2020 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes [D98][JD98][WA97][JS96]

Producer: Chateau de Beaucastel 
Region: Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France 
Varietal: Roussanne 
Year: 2020 

Decanter, 98 Points 

"Beautiful clarity and definition of aroma. Certainly rounded but not massive, this has a great mouthfeel; so fresh and full of energy, with perfectly balanced acidity - you don't have to look for it, it comes at you. Lovely tension, intensity and salinity, the oak so well-integrated you barely notice it, and there's no toastiness, just notes of cedar, tobacco and cinnamon and a long finish. Not a hugely rich vintage, but a hugely fresh and energetic one. They've started to pick a little earlier and are now leaving the juice on the skins for three to four hours in the press. The wine spends one year in new barriques and demi-muids. Drinking Window 2024 - 2036." 

Jeb Dunnuck, 98 Points 

"Even better, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes comes from a single parcel of very old vines and is 100% Roussanne brought up in barrel. It too is medium to full-bodied and incredibly concentrated, with brilliant white currants, green almond, honeyed mineral, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. The balance is just about perfect, as is the purity of fruit, and this incredible white is one of the top releases in the vintage. As I’ve written in the past, it’s the Montrachet of the Southern Rhône and can evolve for decades in cold cellars." 

Wine Advocate, 97 Points 

"From vines planted in 1909, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is entirely barrel-fermented and matured, half in new oak from Chassin and half in second-use steam-bent barriques from Dargaud & Jaegle. It's much like the regular Beaucastel CdP Blanc, but more—and sometimes more really is more. With waves of honeyed pear and pineapple fruit folded together on the full-bodied palate, it's creamy and rich, yet vibrant and refreshing on the long, luxurious finish. The aging curve of this wine is never easy to predict, as some vintages close up tight soon after release only to open up after several years in the cellar, while others seem to exude opulence throughout their life." 

James Suckling, 96 Points 

"Wonderful nose of acacia honey and ripe apricot. Super-concentrated with great textural complexity, this white Chateauneuf is built on a lavish scale, but is so precise and glides off into the far distance. 100% roussanne from ancient vines. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold." 

Alcohol: 14.5% 

*Discounts do not apply to items like this one in the Fine & Rare category. Price and availability in store may vary.