Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020
Famille Perrin (5th generation) · Château de Beaucastel, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, France
Beaucastel is Châteauneuf-du-Pape at its most complete. While most producers lean heavily on Grenache, the Perrins give Mourvèdre equal billing — and it shows in the wine’s structure, depth, and remarkable aging potential. The galets roulés — those iconic smooth river stones that carpet the vineyards — are more than photogenic; they store daytime heat and release it at night, pushing grapes to full phenolic ripeness. Organic since the 1950s and biodynamic since 1974, Beaucastel was farming this way decades before it was fashionable. The 2020 vintage scored 97 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
Nose
Violet, black-olive tapenade, garrigue herbs, plum cake, leather, toasted almond
Palate
Rich and deep — blue fruit, star anise, sweet spice, blackberry, fine tannins, lovely acidity
Finish
Long and chalky with stony minerality and a silky fade
- Blend
- 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 20% other permitted varieties
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — Beaucastel Sangria Provençale: 1 bottle Beaucastel (or any quality CdP) · 2 oz Cognac · 1 oz crème de cassis · Sliced plums, figs, and orange · Fresh thyme sprigs · 3 oz sparkling water. Combine, chill 4 hours, serve over ice.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Slow-braised lamb shoulder with Provençal herbs and olive tapenade — a Southern French wine with a Southern French dish.
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