2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Château de Beaucastel, Rhone, France
OVERVIEW
One of the world's most famous wines, the Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge is a favourite wine of critics and wine lovers alike. This instantly recognisable wine from Château de Beaucastel offers a bombastic taste of the Southern Rhone although in more recent years has begun a move towards greater freshness and less extraction. The 2009 however is divine and, at a decade and a half, is entering its prime.
CRITIC REVIEWS
One of the more endowed 2009s, this is packed with dark smoldering cocoa, mesquite, tobacco and roasted fig notes, all inlaid with pure cassis and plum preserves fruit flavors. Long and authoritative on the finish, with singed vanilla bean and tar notes adding length and dimension. Best from 2015 through 2026. 96 Points. Wine Spectator
The 2009 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape is reminiscent of their brilliant 1985. It will be one of the rare Beaucastels that is drinkable upon release. Made from this estates classic blend, it possesses soft tannins as well as a silky, open-knit seductiveness, a dense plum/purple color and a beautiful perfume of smoky Provencal herbs intermixed with grilled steak juices, garrigue, kirsch and blue as well as black fruits. The wine is full-bodied, unctuously textured, and silky smooth (the latter characteristic being somewhat atypical for a young Beaucastel). If it performs like the 1985, it will drink well young and continue to do so for 25 or more years. 94 Points. Robert Parker (October 2011)
The 2009 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape is reminiscent of their brilliant 1985. It will be one of the rare Beaucastels that is drinkable upon release. Made from this estates classic blend, it possesses soft tannins as well as a silky, open-knit seductiveness, a dense plum/purple color and a beautiful perfume of smoky Provencal herbs intermixed with grilled steak juices, garrigue, kirsch and blue as well as black fruits. The wine is full-bodied, unctuously textured, and silky smooth (the latter characteristic being somewhat atypical for a young Beaucastel). If it performs like the 1985, it will drink well young and continue to do so for 25 or more years. 18/20 Points. Jancis Robinson (November 2010)
The 2009 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape (30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise and the balance other permitted varietals) exhibits an opaque purple color as well as sweet aromas of camphor, truffles, black cherries, black currants, licorice, pepper and forest floor. The wine is full-bodied, rich, intense and powerful. Moreover, there is a lot more of the 2009 than there is of the 2008 (after the strict selection, only 50% of the normal production was achieved). Because of the significant tannins, the 2009 requires 3-5 years of bottle age and should evolve for 25-30 years. 92-95 Points. Robert Parker (October 2010)
FOOD PAIRING INSPIRATION
This top end Chateauneuf du Pape will be a treat with Moroccan Tagine, Hamburgers, Lamb chops and all variety of dark meats. It also handles spices very well.
VINTAGE AND WINEMAKING
The 2009 vintage is another from a long line of superb vintages in the Southern Rhone, this one scoring 93 points from the Wine Advocate.
Each variety is harvested separately and manually. Vinification takes place in oak fermenters for the reductive varieties (Mourvèdre, Syrah) and in traditional enameled concrete tanks for the Oxidative grapes (all the others). Once the malolactic fermentation is finished, the Famille Perrin blends the different varieties. The blend is then aged in oak Foudres for a year before being bottled.
The blend is 30% Grenache, 30% Mouvedre, 15% Vaccarèse, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Picardan, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, 10% Counoise, 10% Syrah and 5% Cinsault.
PRODUCER NOTES
The estate traces its history back to a plot of Coudoulet vines bought by Pierre de Beaucastel in 1549. Tthe estate was transferred into the Perrin family in 1909 through marriage, where it remains firmly to this day. Despite being one of the old guards of the region, they are also one of the most progressive estates, They were one of the first converts to organic and biodynamic faming in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which they adopted in 1950 and ’74 respectively.
The family was delighted with their ’20 vintage. Marc Perrin summarised it as “one of the all-time classics. The wines have superb intensity, wonderful poise, finesse and elegance. Each varietal was matured to perfection and our fortune of being at the funnel of the Mistral wind is so telling.” Indeed, the vintage is already being compared to the greats of ’90, ’10 and ‘16 – one approachable in its youth but also able to age to decades.
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SERVICE AND STORAGE TIPS
We recommend this wine undergoes at least 3 hours decanting and should be ideally stored around 12°C.
DELIVERY INFORMATION
Delivery is free when you spend over £150. For orders under this amount then a £9.99 delivery charge will be applied.
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2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Château de Beaucastel, Rhone, France
| Wine Card | |
| Wine Producer | Chateau de Beaucastel |
| Wine Region | Southern Rhone |
| Wine Classification | Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC |
| Wine Type | Red |
| Grape Variety | Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre |
| Vintage | 2009 |
| Vintage Quality | Outstanding - Parker |
| Maturity | Drink Now - Wil Improve |
| Body | Full Bodied |
| Sweetness | Dry |
| Alcohol % | 14.5% |
| Bottle Type | Rhone 75cl |
| Serving Temperature | 16-18°C |
| Food Pairing | Lamb Tagine, Coq au Vin |
| Awards | 95 Points - Wine Advocate |
| 18/20 - Jancis Robinson |
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