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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.5 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 14 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by djhammond on 1/15/2023 & rated 92 points: An unexpected bottle of this after trying in a restaurant a few months ago, this is towards the end of its drinking window. A fully mature Bordeaux with full secondary and tertiary characteristics can paper over a lot of cracks to deliver a sensual ethereal experience. The nose and palate display plum, cherry, and white pepper with great depth. The pepper notes are very dominant on the finish and would be unpleasant in a younger wine, but its maturity allows it to be masked. This really needs to be drunk over the next year to derive enjoyment. (936 views) | | | Tasted by djhammond on 6/1/2022 & rated 94 points: Drank in a restaurant in Soho London, this was fabulous with minimal decanting and also great value for money. Old leather, blackcurrant and plum are prominent with secondary and tertiary notes fully developed. A very pleasant surprise which more than exceded expectations. (1108 views) | | | Tasted by wineismylife on 10/22/2021 & rated 93 points: WIML93
Tasted non blind. Served from Magnum.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of saddle leather, white pepper and mixed berries. Flavors of black cherries, black berries, plums and raspberries.. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with a little air or can be held, particularly in magnum. (1203 views) | | | Tasted by King Julien on 5/27/2015 & rated 92 points: Much better than expected based on previous bottles. (4419 views) | | | Tasted by PeterMadrid on 2/19/2012 & rated 88 points: The oldest bottle I've opened so far myself - a gift from another wine lover who had kept it well. The cork was still in very good shape and came out in one piece. The wine was definitely mature, but not over-aged. Restrained nose at first, slowly developing with surprising fruit for its age, notes of tobacco and wood. Slightly muted taste, far from an explosion of aroma, but gently developing and still persistent in a smooth way. With time cautiously developing somewhat more complexity and a nice lingering subtle mix of complex aromas.
All in all, an elderly gentleman no longer with the forces of youth but maintaining an elegant composure and a mature charm. (7549 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 1/15/2012: No Menu Sunday (Bonsoiree, Chicago): From 375ml. Came across this while shopping for something else and figured I'd give it a shot. Cork was in good shape, soaked not quite half way up and came out in a few large chunks. Poured a few minutes after opening, this had a fairly deep color, but displayed washed out currant and plum notes. Seems tired on the palate as well. Our friends enjoyed it, but I felt this was past its time. (6523 views) | | | Tasted by Lord Rayas on 12/31/2011 & rated 87 points: NYE dinner with Julian/Ada, Brian/Ling, Thomas (Amber): Never had this wine before. Rather forgettable, other than traces of mintiness. (6678 views) | | | Tasted by Violalto on 12/31/2005 flawed bottle: I have never had a bottle that was as flawed as this. It was impossible to get my nose anywhere near it, it stank so much. After a day in the decanter I hoped the pong may have blown off a bit but it had not. Pinching my nose I still tried to taste a sip, just in case.....and down the drain it went along with the rest of the contents of the decanter. A crying shame as this was opened at a special occasion and had been one of two bottles my late step-father had left me. I am now scared to open the other and get the same result. (6850 views) | | | Tasted by MRichman on 9/11/2004: Bordeaux offline (Tout Va Bien, NYC): Warm, a little sharp, some sweetness. Too old, past prime.
C (1087 views) | | | Tasted by Xavier Auerbach on 11/7/2000 & rated 86 points: Christie's Pre-Sale Tasting (Amsterdam): Tool light, is getting old, unconvincing. (3918 views) | | | Tasted by bourgogre on 1/6/1990: Pas de commentaires dans mon vieux cahier
(***) (1055 views) |
| Château Beau-Séjour Bécot Producer website - Read more about Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot
U.S. Importer (addt'l info)
About the Winery Beau-Sejour-Becot
Situated on the St Martin de Mazerat plateau, immediately to the west of the
old town, Beau-Séjour Bécot lies in the very heart of the Saint-Emilion
appellation area. Since Gallo-Roman times, the site has been devoted to
wine growing. The monks of Saint-Martin de Mazerat in the Middle
Ages, followed by the Gères, lords of Camarsac fostered this know-how
in their turn. In 1722 one of their descendants, Jeanne de Gères, brought
the Domaine de Peycoucou – the peak where the cuckoo sings – into the
estate of the Carles de Figeac family on her marriage. In 1787 General
Jacques de Carles, who wished to leave to posterity the memory of the
pleasure he had enjoyed in living there, renamed the estate Beau-Séjour.
Through sales and legacies - General Jacques de Carles was without
successors - Beau-Séjour eventually came into the possession in 1924 of
Doctor Jean Fagouet, who enlarged the vineyard, increasing its surface
area to 10.5 hectares (26 acres). Michel Bécot, born into a wine growing
family who had lived in Saint-Emilion since 1760 and owner of the
neighbouring Château La Carte since 1929, purchased the estate in 1969.
In 1979, the Bécot family further enlarged the estate with the purchase
of 4.5 hectares (11 acres) on the Trois Moulins plateau. The estate,
which then became known as Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, is today a
substantial 16.6-hectare (41-acre) holding on a perfectly uniform terroir.
Michel Bécot retired in 1985, turning over the management of the
Château to his two sons Gérard and Dominique.
About the Wine
"The wine is a blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon - the grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats, and the wine is matured in oak barriques (50-70% new) for 18-20 months. The ubiquitous Michel Rolland is a consultant at Beau-Séjour Bécot and the wines, not surprisingly, are full-bodied, concentrated and rich with layers of seductive cassis-scented fruits and hints of smoky new oak." Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanLibournais Libournais (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) - Read more about St. Emilion and its wines - Read more about Pomerol and its wines
Saint Emilion Grat Classified Growth, Classified Growths, Grands Crus Classes, GCC
In 1954, while the "Graves" growths had just published their own classification, the wine syndicate of Saint-Emilion, composed by wine growers, brokers and wine traders with the approval of the INAO - Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (A.O.C), decided to work on a classification for the wines of Saint Emilion. Initially, four grades were defined. These were reduced to two - First Great Classified Growth (A and B) and Great Classified Growth - in 1984.
As of Medoc's 1855 historical grading, the Saint-Emilion Great Classified Growth classification is not only based on qualitative criteria by tasting the wines on a ten years period previous to the assessment, but also on commercial considerations such as:
- sales price levels
- national and international commercial distribution
- the estate's reputation on the market
Properties who don't manage to join the club of about sixty Classified Growths are given the denomination of Great Growth ("Grand Cru"), while the remaining wineries of the A.O.C are simply reported as "Saint-Emilion". It is to be noted that the owners must officially apply to appear in the official classification. Thus for example the famous Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf, whose quality and reputation would easily justify to be listed among the First Great Classified Growths, does not appear here by the will of its owner, François Mitjaville.
The Saint-Emilion Great Growth classification was revised in 1969, 1985, 1996 and 2006. The only two guaranteed vintage (A.O.C) who can apply to the classification are the "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" and "Saint-Emilion" areas.
By grading 61 properties, the 2006 revision confirmed many growths from the former classification, but also caused a number of surprises and a few inevitable disappointments. Many observers thought that the impressive progression of Perse's Chateau Pavie since 1998 would be rewarded by an upgrade into the First Great Classified Growths (A) category, but finally such was not the case.
Among the estates promoted to the First Great Classified Growths B category are Chateau Troplong-Mondot and Pavie-Macquin, whose efforts made since the Nineties fully justify their new grade. It should be noted that no First Great Classified Growth was relegated to the lower Great Classified Growth class.
Promoted growths from the status of Great Growth ("Grand Cru") to Great Classified Growth ("Grand Cru Classe") are: Chateaux Bellefont-Belcier, Destieux, Fleur Cardinale, Grand Corbin, Grand Corbin-Despagne and Monbousquet.
The demoted growths from the status of Great Classified Growth to Great Growth are: Chateaux Bellevue, Cadet Bon, Faurie de Souchard, Guadet Saint-Julien, La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Belivier), La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Moueix), Lamarzelle, Petite Faurie de Soutard, Tertre Daugay, Villemaurine and Yon-Figeac. If the recent samples of some of the above mentioned properties may justify their current downgrade, there are great chances that estates like Bellevue, Tertre Daugay or Yon-Figeac will be upgraded to their previous rankings by the next revision in 2016 as the progresses noted after 2000, but not entering in the range of vintages (1993 - 2002) appointed for the criteria of selection for the 2006 classification, are noticable.
The two following estates have completely disappeared from the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classification: Curé-Bon-la-Madeleine (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Canon) and La Clusière (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Pavie).
Finally, no estate considered as "garagiste" has integrated the classification. Valandraud, Mondotte, Le Dome, Bellevue-Mondotte or Magrez-Fombrauge have, for the least, the potential to be ranked as Great Classified Growths. In sight of the very fine quality reached by the above mentioned estates in recent vintages as well as all the innovative wine making methods used by the "garagistes", it remains to be seen whether the authorities will dare to cross the line in 2016..?St. Émilion Grand Cru Les Vins de St. Émilion (Syndicate Vitocole de Saint-Emilion) – Read about St. Emilion
Vins de Bordeaux:
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot
Soil: Sandy soils with alluvial gravel deposits
Surface Area: 4,160 ha |
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