger on the finish. It should drink well for at least 20 years.
95 Pointz Vinous
Brilliant ruby. Spice-accented aromas of ripe red fruits, candied flowers, earth, and smoky minerals; a zesty white pepper quality emerges with aeration. Sweet, expansive, and energetic on the palate, offering intense raspberry, spicecake and lavender flavors and a subtle touch of smoke. Completely stains the palate and shows outstanding clarity on the strikingly long, focused finish, where smooth tannins make a late appearance.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
95 Pointz Decanter
Depth and detail on the dark-fruit nose. Stylish, balanced, and very persistent, delivers crunchy, spicy fruit. Drinking Window 2020-2044.
2014 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
93 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape is a beautiful wine in the vintage, and Marc compares it to the 2012. I’m not sure I agree, but there’s no denying the quality in this 2014. Sporting a deep ruby color and terrific notes of blackberries, ground herbs, pepper, and Provençal spice, it shows the more forward, charming nature of the vintage and is medium to full-bodied, pure, and balanced.
93 Pointz Vinous
Deep ruby. Potent smoke- and peppery spice-tinged cherry and black raspberry aromas are complemented by suggestions of licorice, smoked meat, and candied flowers. Densely packed and taut on entry, unfolding quickly to offer sweet black raspberry and cherry-cola flavors that are given vivacity and spine by juicy acidity. Concentrated yet energetic in style, offering excellent closing thrust, smooth tannins, and lingering notes of sweet dark berries and spice cake.
91 Pointz Wine Spectator
A solid core of kirsch and raspberry compote stands out here, with light savory, pepper and shiso leaf notes. Stays fresh and sleek through the finish.
2013 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
94 Pointz Stephen Tanzer’s
International Wine Cellar
Inky ruby. Expressive aromas of cherry, black raspberry, licorice and smoky minerals, with a dark chocolate element building slowly. Then tightly wound and focused on the palate, offering intense flavors of dark berries, bitter cherry and candied flowers. Powerful but at the same time quite elegant, finishing with wonderful clarity and length and smooth tannins.
94 Pointz Vinous
Inky ruby. Expressive aromas of cherry, black raspberry, licorice, and smoky minerals, with a dark chocolate element building slowly. Then tightly wound and focused on the palate, offering intense flavors of dark berries, bitter cherry and candied flowers. Powerful but at the same time quite elegant, finishing with wonderful clarity and length and smooth tannins.
93 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2013 Châteauneuf du Pape is a beauty and has a rare level of concentration and depth in the vintage. Blueberry, crushed flowers, pepper, and violet aromas and flavors flow nicely to a medium to full-bodied, structured, and tannic Beaucastel that has impressive purity and plenty of length. It’s not massive, but still needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for a decade after that.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
17.5+/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah, Counoise plus a ‘medley’ of other permitted varieties. Extremely sweet on the front palate and unusually claret-like in its build (more obvious tannins than most?). A heady cocktail. Lots of tannins and acidity — pretty bruising on the finish.
2012 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
96 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
What I think might end up being the best Beaucastel since the 1990 or 2001, the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape offers a full-bodied, decadent style to go with awesome black and blue fruits, garrigue, licorice, crushed flowers and violets. The purity here is truly something, and it has fabulous mid-palate concentration, building tannin, and massive texture. Given all of the fruit and texture here, it will no doubt drink well in its youth, but it should still be alive and kicking after two decades as well.
95 Pointz Wine Spectator
“Highly Recommended”
Warm raspberry and boysenberry confiture aromas and flavors are dominant in this lush, inviting style, but there’s plenty of dried star anise, bay leaf, licorice root, worn leather, and roasted juniper notes to fill out the chorus. The finish turns youthfully grippy, with a tarry edge holding sway and adding serious length. Try now, but cellar for maximum effect. Best from 2018 through 2030.
94 Pointz Stephen Tanzer’s
International Wine Cellar
Brilliant ruby. Powerful aromas of candied blackberry, blueberry, and licorice, with suggestions of lavender and cracked pepper. Lush, intensely flavored, and supple in texture, offering spicy dark berry and cherry compote and olive tapenade flavors complicated by a subtle floral nuance. Finishes sappy and very long, with resonating spiciness, a hint of licorice, and chewy, slow-building tannins.
2011 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
94 Pointz Wine Enthusiast
An impressive wine by any measure, this shows ample complexity in its mix of black cherry, dark earth, and briery notes. The tannins frame the wine’s opulent fruit, while remaining wonderfully unobtrusive. This should drink well for at least 15 years from the vintage
94 Pointz Wine Spectator
“Top 100 Wines of 2014”
Very sleek and refined despite the obvious heft, featuring steeped red and black currant fruit studded with bergamot, blood orange, sweet tobacco, and alder notes. The long, racy finish has a lovely echo of singed mesquite.
93 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Showing attractive aged notes of black truffle balanced against red raspberries, Beaucastel’s medium to full-bodied 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape appears to be at its peak. Silky and elegant, it’s not a huge powerhouse but is a charming effort that remains reasonably fresh.
93 Pointz Wine & Spirits
Although the hot spring and cool, wet July of 2011 made for some challenges (yields were down 50 percent from 2010), this is a lush and inviting vintage of Beaucastel. It stands out not only for the exuberance of its cassis flavor but its purity; if that flavor were a color, it’d be cadmium red. While it should hold well in the cellar for a few years, it is so appealing now it’s hard to think of a reason to wait.
92 Pointz Vinous
Deep ruby. Dark berries, dried cherry, anise, and lavender on the highly perfumed nose. Offers intense cassis and bitter cherry flavors with sexy floral pastille and spice cake nuances. Aeration brings out a smoky quality that carries through the long, smooth, gently tannic finish. There’s 40% Mourvedre here but I wouldn’t have guessed it based on this wine’s forward, voluptuous character.
2010 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
96 Pointz Wine Enthusiast
#43 in Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2015”
The 2010 Beaucastel is a tour de force, brilliantly combining espresso and black olive notes with bright raspberry fruit, while dark earthy notes provide a solid base. The feel on the palate is ample, with tannins that are a bit dusty but not tough or chewy. The long, mouthwatering finish bodes well for the future.
96 Pointz Wine Spectator
“Collectible”
#8 in Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2013
Dark, dense, and very closed now, this has a tremendous core of crushed plum, linzer torte, and blackberry confiture waiting in reserve. Ample singed cedar and mesquite, warm paving stone, and black tea notes lurk in the background and glide through the finish. Features serious grip, but wonderful integration. Should cruise in the cellar.
95 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
This is a gorgeous wine, a classic blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance the other permitted varietals in the appellation. Deep purple, with loads of bouquet garni, beef blood, blackberry, kirsch, smoke, and truffle, this wine is full-bodied, rich, and showing even better than it did last year. I still think it needs 3-5 years of cellaring, and it should last for 25-30 years, as most of the top vintages of Beaucastel do.
94 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
Outer quote mark A wine compared to the 2015 by Marc Perrin, the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is already drinking nicely, with notable complexity and depth in its garrigue, sweet spice, incense, and both black cherry and currant-like fruit. The 2010s are just now starting to open up and drink well, and this full-bodied effort has impressive purity, notable mid-palate density, and ripe tannin, all suggesting it has a long life ahead of it.
94 Pointz Vinous
Bright ruby. Sexy, spice- and mineral-accented aromas of red and dark fruit preserves and garrigue. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering vibrant black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors, a hint of smokiness, and intense minerality. Tannins come on late and are quickly sucked up by this wine’s intense fruit. Rich and lively, with excellent finishing clarity and length.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
97 Pointz Decanter
According to François Perrin this was the perfect year, with rain at the perfect time and an Indian summer in September. This is so graceful, with blackberry aromas and black olive notes. It’s fleshy and expressive, with no lack of grip and tension. The fruit profile on the palate mirrors that on the nose. This masterpiece is vivid and harmonious with a chalky acidity and remarkable length. One to forget in the cellar for at least two decades.
17.5/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Outer quote mark Dried fruit, musty, dank aromas – not in a tainted way, but certainly shows its age. The fruit stays intact on the palate with dried cherry and bramble jam, plus chocolate, seared beef, and pepper spice. I’d be tempted to enjoy this soon.
2009 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
96 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
The 2009 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape had just been bottled at the time of the tasting but you wouldn’t know it by tasting it. A blend of 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and 20% assorted varieties, the wine delivers a superb aromatic display of kirsch and black cherry-like fruits to go with a solid dose of underlying meat, truffle, earth, and leather.
96 Pointz Wine Spectator “Collectible”
One of the more endowed 2009s, this is packed with dark smoldering cocoa, mesquite, tobacco and roasted fig notes, all inlaid with pure cassis and plum preserves fruit flavors. Long and authoritative on the finish, with singed vanilla bean and tar adding length and dimension.
94 Pointz James Suckling
A very warm year, this has extremely expressive Grenache fruits, raspberry, some honey, and a lithe juicy core. There’s a late creeping wave of smooth tannins. Darker plum fruits exude power through the finish. Stunning wine from a very ripe vintage.
94 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2009 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape is reminiscent of their brilliant 1985. It will be one of the rare Beaucastels that is drinkable upon release. Made from this estate’s classic blend, it possesses soft tannins as well as a silky, open-knit seductiveness, a dense plum/purple color and a beautiful perfume of smoky Provencal herbs intermixed with grilled steak juices, garrigue, kirsch and blue as well as black fruits. The wine is full-bodied, unctuously textured, and silky smooth (the latter characteristic being somewhat atypical for a young Beaucastel).
93 Pointz Stephen Tanzer’s
International Wine Cellar
Bright ruby. Perfumed, expressive aromas of red and dark berry preserves, smoky herbs, and lavender, with a touch of licorice adding depth. Fleshy and supple in texture, offering intense black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors lifted by a spicy quality. Shows the richness of the vintage but carries no excess fat. The finish lingers with impressive tenacity and echoes the floral and smoke notes.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
17.5/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Juicy redcurrant and raspberry fruit with charred meat and earth showing complexity, and a long, fragrant persistence with attractive juniper and liquorice character. Long, layered, engaging, and justifies the weight and heat thanks to powerful fruit concentration. 17.5/20 points
2008 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
93 Pointz Wine Spectator
Ripe and very sleek, with a dense core of cassis, blackberry and anise framed by violet and spice. The long finish drips with juicy fruit and subtle toast, with a flash of iron boding well for cellaring. Shows great freshness and balance for the vintage. Drink now through 2024.
91 Pointz Stephen Tanzer’s
International Wine Cellar
Vivid ruby. Enticing aromas of raspberry, dried flowers and spice cake. Sweet and penetrating, offering sappy flavors of red and dark berries, candied flowers and chewing tobacco. Combines depth and juiciness smoothly, finishing with gentle grip and persistent florality.
90 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2008 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape is one of the few outstanding wines produced in this vintage. More evolved than Beaucastel’s wines tend to be, it reveals a healthy dark plum/ruby color, notes of licorice, meat juices, smoked game, black currants and garrigue, medium to full body, silky tannins, good freshness, surprising depth for the vintage and a long finish. Drink it over the next decade.
2007 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
96 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
A straight-up, phenomenal wine, this bottle of 2007 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape was double decanted (poured into a decanter and then back into the bottle) 12 hours prior to drinking and boasted gorgeous aromatics (blackberry, cassis, lavender, garrigue and roasted meat), full bodied power, serious concentration and unreal purity. Very polished and almost civilized by Beaucastel standards, this beauty should drink beautifully for 3 decades. Wow.
96 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Beaucastel’s 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape has turned out even better out of bottle than I predicted. An inky/ruby/purple color is followed by a glorious nose of blue and black fruits, truffles, pen ink, licorice, and meat juices as well as glorious levels of acidity and sweet tannin, buttressing the fruit’s fabulous freshness and vibrancy. This full-bodied effort still displays considerable tannin, no doubt because of the relatively high Mourvèdre content.
96 Pointz Wine Spectator “Collectible”
This extremely dense red delivers layers of melted fig, mulled boysenberry and black currant fruit, all laced with notes of charred mesquite, hoisin sauce and Kenya AA coffee. The long, silky mouthfeel belies the latent power in reserve and there’s a lot of it, with waves of grip driving the finish.
94 Pointz Stephen Tanzer’s
International Wine Cellar
Powerful, pungent aromas evoke kirsch, blackberry, smoky herbs and dried flowers. Energetic, penetrating cherry and dark berry flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity and given spine by a tangy mineral quality. A floral quality sneaks in with air, along with notes of allspice and star anise. The finish is sappy, focused and very long, with herbs and flowers lingering.
93 Pointz Wine Enthusiast
“Cellar Selection”
At first glance, this is not particularly impressive; it’s slightly herbal and rustic, with a raisiny edge to the fruit. But this really improves with air, fleshing out on the midpalate and losing the raisiny notes in favor of plum and savory notes.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
17.5/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Wonderful coffee, cream, and opulent red fruit with smoke and spice. Lovely softness to the tannin, and there is loads of appeal here – although there is a bit of warmth to finish.
2006 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
95 Pointz Vinous
The 2006 Beaucastel shows the textbook character of a mature Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It has expansive raspberry and cherry scents with suggestions of succulent herbs, pungent flowers, cigar box, and just a hint of earth. Given the high percentage of Mourvèdre (almost a third of the blend), I would have thought that the earthy aspect would have been more pronounced, but that is not the case here.
The 2006 is silky in texture, and the suave blend of depth and energy highlights its red fruit along with floral pastille and baking spice flavors. It finishes extremely long and precise, with superb clarity and just a hint of finely polished tannins adding gentle grip. Beaucastel often shows some gamy character when the wines are young; however, the 2006 did not in barrel nor after it was bottled, and there’s no trace of it now. I noted almost twelve years ago that this was a wine that “beguiles rather than brutalizes”, and I’m happy with that assessment today.
95 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
As I stated last year, there is no Hommage a Jacques Perrin in 2006, but Beaucastel’s 2006 Châteauneuf du Pape is performing even better from bottle than it did last year. Its dense plum/ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet perfume of black truffles, camphor, earth, incense, new saddle leather, and loads of peppery, blackberry, and herb-infused, meaty, black cherry fruit. Deep, full-bodied, and dense, with sweet tannin, this explosively rich Chateauneuf is a stronger effort than the 2005, 2004, or 2003.
95 Pointz Wine Spectator “Collectible”
Powerful, with a round, almost creamy core of blackberry and raspberry fruit all layered with cocoa, sweet toast, mesquite, and fig paste. Long and rich through the finish. Still quite primal, with lots in reserve.
94 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
A fantastic wine, the 2006 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape fleshes out with air and displays deep, earthy aromatics of dark fruit, roasted meat, graphite, mushroom, and old wood. In the mouth, the wine displays a medium to full bodied, structured personality to go with a fantastic texture, concentrated fruit, and a long finish. If drinking anytime soon this needs plenty of air.
91 Pointz Wine & Spirits
This is a beautiful wine, holding a perfect balance between bright, fresh fruit and savory notes of leather and spice. The blackberry flavors have a cool, foresty feel; the minerality runs deep, as smooth and overt as the galets that pave Beaucastel’s vineyards. It’s completely welcoming right now, especially with a rack of lamb.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
17.5/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Very attractive overripe fruit aroma with a touch of compost and farmyard – yet not overtly bretty or funky. Balanced, rounded, succulent and finely balanced – this is a great example of the style in the prime of its life, full of fruit but showing tertiary development too.
2005 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
96 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
Young but far from unapproachable, the 2005 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape has screaming aromatics of bloody meats, iron, and truffle that are wrapped around a gorgeously fruited core. Medium to full-bodied with beautiful structure, a solid, full mid-palate, a smooth, precise texture, and a long finish, this is a smoking bottle of wine!
96 Pointz Wine Spectator “Collectible”
#8 of the Top 100 Wines of 2008
Really dense and locked up now, this is packed with dark fig, currant, and blackberry fruit shrouded by layers of tar, hot stone, bittersweet licorice, and espresso. The long, dense finish has a great tug of iron buried within it.
95 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Reminiscent of the 1995, the 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape is tight, structured, and backward, with high acidity and tannin. Showing notes of blackcurrants, black raspberry, truffle, damp earth, and cedar, with medium to full-bodied richness and depth, it needs another 3-5 years to reach the early stages of maturity, at which point it will hold for another decade or more.
94 Pointz Stephen Tanzer’s
International Wine Cellar
Ruby-red. Blackberry and cassis on the nose, with a complex set of earth, herb an,d floral qualities adding complexity. Deep and sweet, with bitter cherry and candied licorice flavors and youthfully firm tannins but no hardness. Turns more lively on the finish, picking up a spicy red berry character and leaving a long, pungent herbal trail behind. This needs time.
92 Pointz Wine & Spirits
An elegant Châteauneuf, this is as fresh as its fuchsia color predicts, with plenty of red raspberry flavor underlined by cocoa darkness. Rose hip and herbal notes keep it feeling bright and brisk. For roast game birds.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
95 Pointz Decanter
Château de Beaucastel is located in the northeast of the appellation, and owns 100 hectares of vines that have been farmed organically for over 50 years. All possible red varieties are used for their classic red cuvée. It’s beautifully perfumed, with aromas of potpourri and dried autumn leaves. A soft style, it has generous fruit sweetness and good balancing acidity, and this is drinking very well at 12 years of age – a real pleasure. It’s very much a creature of its warm, dry, exceptional vintage, and unmistakably Beaucastel.
18/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson
Fabulous aromas of sweet fruit, beginning of leather and then really meaty on the palate, seasoned with pepper and spice. Silky texture. Mouthwatering and elegant. Still so much more to come.
2004 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
96 Pointz Wine Spectator “Collectible”
Thoroughly primal, with a torrent of raspberry and boysenberry fruit rushing forth. Only shows hints of its full range, with licorice, incense, graphite, and mocha flavors fluttering in the background. Has an iron-clad structure, with a long finish that shows great cut and grip.
94 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Showing brilliantly, with a deep, rich, and layered profile, the straight 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape has gorgeous black cherry, earth, underbrush, and background meatiness that gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated and pure feel on the palate.
93 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
Rich and meaty with stunning dark fruit, licorice, truffle, and earthy notes; the 2004 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape has beautiful purity and impressive richness given the vintage. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a tight, young, and structured feel, plenty of fruit, and ripe tannins on the finish. I’d be happy to have a couple of these in the cellar.
93 Pointz Vinous
Ruby-red. Powerful red and dark berry aromas verge on liqueur-like but are enlivened by zesty mineral and anise accents. Lush, supple, and sweet, with deep raspberry and cherry flavors, fine-grained tannins, and complicating herb and smoked meat tones. Very smooth on the finish, which is sappy, deep in cherry flavor, and impressively long.
91 Pointz Wine & Spirits
This takes hours in the glass to reveal its potential. Then its silken texture begins to let up aromas of cedar and spice and the flavors deepen, becoming meatier even while brighter notes of red cherry begin to shine. Those flavors last, strong and long, feeling complete. Put it away for another five to 15 years.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
17.5/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Still quite dark crimson. Strong balsamic notes – as though they were going all out for maximum ripeness in this era. Big and beefy. Quite chewy finish after meat extract and blackberries.
2003 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
95 Pointz Wine Enthusiast “Editors’ Choice”
One of the big names of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and this wine justifies the fame of the Perrin family’s property. It is a rich style, but, more importantly, it is beautifully made, structured, and dense, with red jelly fruits, a touch of vanilla, and a fat, full-bodied, but firm aftertaste.
94 Pointz Wine Spectator
“Highly Recommended”
Young and tight, with garrigue and roasted game aromas peeking out from a core of ripe black currant, plum, and fig fruit. Lots of toast tobacco and iron as well. The finish is well-endowed with tannins, but they are ripe and pure.
93 Pointz Stephen Tanzer’s
International Wine Cellar
Deep, dense red color. Vibrant aromas of cherry, wild herbs, fresh flowers, and minerals. Energetic and sweet, showing no overripe qualities; offers a silky, suave texture and wonderfully pure red berry, fresh plum, kirsch, and fig flavors. Those with an aversion to the funky, gamey character that can characterize Beaucastel in “typical” vintages owe it to themselves to check this out. Clearly, the Perrins know what to do with Grenache, even if it’s not their favorite grape.
92 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
91 Pointz Wine & Spirits
Beaucastel’s 2003 is assertive and intense, its black fruit flavors acquiring leathery, peppery overtones. Its brooding power is complemented by a silky texture, and it finishes with ripe, suave tannins.
90 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
One of the weaker vintages for this estate yet still outstanding, the 2003 Château de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape delivers a surprisingly fresh profile, yet ten years after the vintage, it is entering the early stages of maturity. Loaded with red and black currants, iron, beef blood, rolled stone, and garrigue on the nose, with no roasted fruit or over-ripeness, it shines on the palate with excellent depth and richness. Medium to full-bodied, supple, and integrated, with plenty of ripe fruit, it should continue to evolve for a handful of years.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
17/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Bricky garnet. Smells very mature with its rich, seductive undergrowth and cigar-box peppery spice. Extremely inviting. Rounded and still a little chewy in the mouth but surprisingly fresh for a warm vintage.
2002 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
No Wine Produced
2001 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
96 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
Still incredibly youthful and a touch reserved (especially when compared to the ’00), the 2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape still needs another 5 years to truly shine. At present, it delivers a dense, pure bouquet of meaty dark fruits, game, ripe herb, and licorice, medium to full -body, brilliant concentration, and a long, classic finish. This gradually opens in the glass so if drinking anytime soon, a short decant or longer double decant is recommended.
96 Pointz James Suckling
Earthy, subtly leathery, tobacco, mushroom, and rosehip nuances with potpourri and violets, too. This moves more to the soil from the fruit. A pretty red and darker cherry core. Tannins echo late again. Brilliant.
96 Points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Beaucastel has been on a terrific qualitative roll over the last four vintages, and the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape (which Francois Perrin feels is similar to the 1990, although I don’t see that as of yet) is a 15,000-case blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance split among the other permitted varietals of the appellation.
This inky/ruby/purple-colored cuvee offers a classic Beaucastel bouquet of new saddle leather, cigar smoke, roasted herbs, black truffles, underbrush, and blackberry as well as cherry fruit. It is a superb, earthy expression of this Mourvedre-dominated cuvee. Full-bodied and powerful, it will undoubtedly close down over the next several years, not to re-emerge for 7-8 years.
93 Pointz Wine Spectator
Ripe and fleshy, with lots of black cherry, plum, anise, and tar flavors riding along a succulent palate. Sweet and velvety on the finish; this is drinkable now but will age easily.
92 Pointz Vinous
Bright ruby-red. Liqueur-like raspberry, licorice, and a medicinal quality on the nose. Then quite backward in the mouth, with very primary dark berry and black cherry flavors hinting at great ripeness. Quite primary today and less animal than usual for a young Beaucastel. Elegant, slow-building finish features fine-grained tannins and excellent grip.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
17/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Much more developed than the 2005. A lot more undergrowth and leather and tertiary characters. Very leathery on the palate but not at all lean. No primary fruit remaining but the fruit flesh is still there. And the tannins still surprisingly present.
2000 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reviews
97 Pointz Jeb Dunnuck
Absolutely firing on all cylinders and with an open, borderline slutty profile, the 2000 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a dream on the nose, showing complex, meaty aromas of black truffle, spice rack, charcuterie, and garrigue. There’s fantastic intensity here and you can smell this wine as soon as the bottle is opened. Just as good on the palate, the wine sports a medium to full-bodied, ripe profile, perfect balance, and a dazzling finish that has you looking for another glass. I’m a fan and while this will no doubt continue to shine, don’t hesitate to pop bottles now.
94 Pointz Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The opaque ruby/purple-colored 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape offers a profoundly sweet perfume of melted licorice, blackberries, and black cherries backed up by loads of glycerin, full body, and moderately high but sweet, well-integrated tannin. There is a seamlessness to the 2000 that will make it accessible early in life, and thus atypical for Beaucastel. The 1985 behaved in this manner when young, but the 2000 possesses even more stuffing.
93 Pointz Stephen Tanzer’s
International Wine Cellar
Red-ruby. Roasted aromas of black fruits, leather, maple syrup, and mocha. Initially a bit tight on the palate, but showed a lush, seamless texture as it opened in the glass, without losing its definition. Not quite as dense as the 2001 but very full in the mouth, with a higher-pH impression. Finishes very long, with the ripe tannins coating the front teeth.
90 Pointz Wine Spectator
Clean and fresh, bursting with fruit and spices. Full-bodied, it delivers some game, truffle, and vanilla notes. It’s distinctive and ought to reveal wonderful terroir with age, but for now, it hasn’t come together. Needs time. Drink now through 2020. 16,665 cases made.
Bonus Reviews
United Kingdom
94 Pointz Decanter
A sunshine vintage resulting in early harvesting at the end of August. Reasonably sweet on the nose, with jammy red and black fruit aromas and spice notes. The palate is full-bodied and round with a fine acidity and subtle oak character. Precise, with depth of fruit and well-integrated tannins.
17.5/20 Pointz Jancis Robinson MW
Dried fruit, musty, dank aromas – not in a tainted way, but certainly shows its age. The fruit stays intact on the palate with dried cherry and bramble jam, plus chocolate, seared beef, and pepper spice. I’d be tempted to enjoy this soon.