Chateau de Beaucastel

In 1321, under the reign of Pope John XXII, four barrels were brought from the papal cellar in Avignon to be filled with wine in Châteauneuf. Subsequently, the Popes increased their vineyard holdings in the region and the papal wine gained in fame. The Beaucastel family were living in Courthezon by the middle of the sixteenth century. In 1549 "Noble Pierre de Beaucastel" bought "a barn with its plot of land extending to 52 saumées at Coudoulet". Later, the manor house that we know today was built here and you can still see the arms of the Beaucastel family sculpted in stone in one of walls of the drawingroom. The Beaucastels were among the more notable families of this little town and in 1687 Pierre de Beaucastel, in recognition of his conversion to Catholicism after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, was appointed "Capitaine de la ville de Courthezon" by Louis XIV. The letter from Louis XIV, also signed by Colbert, to Pierre de Beaucastel is still in our possession. Two centuries later at the time of the phylloxera, the owner of Beaucastel was Elie Dussaud, a companion of Ferdinand de Lesseps who built the Suez Canal. In 1909 Pierre Tramier bought the property and Beaucastel then passed to his son-in-law, Pierre Perrin, a scientist who considerably increased the vineyard holding. His efforts were continued by Jacques Perrin until 1978... Today the torch is carried by Jean Pierre and François, sons of Jacques. But Marc, Pierre, Thomas and Matthieu, who represent the fifth generation, are ready to pursue this fabulous family history.