Beaucastel's white is Roussanne's home turf. 80% of it here, grown on a Miocene seabed buried under rolled alpine pebbles, an estate the Perrin family has been shaping since 1909. Handpicked and sorted, fermented mostly in tank with about a third in barrel over eight months, it keeps the fruit forward and the oak in the background: texture through the mid-palate, minerality underneath, none of that heavy-handed sheen. This is white Châteauneuf as a serious wine, not a novelty.
Winemaker Notes
Molasse seabed of the Miocene period covered by diluvial alpine deposits (rolled pebbles). Handpicked in small cases, sorting of the grapes, pneumatic pressing, settling of the juice, fermentation (30% in oak barrels, 70% in tanks) for 8 months. Bottling after 8 months.
About the Producer
The first evidence of Chateau de Beaucastel as it exists today is in the sixteenth century. In 1909, Pierre Traminer bought the estate and then transferred it to his son-in-law Pierre Perrin, a scientist who further developed Beaucastel. His son, Jacques, continued his father's efforts until 1978 and today, the torch is carried by Jacques' sons, Jean-Pierre and Francois. They are joined by the fifth generation of Perrins-Marc, Pierre, Thomas, Cecile, Charles, Matthieu, and Cesar. The vineyards of Chateau de Beaucastel are located on historic land where each of the 13 approved grapes varietals of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation are planted. The art of blending these 13 grapes has been passed down from one generation to the next. Beaucastel is, first of all, a family story, the story of Famille Perrin. Their main strength is being able to blend the talents of each family member to run the wine estate under common values: absolute respect for land and terroir; biodynamic culture as a philosophy of life; and the research of truth, balance, and elegance.
