2025 Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône Réserve Blanc

Say Perrin, and you think of the magical Château de Beaucastel and the captivating Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a wine sought after the world over. Beaucastel has existed since the early 17th century, but it wasn't until 1909, when the Perrin family became owners, that the then 100-hectare estate underwent a true transformation. More than a century later, and now in its fifth generation, the Perrin empire has grown to 325 hectares of vineyards, the vast majority of which are privately owned. Following their success in Châteauneuf, the family began acquiring other plots in the southern Rhône.

Today, they operate in the Côtes du Rhône Villages, Vinsobres, Cairanne, Rasteau, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and even Beaumes-de-Venise and Tavel. For the past few months, they've also been active in the Côtes de Provence with Château Miraval, a joint venture between Perrin and Jolie-Pitt (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie). Each of these plots is ideally situated, a maximum of 45 minutes from their home base of Orange, making them easily accessible for daily inspections.

The family's success today is largely due to the late Jacques Perrin, a third-generation winemaker and a true "biodynamicist" before his time. His philosophy? Good wine is made by allowing the grapes to thrive in the best possible natural conditions. And so it was, as all chemical fertilizers and herbicides were banned from the vineyard as early as 1964. In the cellar, too, nothing is left to chance. The Perrins built a state-of-the-art winery on the nearby La Vieille Ferme estate, equipped with all the latest technology. But the family will go down in history as the master blenders. It is undoubtedly the Perrins' great secret: they are convinced that blending the right grapes in the right quantities produces better wines. Something the family still does every year by hand.

The Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc, and Vermentino from this exquisite blend are first lightly pressed, and in a second step, they are further pressed. After extracting the juice, this white Rhone wine is cooled and fermented under controlled conditions in stainless steel. The young wine is then transferred to clean stainless steel tanks to partially undergo malolactic fermentation and mature. After eight months, the wine is assembled and bottled after clarification and light filtration. This entire process follows organic and/or biodynamic rules and regulations as much as possible.

This is a wine with wonderful freshness and amazing depth. It's a wonderful match for Mediterranean fish and makes a delightful aperitif. The wines are highly aromatic with floral hints and lovely acidity. In the glass, this white Rhône from Perrin has a very pale yellow color. The nose reveals aromas of lime, pear, peach, and a hint of honeysuckle. The palate reveals notes of apple, melon, and a hint of white pepper, followed by a remarkably clean and good finish with subtle acidity.