Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2015

2015 was a magnificent year in the south as well, characterized by excellent sanitary conditions thanks to the mild, wet winter, followed by a relatively hot, dry spring. The vines coped well with the extreme heat and lack of rain in the summer thanks to good hydric reserves. Following satisfactory flowering, rapid and regular ripening was assisted by rain that fell in August, producing berries rich in phenolic compounds and anthocyanins. As in the north, harvesting took place under excellent conditions.

Each variety is harvested separately and manually. Vinification takes place in oak fermenters for the reductive varieties (Mourvedre, Syrah) and in traditional enameled concrete tanks for the Oxidative grapes (all the others). Once the malolactic fermentation is finished, the Famille Perrin blends the different varieties. The blend is then aged in oak Foudres for a year before being bottled.

The Perrin family of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are one of the Rhône Valley’s greatest vineyard owners. With over 200 hectares of top level, prime vineyards at their fingertips, they have the terroir and skill required to produce some of the region’s finest wines.

The estate traces its history back to a plot of Coudoulet vines bought by Pierre de Beaucastel in 1549. Tthe estate was transferred into the Perrin family in 1909 through marriage, where it remains firmly to this day. Despite being one of the old guards of the region, they are also one of the most progressive estates, They were one of the first converts to organic and biodynamic faming in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which they adopted in 1950 and ’74 respectively