Château Bellefont-Belcier 2018

Seductive aromatics; fruity attack, densely woven, juicy, crisp tannins, good length, balanced, finishing on pretty berry notes; pleasing, has clearly improved during élevage.

Soft-edged and seductive, with creamed plum and steeped raspberry notes laced with hints of sweet spice and red tea. A pretty savory echo extends the finish nicely. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2029. 2,917 cases made.

Impressive linearity and salinity. For once, I notice the winemaking, with greater fruit purity such as juicy plum and ripe blackberry. Gone is the drying finish of noticeable oak tannin from earlier vintages. 'In 15 years, this wine will be praised by all for its precision and freshness,' says estate consultant, Thomas Duclos. It is already lovely. Picking began on 20 September, much earlier in comparison to a previous solar year such as 2015 which saw no picking at all in September. Long finish. Enjoy with seared duck with mushrooms and roasted potatoes.

A dense, rich red, yet the tannins are so fine and integrated with beautiful texture and finesse. It’s full-bodied, showing pretty balance and refinement with lots of exotic fruit and richness. Tight now. Try after 2024.

Barrel sample. Darkest cherry red. Ripe dark-red fruit and damsons on the nose. Firm tannins but juicy at the core. OK but not a standout. (JH)

Elegant, refined, concentrated, silky, fresh and pure, this beautiful wine exudes all the rocks, stones, flowers, licorice, spice, cherries, plums and blackberries you could ask for. The wine provides length, complexity and freshness coupled with the ability to age and evolve. The wine was made from blending 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and is aged in a combination of new and used French oak casks with 10% of the harvest being aged in amphora.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, discreet watery edge at the rim. Delicate liquorice, black sweet cherry, tobacco notes, candied orange zest and a hint of cedar. Good complexity, sweet blackberry confit, integrated, supporting tannins, mineral, fine nougat, good length, will develop further, definite ageing potential.

I continue to love this Saint-Emilion, which hails from a 12.5-hectare vineyard located just beside Larcis Ducasse, on the Côte Pavie hillside. Based on 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Château Bellefont-Belcier's deep purple hue is followed by a ripe, medium to full-bodied 2018 with loads of blueberry and currant bud-like fruits as well as notes of leafy tobacco, spring flowers, truffle, and earth. Nicely textured, with fine, polished tannins and solid depth of fruit, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for 25 years or more. It doesn't quite have the depth or density I remember from barrel, but it's still a beautiful wine.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) Elegant, dense, subtly bitter bouquet, black cherries, strawberries, mint, herbs, graphite, nougat, subtle caramel. Tightly woven, fine-boned, fresh palate with plenty of fine tannins, a dense, creamy structure, diverse aromatics, delicate fruit, and a long, fresh finish.

Finely concentrated, complex, fresh bouquet of Amarena cherries, wild strawberries, mocha yogurt, pralines, mint. Densely interwoven, elegant, powerful palate with velvety, fresh fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a delicately creamy, subtly muscular structure, diverse and intense aromatics, a very long, dense finish with many lingering flavors. Can still improve. 18/20 2025 - 2050

A fresher attack, with superb silkiness and deep tannins, driven by the genius of its terroir and the new style now in place.

The wine shows notes of blackcurrant, white pepper, and black cherry. On the palate, the texture is dense and compact, with great intensity and very fine tannins.

The 2018 highlights the excellent management of the vineyard, as the excess heat was well controlled. The terroir comes through in its chalky character. On the palate, the wine is elegant, balanced, and endowed with powerful yet fine tannins. An inviting and promising wine to lay down! It is a little withdrawn for now, but what it reveals confirms the greatness announced during the en primeur tastings.

The nose is elegant, powerful, racy, and offers a certain depth/density. It reveals notes of fresh violet, fresh raspberry and, more subtly, fresh blackberry, combined with touches of fresh lily as well as a hint of rose, juicy small berries and a very discreet hint of fresh orange zest. The palate is fruity, balanced, racy and offers a lovely tangy/juicy backbone, good definition, tension, a refined texture, fine straightness and a lovely guiding line. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/pulpy blackberry, juicy blueberry and, more lightly, fresh violet, combined with touches of fresh lily/cornflower, pulpy raspberry, as well as hints of chocolate, caramelization, toasted tones, a very discreet hint of fresh vanilla pod and an imperceptible hint of caramelization/pastries. Good length. The tannins are well handled. A touch of chocolate and salt on the finish.

Dark red color. Good intensity. Medium-intensity nose, fruity, ripe, fresh. Precise on the attack, smooth as it unfolds, tender and velvety, flavorful, the wine develops with depth and finesse. No hard edges. It’s very good.

The 2018 Bellefont-Belcier has quite an intense nose of predominantly black fruit plus graphite and sage. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, quite compact at the moment and probably closing in after bottling. But there is plenty of freshness here and it feels very harmonious, if slightly “playing it safe” on the finish. Cellar for several years.