Beatus, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France, 2023 (Todd Anderson + Chateau de la Font du Loup)

Overview the Wine
BEATUS began with a dream and a friendship. Our dream was to make wine in Châteauneuf du Pape, one of the first regions to inspire the desire to pursue winemaking in general, and of working with Grenache in particular.

We developed a long-standing friendship with Anne-Charlotte Melia-Bachas, Proprietor of Chateau de la Font du Loup, who approached us with the idea to craft a wine together several years ago. After some discussions, touring the estate and working out some details, BEATUS was born.

The main vineyard parcel selected for this wine is a single plot of 80-year old Grenache at the top of La Crau in Châteauneuf du Pape, the highest location in the AOC. It sits on a north-facing slope that helps guard against the sometimes intense summer heat that can affect the surrounding areas. This plot is called “Le Poteau” and has been generously granted to us by Anne-Charlotte as the core of this wine, with supplementation of Syrah and Mourvèdre from surrounding parcels also grown on the Chateau de la Font du Loup estate, to round out the blend. In 2023, we added an additional plot of land, called “Le Puy Rolland” – 100 year old Grenache on the southwest side of the estate.

The winemaking is directed by myself and carried out by Anne-Charlotte, Stéphane Dupuy d’Angeac and their team. It is our hope to bring you one of the finest expressions of the elegant side of Grenache from this special region with each and every vintage.

Yields from this block are tiny due to the age of the vines and dry-farming. Therefore only up to 200 cases of Beatus will be produced each year, depending on the conditions of the vintage.

Winemakers
Todd Alexander and Anne Charlotte Melia-Bachas

Grape / Blend
Grenache - old vines with small amounts of Syrah and Mourvèdre

Origin
Rhône, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
"A classic nose of red and black berry fruits, Provençal garrigue, spice box, and loamy earth. This medium to full-bodied beauty has wonderful complexity, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish." 

98 Points - Ian Blackburn  (AKA TEETH)
14.5 + 24.5 + 24.5 plus 34.5 = 98 points
This 2023 is a wonder! This is why we love wine! It’s plump, plush, exciting but balanced and refined. Only a great winemaker can explore inside and outside the normal lines. A killer bottle of Chateauneuf from a new name in the south of France, Todd Alexander.

Todd’s winemaking style has been defined from his travels in Napa, Washington, Oregon, and now Maury and Rhone. This wine provides an elite experience with a provocative nose of wild strawberry and plum compote and a sexy mouthfeel that is voluminous but nothing strays too far from a core of red and black fruit skins - but one does want to sit and study the nose. It is almost too daft to drink - flowers? spices? herb garden? In time, the primary fruits may diminish (although they are stacked to the sky) and reveal even more complexity, spice, and pepper. I suspect it will in 5-10 years. This is so elevated and bespoke! I want everyone to try it and tell me what you think. I think it's the Goldilocks of CNDP - not too big, not too quiet, not too ripe, not too restrained. It pushes into plush pockets and yet has the zeal to fill in all the spaces in-between! The focus on old vine Grenache is not lost but elevated. In a word: “fascinating”

95 Points - James Suckling (2020 Vintage)
Plummy, supremely drinkable and seductive Chateauneuf with a full body and silky layers. Very soft and supple tannins give a gentle direction to the juicy plum and berry fruit. Clove and nutmeg notes persist. Fresh and irresistible finish. Grenache from 80-year-old vines co-fermented with 8% clairette, blended with about 10% each of mourvedre and syrah. Drink or hold.

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck (2020 Vintage)
The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is mostly very old vine Grenache (there are small amounts of Syrah and Mourvedre) from the sandy soils of the Le Poteau parcel in the Font du Loup lieu-dit. It saw a touch of whole clusters in the ferments and, I suspect, was brought up in neutral vessels. It’s as seamless as they come, offering a classic nose of red and black berry fruits, Provençal garrigue, spice box, and loamy earth. This medium to full-bodied beauty has wonderful complexity, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. While it's already drinking great today, it should easily evolve for 10-15 years. It's a seriously good bottle of Châteauneuf du Pape!

 Product size: 750ml