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
2021 is a vintage marked by freshness, which is similar to the vintages we had in the eighties and nineties. It is also what we call a "winegrower vintage", human intervention and the care given to the vines were decisive for the quality of the vintage. Marked by climatic vagaries, with an episode of frost in April and interrupted harvest because of rain, this year has indeed required constant investment from our teams in the vineyard. Their attention and their commitment have borne their fruit: this vintage is very promising with lots of freshness 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%
Specifications
Advice
Serving
14°C in tasting glasses.
Tasting
A magnificent deep and intense golden robe. Opulent and complex, the nose is particularly seductive, typical of this Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, with notes of honey, lightly stewed, very ripe fruit such as apricots, peaches and brioche. Very elegant on the palate, a delicate bitterness and a subtle salinity perfectly balances the richness, power and structure of Roussanne. This remarkably balanced wine reflects the perfect development of Roussanne on this exceptional terroir.
Reviews
"Brimming with citrus and acacia-blossom aromas, this extremely concentrated dry white has astonishing tension and vitality for this appellation. How can you resist the floral honey note at the fleshy heart of this masterpiece, or the astonishing mineral freshness at the super-long finish? 100% Roussanne from ancient vines. From organically grown grapes."
"Great concentration this year, making for a really intense, sappy Roussanne; pear tarte tatin flavours, alongside the intense cigar tobacco, cedar and sandalwood. Dense and concentrated, it's weightier than the 2020 vintage, and riper and denser than most 2021 Châteauneuf blancs. Huge length. The oaking is robust, it shows quite strongly so give this time. All aged in oak, half new, half one-year-old, mostly demi-muids."
"In contrast, the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes (100% Roussanne) is brought up in all new oak, and it has a normal pH of 3.7 and an alcohol of 14.5%. (In comparison, the classic white has a pH of 3.6 and slightly less alcohol at 14%.) Rich, full-bodied, and opulent, it has a gorgeous perfume of caramelized white peach, acacia flowers, toasted spices, and orange blossom. One of the most powerful, concentrated whites in the vintage, its oak is perfectly integrated, it's flawlessly balanced, and as I've written in the past, it's the Montrachet of the Southern Rhône! " [+]
"This is more about subdued power and savory energy than flamboyancy. Offers yellow apple and glazed peach notes that are caressing in feel, with a gentle robe of warm oak and toasted hazelnut. Gains nice balance and energy from grapefruit pithiness. Well-melded and refined, with generous crushed flint elements on the long finish"
