Château de Beaucastel : Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 2020

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.

Alluring, with a matchstick hint weaving around notes of white peach, white nectarine and apricot, while quinine and bitter almond accents fuel the finish. There's serious latent length here, thanks to a deeply imbedded spine that lets the fruit play out effortlessly. Roussanne. Drink now through 2035. 300 cases made, 200 cases imported.

A little more reticent on the nose for now compared to other recent vintages – it's possibly entering a closed phase, in which case leave until 2032; however, it shows some attractive fresh pear and powdered ginger notes. Rich on the palate, this has incredible depth and power, with great mineral drive on the finish. This will be one of the great vintages of Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, and it will last for decades. From a single parcel of Roussanne, planted in 1919 and grown biodynamically. Aged in one-year-old demi-muids and barriques. Maximum of 6,000 bottles per year.

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.

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.

The 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is made from 70- to 90-year-old vines and aged just under a year in a mix of new and used oak demi-muids. A fragrant perfume of spring blossom, jasmine, lemon peel, lime flesh, yellow apple, pear, cedar, pastry notes, and a splash of verbena tea leads in, spoiling the palate with stunning concentration and outstanding purity of fruit. Full-bodied, rich, and balanced, the sapid finish goes on for well over a minute. Make no mistake: the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is among the finest whites in the entire Rhône Valley and can easily compete on the world stage of pristine dry whites.

Flowers, crushed rocks, peaches, tangerines, honeysuckle and spice create the attention-grabbing perfume. It is the concentration that comes from the old vines paired with the creamy acidity and freshness that make this such a unique experience. The palate is oily, fruity, spicy and vibrant with a lemon, peach and mandarin orange, chalky finish that steals the show. This should age extremely well. Drink from 2026-2039.