Description
Beaucastel was one of the very first domaines to practise organic viticulture – namely no use of herbicides, insecticides or any other chemicals. Unusually, all 13 permitted grape varieties are grown although it is Mourvèdre which is Beaucastel`s signature grape, often making up a third of the final blend. Beaucastel’s wines are matured in 500-litre oak casks and, after blending, are bottled with a light fining and without being filtered.
The 30 hectares of Coudoulet are located just east of the vineyard of Beaucastel on the other side of the A7 motorway. For reasons that have now become obvious, Coudoulet is often considered the baby Beaucastel. The Coudoulet soil has many similarities to that of Beaucastel. It is made out of Molasse seabed covered by diluvial alpine deposits. These pebbles called “Galets Roulés” play a big role: They take in the heat during the day and let it if off slowly at night which gives a good start to the vines in the Spring.
Classic maceration occurs in cement tanks for 12 days. Pressing in pneumatic presses. Blending of the different varietals after malolactic fermentation. Ageing in Oak Foudres for 6 months.
A blend of 30% Grenache , 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Cinsault & 20% Syrah
Tasting Notes
The 2019 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel features scents of tar, black olives and plummy fruit on the nose. It’s full-bodied, concentrated and surprisingly crisp, with bright acids and a rather tart, savory finish. It’s a solid effort, but nothing more from this normally overachieving bottling. [90 Points, Joe Czerwinski – May 2022, robertparker.com]
