The Chateau has been associated with some of the very best French wine since 1549 when a barn with a plot of land was purchased in Courthezon. The luxury manor house of today was built on that land and even today one can see the coat of arms of the family sculpted in stone on one of the walls in the drawing room.

The family was one of the most notable in the town and today the torch is held high by Jean Pierre and Francois who continue on with the fabulous history that the family laid down when it came to producing some of the finest luxury wine.

At the heart of every great wine is the terrior and that at the Chateau is among the very best. The meso climate plays a very important role in the quality of the wine thanks to low rainfall, wind that ensures the air is clear and strong continuous sunlight. All of these complement each other to provide the vineyard with particular qualities. The soil is stony and free draining allowing the vies to put down strong roots. The estate covers a total of 130 hectares and 100 of these are planted with vines.

The harvest producing some of the very best wine is undertaken by hand picking and then carefully sorted to ensure that only the very best grapes are vinified.Following destemming then they go on to fermentation vats where traditional vinification takes place. The varieties of grapes have the luxury of being vinified separately giving each its own character, originality and aroma. After fermentation the wine is then carefully blended and tasted, which is painstaking work. The marriage of wine is the result of a great deal of effort and many months of work along with the finest of care from dawn to dusk. The wine is stored in large oak barrels for twelve months and matures until the time it is bottled.

The white wine of Chateau Beaucastel is among some of the finest from Rousanne grapes grown in the luxury of a warm climate. There are two cuvees, both of which have different personalities and is wine from vines between 10 and 40 years of age. Both show the possibilities when it comes to aroma following certain principles. The yields are kept low and care is taken to keep the vines strong and healthy so that they produce grapes in perfect condition. These are then picked just at the right moment and vinified, taken to the winery in small baskets. The wine is matured for at least eight months, 30% of which is in the barrel and 70% in vats. The wine is then blended carefully and bottled.

Editorial | Image Courtesy Of Chateau De Beaucastel