Chateau de Beaucastel

Perhaps the most famous wines from Chateauneuf du Pape are from Chateau de Beaucastel. The estate can trace its history back to 1549 when Pierre de Beaucastel bought a Coudolet vineyard plot. However, it wasn’t until several centuries later that the Perrin family acquired the estate in 1909. Following the outbreak of phylloxera in the region, the Perrin family returned Chateau de Beaucastel to past glories and have continued to develop and perfect their

The 100 hectares of vineyards benefit from the remarkable terroir at the north-eastern end of the appellation; abounded by rounded stones (known as ‘galets’) on the surface, the subsoil has an abundance of clay that helps the vines to retain the scare water available during the long, hot summers. Juxtaposed with its longstanding family history, Chateau de Beaucastel is one of the more progressive estates in the region, having been one of the first to convert to organic and biodynamic farming practices in 1950 and 1974 respectively.

The distinctive style of Chateau de Beaucastel – an exceptional balance between power, elegance and freshness – can be attributed to the estate’s use of the historical 13 grape varieties permitted in Chateauneuf du Pape. Harvests are exclusively done by hand and each grape variety is vinified separately, a factor which aligns with the estate’s desire to express the authenticity of the grapes and terroir. The estate also produces Coudolet de Beaucastel, which is often considered to be the ‘baby Beaucastel’. With vines grown in similar, Molasse seabed soils, these wines offer an excellent quality to price ratio. Chateau de Beaucastel also produces some top quality white wines, predominantly Roussanne based, however quantities are small with only 7 hectares of white vines planted.