A Visit To One Of The

World’s Finest Vineyards

We pulled up to the gates of the Chateau, and we were welcomed by a modest plaque informing us that we had just entered the property of Chateau Beaucastel, one of the most prestigious estates in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. As we viewed the vast expanses of vineyards, the vines appeared to be growing out of rocks. The ground was literally covered with small white, tan, and gold colored rocks. It was hard to imagine a weed growing in this soil, let alone some of the world’s greatest vineyards.

Our host was Marc Perrin, a member of the fifth generation of Perrins who have been farming the land and producing the wines of Beaucastel.

This prized vineyard did not grow out of rocks, but from the soil underneath the rocks. The rocks were dumped by glaciers centuries before. They collect heat from the sun and are an integral factor in the high quality of the grapes that come from the soil. Old vines with long roots and the ever-present wind known as “Le Mistral” are other unique factors in making the vineyards of Beaucastel so special. The Perrins also pride themselves on the fact that the vineyards are totally organic.

Although Grenache is a major component of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, there are actually 13 different grapes that go into the final blend. The other major red grapes are Syrah and Mourvedre.  Surprisingly, this full-bodied red wine also includes white grapes such as Rousanne and Grenache Blanc.

We then tasted the individual wines from the 2005 vintage before they are blended into Chateauneuf.  As we shivered in the cellar, tasting the wines, it became quite clear that 2005 should be an outstanding vintage for the wines from the southern Rhone.

Tasting the various vintages of Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape was a revelation. The wines are without exception rich, concentrated reds with complex earth, spice, and berry aromas and flavors.

They age beautifully and also pair nicely with a wide variety of foods including lamb, duck, and (for those of you lucky enough to visit in January and February) black truffles

The wines of Beaucastel are limited in production and availability, however a visit to the vineyards certainly reveals them to be some of the world’s great wines.

(Newtown resident and wine enthusiast Steve Small is the general manager at Yankee Wine & Spirits on Queen Street.)