Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2007

Roussanne can be thin and tart and is not often bottled on its own, being blended with Marsanne wine which has virtually replaced it as the mainstay grape in Rhône blends. It doesn’t sound like much so far but stick with me on this because some of the most glorious, not to be missed, white wines in the Rhone and now in a few hands in California are from this problematic grape. These stellar versions are very close to one another as it is a very narrow interpretation that allows Roussanne to perform well; using barrel fermentation and oak aging used on old vine harvests. The aroma of Roussanne is not overtly fruity but rather ethereal suggesting wild flowers or herbal tea layered atop a butteriness from the barrel fermentation. Roussanne wines and their blends hold up well with cellaring and may be enjoyable a decade or more past the vintage.

Expert Review

95 Points - Wine Advocate, October 2009
"...it is a delicious, beautifully textured, light gold-colored white revealing plenty of white peach, apricot, nectarine, and honeysuckle notes as well as a distinctive florality and minerality. More honeyed and fuller-bodied than its 2008 counterpart, it should drink beautifully for 7-8 years, then go into an oxidative state. It is somewhat of a gamble as to what will happen thereafter. Beaucastel’s limited production luxury cuvee first produced in 1986 is their 100% Roussanne Vieilles Vignes offering. Fifty percent is barrel-fermented in one-year-old barrels, but no new oak is utilized." - Robert Parker Jr

Food Pairings

Chicken and game hens. Smoked fish and cured meats. Cheesy risotto or pasta. Grilled vegetables; beans, asparagus.