Beaucastel: Unique Terroir, Best Wines, Prices (2024)
Keen on exploring Beaucastel wines and investing in them?
The Beaucastel wine house produces some of the most well-known red Chateauneuf du Pape wines. Beaucastel’s one-of-a-kind terroir and exceptional mastery in winemaking are undoubtedly the secret ingredients of these revered wines.
So, how is Beaucastel wine made, and what are the different wines produced at Beaucastel?
We’ll take you on tour around the prestigious wine estate - come, Explore The Best Beaucastel Wines, and find out The Easiest Way You Can Invest In Them.
Further reading
- Want to invest in fine wines? This Handy Guide Has All The Know-Hows Of Wine Investment.
- And if you’re a fan of wine cocktails, try this Magnificent Mimosa Recipe or find out How To Make The Perfect Sangria for your next party.
A Quick Look at Beaucastel
The Beaucastel wine estate is situated in the Southern Rhone Valley region of France.
Most of the estate’s lands are in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation, with a small portion of the vineyard parcels in Cotes du Rhone.
While most Chateauneuf du Pape wine producers use the Grenache grape variety predominantly, Beaucastel has smaller Grenache yields and makes wine with a higher Mouvrede content.
Before getting into the details, let’s look at how the Beaucastel wine house was founded in the first place.
Also read: If you enjoy bubbly wine, check out These Great Champagnes that fit any celebration and serve them in these Stylish Champagne Glasses.
The History Behind the Beaucastel Winery
The estate’s history can be traced back to 1549, when Pierre de Beaucastel, who lived in Courthezon, bought the property for agricultural purposes.
However, it was Etienne Gontard who first planted vines on the Beaucastel territory in the 18th century.
In 1909, the Beaucastel vineyard was acquired by Pierre Tramier from Elie Dussaud. That’s the beginning of the Beaucastel wine house as we know it today.
Tramier managed the estate with the help of his son-in-law Pierre Perrin. Later on, Perrin took over the business entirely and expanded the vineyard holdings.
In the 1950s, the Perrin family started organic cultivation of their vineyards, and by 1974 they incorporated other sustainable biodynamic techniques.
Jaques Perrin (Pierre’s son and the namesake of the vineyard’s famous Mourvedre wine, ‘Hommage a Jacques Perrin’) expanded the vineyard holdings and made the Château a globally-recognized name. He was in charge of Beaucastel until 1978, when his sons Jean-Pierre and Francois took over.
In 1989 the Perrin family founded Tablas Creek (a winery that produces New World Rhone style wines) in California in partnership with Robert Haas.
In 2006, the Beaucastel Hommage Jacques Perrin joined the Place de Bordeaux wine market.
Notably, in 2007 Marc Perrin (from the 5th generation of the Perrin family) started another joint venture with Nicolas Jaboulet and founded Maison Nicolas Perrin in Northern Rhone.
The Perrin family continues to run the Beaucastel business.
Beaucastel Vineyards and Winemaking
The Beaucastel vineyards span over 130 hectares of land, but only 100 are planted with vines. The remaining 30 hectares are used for developing new vine plantings. The vineyards consist of all 13 grape varieties allowed by the Chateauneuf du Pape AOC laws:
- Mourvedre
- Grenache
- Syrah
- Cinsault
- Clairette
- Picpoul
- Vaccarese
- Muscardin
- Terret Noir
- Counoise
- Picardan
- Roussanne
- Bourboulenc
- Further reading: Serve these Ruby Red Malbecs, Spicy Barberas, and Breathtaking Chianti wines along with your dinner.
The Unique Beaucastel Terroir
The Beaucastel land consists of sandy soils mixed with limestone layers. The area is also covered with rounded stones from the ancient Alp rocks brought by the Rhone river a long time ago.
The terroir is also influenced by the Mistral winds, which protect the vines from excessive humidity and bring out the vines’ distinct garrigue aromas.
A Meticulous Winemaking Process
The vinification process includes:
- Harvesting: All grapes for the cuvee are hand-picked and carefully sorted out.
- Pre-fermentation: Before fermentation starts, the grape skins are briefly heated to 80°C and then cooled down to 20°C. This slows down the grapes’ oxidation and fermentation, resulting in fresh and pure grape juice.
- Fermentation: The different grape varieties go through primary and malolactic fermentation separately in large old vats (foudre.)
- Aging: The wine is carefully blended and aged in oak barrels for one year. After that, the final blend is bottled, and the bottles typically stay for one more year at the Chateau.
In the past, Beaucastel wines were prone to developing brett - a natural yeast that affects the wine’s taste and aroma. To resolve the issue, Francois Perrin replaced the old oak aging barrels with new ones and improved the overall hygiene in the winemaking process.
So, what kinds of wines does Beaucastel produce?
The Exotic Beaucastel Wines
Beaucastel produces a total of six signature wines:
- Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape: This red wine includes 30% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, and small portions of the other Chateauneuf du Pape red grape varietals. The annual production is around 8,000 wine cases.
- Beaucastel Hommage Jacques Perrin: This is a special cuvee made only in specific vintages. It usually contains 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, small amounts of Syrah, and other reductive varieties.
Hommage Jacques Perrin is known for its great aging potential. The first vintage was released in 1989. About 350 cases are produced annually.
This was the first Rhone Valley wine to be distributed at the Place de Bordeaux - an open market for selling Bordeaux wines exclusively.
- Chateau Beaucastel Blanc: A blend of 80% Roussanne grapes with Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Picardan and Bourboulenc. Around 1,800 cases are produced each vintage.
- Beaucastel Blanc Vieille Vignes: A white wine made with 100% Roussanne from ancient vines. Only 500 cases are produced yearly. The wine has a long aging potential of about 30 years.
- Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes Du Rhone Red: AMourvedre dominant red wine blend from the Cote du Rhone appellation
- Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes Du Rhone White: A Southern Rhone white wine blend with Clairette, Viogner, Bourboulenc, and Marsanne from the Cote du Rhone appellation
Other Perrin Family Wines
Mirval Rosé
- Tablas Creek: The Perrin family partners with the California-based winery to produce the popular Tablas Creek wines.
- Miraval: Perrin also partnered with Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt to produce the Rose Miraval - one of the most famous Provencal Rosés!
- The Perrin family is also behind the labels Domaine du Clos des Tourelles and La Vieille Ferme.
Further reading:
- Do you prefer a New World-style red wine? We’ve picked the Best Zinfandel Wines for you to try.
- Or perhaps you’re a fan of classic Italian reds? Then try These Excellent Barbera d’Asti Wines.
Beaucastel Wine Serving and Food Pairings
Beaucastel wines are best served after two hours of decanting (for the younger vintages) and at a cellar-like temperature of 15°C, enhancing the wine’s freshness.
You can serve red Beaucastel wine along with juicy steaks, roasted or smoked meats, creamy pasta, and Asian dishes.
The white Beaucastel wines combine well with seafood dishes and a variety of different cheeses.
Next, let’s see some of the most outstanding examples of Beaucastel wine.
10 Best Beaucastel Wines to Buy in 2024
Here are our top picks of Beaucastel wine for you:
1. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Cuvee Hommage a Jacques Perrin 1990
This seamless wine has chewy tannins and subtle savory elements. The distinct blackberry flavors are complemented by oaky chocolate aromas and slight smokey hints.
Price of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Cuvee Hommage a Jacques Perrin 1990: $961
2. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Cuvee Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2010
This wine will take over your senses with elegant floral aromas followed by cherry tasting notes. The beautiful earth and leather aromas will last long after your last sip of this magical concoction!
Price of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Cuvee Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2010: $471
3. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Cuvee Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2018
The 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape vintage is still too young, which makes it more concentrated and intense. The raspberry and red fruit flavors are accompanied by spice and lavender nose with anise accents.
Price ofChateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Cuvee Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2018: $362
4. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape 1970
This classic fruit-forward Beaucastel surprises with an uplifting freshness, medium acidity, and tannin levels. The oak and vanilla aromas highlight the black cherry and plum tasting notes.
Price of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape 1970: $422
5. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape 1990
This ruby-red wine impresses with fine-grained tannins and a bold flavor profile. The black fruit dominant notes mix beautifully with the slight leather undertones and hints of tobacco.
Price of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape 1990: $210
6. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape 2006
This gorgeous wine has distinct black currant and cherry fruit flavor with underlying truffle notes and chalky tannins. The fruit aroma is complemented by a long earthy finish and balanced freshness.
Price of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006: $109
7. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 2017
This is a rich white wine from the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape vintage with a creamy texture. On the palate, distinct pineapple, pear, and honeysuckle flavors are followed by honey notes and a lingering minerality.
Price of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 2017: $153
8. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 2009
Here we have another Blanc wine that impresses with an opulent nose of beeswax, pear, and apricot. On the palate, it has layers of red orange, caramel, and pineapple and a pleasant oily texture.
Price of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 2009: $246
9. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Oenotheque 2000
This classic red wine blend develops intense flavors of fig fruit, raisin, and a hint of dried spices on the palate. The underlying graphite and leather aromas extend until the very end.
Pair this wine with a delicious grilled meat dish or pasta.
Price of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Oenotheque 2000: $131
10. Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Oenotheque 2007
This superb Beaucastel has balanced acidity and chewy tannins. The wine’s red fruit flavor is complemented by a distinct tobacco aroma and earthy undertones.
Price of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Oenotheque 2007: $112
So, is Beaucastel a good investment wine?
Investing in Beaucastel Wines
Beaucastel wines have good aging potential with an average shelf life of 6 to 10 years. However, it’s not unusual to stumble upon bottles that are at their prime after 30-40 years have passed.
Chateau Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin is the winery’s most sought-after wine - the prices of which have been rather stable over the years. The Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2010 price increased by 9% from 2019 to 2021.
Five vintages of the Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin wine also received a perfect score of 100 from world-renowned wine critic, Robert Parker.
At a 2020 auction in London, a lot with prestigious French wines among which were two Magnum Château de Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin 2003 bottles was sold for $32,662.
So, where can you find a precious Beaucastel or any other wine to add to your wine collection?
Buy Beaucastel and Other Fine Wines Through Vinovest
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Add a Special Bottle of Beaucastel to Your Wine Collection
Beaucastel wines stand out with their sophistication perfected over decades of precise winemaking and biodynamic practices.
This pure and beautiful wine is a real treasure for any wine collection.
To find an authentic Beaucastel bottle, however, is not that easy. Luckily you can use Vinovest to add this and other rare bottles to your investment-grade wine portfolio.
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