Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes - 2022

Presentation

Presentation
Considered as one of the greatest white wines in France, only 6000 bottles of this wine are produced. It's made with 100% very old Roussanne vines and harvested slightly over ripe. This exceptional wine must be drunk within 3 years or after 15 years. To be enjoyed with gastronomic cuisine.
The vintage
The 2022 vintage experienced contrasting climatic hazards which allowed to offer good quality grapes and a very promising aromatic complexity, with however a heterogeneous volume depending on the plots. Winter and spring were particularly mild and very dry, with the months of January and May proving to be the driest since the start of the 20th century, with record temperatures in May and June. These conditions allowed to maintain an excellent sanitary state of the vines, thanks to a total absence of disease. The summer was then very sunny with high temperatures that presaged high potential in terms of alcohol, but saving rains in mid-August allowed the grapes to slowly continue to mature. The harvest thus began on August 19th in very good conditions and 11 days ahead of 2021. It was punctuated by a few rainfalls in September which did not alter the superb quality of the grapes but made it necessary to carry out a light sorting in the vineyard. We have worked our rosés with finesse, for elegant, fruity and low-alcohol wines. The reds were gently vinified with delicate extractions which reveal particularly balanced wines. The first tastings suggest a 2022 vintage full of promise, with complex and aromatic palates and great balance.
Location
Château de Beaucastel has 7 hectares planted with white varieties.
Terroir
Molasse seabed of the Miocene period covered by diluvial alpine deposits (rolled pebbles).
Ageing
The grapes are hand picked in small cases and sorted, pneumatically pressed. Settling of the juices and fermentation (30% in oak, 70% tanks). Bottled after 8 months.
Varietal
Roussanne : 100%

Advice

Serving
14°C in tasting glasses.
Tasting
Superb deep and intense golden colour. Powerful and complex, the nose is particularly seductive, typical of Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, with notes of honey, very ripe, lightly stewed fruit such as apricots and peaches and brioche. Dense and complex, the palate continues with this rich and opulent character with a silky texture and superb notes of beeswax and citrus, remarkably balanced by a beautiful freshness, a touch of acidity and a delicate bitterness. A great vintage of Roussanne which flourishes wonderfully on this exceptional terroir.

Reviews

95/100
"A big, expansive vintage of this wine, it’s really quite juicy and fleshy. The acidity is well balanced, but this is considerably richer than 2021 and even 2020. The oak feels more noticeable at this stage, too. Quite a potent, rich year for this cuvée, with a long finish. An opulent, hedonistic Roussanne. Matured in barrels, 50% new, 50% one-year-old."
17,5/20
"Cask sample. Nose is nutty and reduced, rich and dense. The palate is intensely concentrated with almond, apple skin, pear and a lovely texture, high dry extract and concentration. Rich and with real depth. A sweetness and lovely nutty notes on the golden-fruit-drenched finish. Drink 2027 - 2040"
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97/100
"The 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is another triumphant vintage for this bottling. Fermented and matured in a combination of new and second-use oak, it's ripe and honeyed, with waves of lush peach and melon fruit, yet it somehow never seems overdone. Fullbodied, ripe, and round, it's expansive in the mouth yet never heavy, finishing long and luxurious, with subtle hints of wood spice, honey, and citrus"
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97/100
"Amazing nose of dried apricots and caramelized pears with a lot of toasted nut complexity. Very rich and mellow on the full-bodied palate, this glides over your palate. Opulent in the best sense, the creaminess very sensual, and then comes the amazingly graceful and properly dry, super-long finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."
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