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Chateau de Beaucastel

Owners: Jean-Pierre and François Perrin
Address: 84350 Courthezon
Tlf.: 490 704 100
Direct sale: Monday - Friday 8.30-12.00 and 14.30-17.30 (Only after appointment and then including free visit of the cellars and tasting)
Homepage: http://www.beaucastel.com/
Mail: familleperrin@beaucastel.com
Blog: http://www.perrin-et-fils.com/beaucastel/
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The Perrin family. From the left: Jean-Pierre, Francois, Matthieu, Pierre, Marc and Thomas Perrin
The photo belongs to the family Perrin - © Chateau de Beaucastel
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In 1549 "Noble Pierre de Beaucastel", a protestant, bought a barn and some land and later a manor house was built at the place of today's Beaucastel. In 1687 a descendant Pierre de Beaucastel as appreciation of his conversion to catholicism was appointed as "Capitaine de la ville de Courthezon" by Louis XIV 14.
1909 Beaucastel was acquired by Pierre Tramier and he started a replantation on the estate. His son-in-law Pierre Perrin continued this and the same did his son Jacques Perrin (dead 1978).
Today Jacques Perrin's two sons Jean-Pierre and François Perrin are continuing the tradition and they have made Beaucastel the most famous wine from Chateauneuf du Pape. 
Their four sons Marc, Pierre, Thomas and Matthieu Perrin are ready to follow the family traditions.

Since the 1960ties the vineyards have been cultivated organically. From May 2001 Beaucastel got the Ecocert certification for all their bottlings.
 

Photo: Niels Ehler
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All fields of Beaucastels are covered with the big stones, typical for Chateauneuf du Pape.
The domain covers about 130 ha. About 30 are in a process of replanting. Each year 2-3 ha are planted with new vines, and the soil rests for some years before planting is done. The crop from the vines will not be used for Chateau de Beaucastel wines before they are 10 years old.

Wine from the young vines are used for. Chateauneuf du Pape Perrin Les Sinards (Perrin & Fils).
Bought wine can be included in this wine. It will normally be made from 70% Grenache and what else are available.

The wines from Beaucastel are not quite typical for the appellation. The grape varieties are different from most wines of Chateauneuf du Pape: For the white wines 80% Roussanne and for the red wines the high percentage of Mourvedre (Very old plants planted after World War II when an american rootstock compatible with Mourvedre was discovered).

 Resting soil at Beaucastel
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Chateauneuf du Pape  
Normally made from 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 5% Cincault and 5% from small parts of Vaccarèse, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Picpoul, Picardan, Bourboulenc and Roussanne. Before the fermentation the must for a short time (less than one minut) is heated op to 80oC and then cooled down to 20oC before the bunches drop into enamel tiled vats for twelve days' maceration. The wine is matured for one year in large oak barrels and then matured in bottle for a year before release.

 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin
Made from the best part of the grapes. The percentage of Mourvedre in this cuvée is often up to 60%. The result is a wine to cellar for many years. As they say on their homepage: "A wine to be kept for your retirement.".

Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc
80% Roussanne, 15% Grenache Blanc and 5% different grapes. Thirty percent of the wine is fermented in barrels and the remaining part in temperature controlled stainless steel vats. Once the malolactic fermentation is completed half of the new wine matures in small oak barrels and half in vats for about eight months.

 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Cuvée Vieilles Vignes.
From 3 ha. with at least 75 years old 100% Roussanne.
 It is probably fair to say that this wine is the peak of white Chateauneuf du Pape. Fermentation is made in barrels and 50% in stainless steel vats. Maturing for eight months, 50% in oak barrels and 50% in vats. Normally a white Chateauneuf du Pape should be enjoyed within a few years, but this wine can be kept for many years.

 
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The vinification takes place at Château du Grand Prébois.
The ageing takes place at Chateau de Beaucastel. Photo: © Chateau de Beaucastel
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The most northern lieu-dit of AOC Chateauneuf du Pape is Coudoulet. Some of Beaucastels parcels are placed here. Just outside the border of the appellation are vineyards (30 ha.) from where grapes are used for Cotes du Rhone, white, red and a small quantity of rosé. The soil here is very like the soil for the wines named Beaucastel.

Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel
30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre 20% Syrah and 20% Cinsault. It is matured for six to eight months in large oak barrels.

Cotes du Rhone Blanc Coudoulet de Beaucastel
Fra ca. 3 ha. med 30% Marsanne, 30% Viognier, 30% Bourboulenc og 10% Clairette. Fermentation and ageing partly in barrels and partly in barrels.
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Beside the wines with Chateau de Beaucastel on the label a range of other wines are produced by Perrin et Fils. Among them a Chateauneuf du Pape Les Sinards. This wine is made from different sources: young wineplants or wine which is not up to the wanted standard for Beaucastel (In 2002 all the production of Red Beaucastel was used for Les Sinards)
The cellars for vinification of all the wines from Beaucastel are placed at Château du Grand Prébois, Route Jonquières 84100 Orange. The premium Chateauneuf is fermented here, too, but matured at Beaucastel.
On the homepage http://www.clubperrin.com you can see details for all the wines.
In 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 the Perrins have put a diary of the harvest at Beaucastel on the Internet - blog
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Examples of the wines from Perrin et Fils
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Updated 2011-03-23