Robert Parker 97points
Another in a string of top vintages, Beaucastel's 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape was produced from Grenache yields of only eight hectoliters per hectare ("normal" is about 28 hectoliters per hectare, according to Marc Perrin). The final blend I was shown is almost candied in its fruity intensity of raspberries and cherries, yet it has a potent underpinning of more savory elements, like tapenade, grilled meat and dried spices. Full-bodied, with fine, silky tannins, this shows tremendous length, reverberating with hints of crushed stone on the finish.
James Suckling 97points
So much ripe damson-plum and blackberry fruit, but also notes of licorice, candied ginger and baking spices. In spite of all the considerable power and concentration, this is anything but loud or domineering, rather it tastes very poised and precise. Very long finish with pronounced stony character. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
This is pretty gorgeous, with a remarkably pure display of cassis, cherry puree and plum reduction flavors laced ever so gently with threads of leather, alder and dried garrigue. The sleek iron spine is buried deeply on the finish, and there's a lingering hint of warm stone as the fruit echoes through. Built to last. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Picardan and Roussanne. Best from 2024 through 2040. 7,000 cases made, 1,700 cases imported.
In 1549, when Pierre de Beaucastel first knelt to taste the iron-rich soil of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, he sensed a truth: this land was destined to defy the ordinary. Five centuries later, under the same Provençal sun, the 2019 vintage of Château de Beaucastel emerges—not merely a wine, but a covenant between earth and sky.
The Dance of Thirteen Grapes
Where others simplify, Beaucastel dares to complicate.
This is one of the few wines in the world that weaves all 13 permitted grapes of Châteauneuf-du-Pape into a single tapestry. Mourvèdre (30%) lends brooding structure, Grenache (30%) bursts with sun-ripened kirsch, while Counoise, Vaccarèse, and Muscardin—rare even in their homeland—stitch in whispers of violet, white pepper, and wild herbs.
But the true magic lies beneath the vines. Since 1950, Beaucastel has farmed 100% organically; by 1974, it embraced biodynamics. The 2019 vintage, nurtured by lunar cycles and herbal infusions, is a testament to patience—aged 18 months in ancient foudres, where oxygen kisses the wine just enough to soften its edges, never its soul.
A Vintage Forged by Fire
2019 was a year of extremes. Spring frosts culled the weak, summer’s furnace concentrated the strong.
Pour the wine, and you taste the crucible: blackcurrants macerated in garrigue, truffle shavings dusted over roasted game, and a ribbon of licorice pulled taut by Mourvèdre’s tannins. The palate is both power and precision—like a bullfighter’s pirouette. Yet beneath the intensity lies a surprising grace, as acidity lifts the finish into a crescendo of crushed flint and lavender.
The Price That Defies Gravity
In a world where cult Rhônes command four-digit sums, Château de Beaucastel 2019 at HK$475 is an act of quiet rebellion.How? The Perrin family—guardians of Beaucastel since 1909—refuses to chase scores or speculation. Their loyalty lies with the land, not the auction house. While neighbors inflated prices, they invested in compost, not consultants. The result? A wine that costs 40% less than peers of equal pedigree, yet carries twice the soul.