Château de Beaucastel - Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2016

Château de Beaucastel is a magical place, surrounded by hills planted with vines, hundred-year-old olive trees and truffle oaks. Here nature is blooming, liberated and at ease. Ancient vines with knotted roots are nurtured in the traditional "gobelet" style in the soil typical of the region, laden with large round pebbles. When the Mistral blows - the legendary wind from the Alps - it whistles down the Rhône Valley cooling the vines and revealing aromas of Garrigue. It has the Southern accent of those who live here at one with the Mediterranean climate. It's on these ancestral soils, supporting the 13 grape varieties of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, that each new vintage of Beaucastel is born.

The 2016 vintage in the Southern Rhone valley is exceptional, both in terms of quality and quantity, thanks to idyllic weather conditions that protected the region from climatic accidents throughout the whole year.

Each variety is harvested manually and separately, then sorted in the cellar. The harvest is heated to 80°C (skins) and then cooled down to 20°C. Classic maceration occurs in cement tanks for 12 days. Pressing in pneumatic presses. Blending of the different varietals after malolactic fermentation. Ageing in Oak Foudres for 6 months.

"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, wild flowers and herbs. So fleshy. This has impeccable balance, super-silky tannins and an extraordinarily long finish." - 99 Points, James Suckling

#6 Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2019, Collectible: "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 Points, Wine Spectator

"Bottled only a week before my visit, I was blown away by how well Beaucastel's 2016 Châteauneuf-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 Points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Producer: Château de Beaucastel

Country: France

Region: Rhone

Varietal: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Cinsault and others

Appellation: Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Vintage: 2016

Size: 750ml