Château Beychevelle 2021

Toasty notes, floral tones, dark fruit, deep and cool. Juicy and fresh on the palate, top structure, fine-grained tannins, balanced, with a red-fruited, mineral finish. Quality on par with the previous year.

This sports plum and black currant fruit, with touches of licorice root, applewood, savory and warm earth notes. Shows the vintage's austerity but offers a touch more fruit than most of its brethren. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 19,000 cases made.

Dark chocolate, green peppercorns, blackcurrants, lots of Cabernet markers on the nose. Missing a touch more mid-palate depth; it starts off juicy and bright but then settles and quietens. It’s got a lovely sleek texture, the tannins are really well integrated and nothing is pushed at all, which is a great effort in 2021, showcasing restraint over trying to make something too hefty. I just wanted a bit more vibrancy and concentration to follow through. This may simply need more time to come together and harmonise.

The 2021 Beychevelle, incidentally the final vintage to contain Cabernet Franc according to Philippe Blanc, is still a little tight on the nose after bottling in June, but it has a wonderful sense of purity and delineation. The Cabernet Sauvignon is very expressive here, so much so that you might think there was around 75% in the blend, rather than 57%. There's a hint of crushed violet in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, and harmonious with fine sapidity. This is more austere than recent vintages, as you might expect, and perhaps not as long on the palate, but I appreciate the Pauillac-like graphite note that surfaces with aeration. There is a convincing sense of classicism in this Beychevelle, and it should age with style.

Flowers, tobacco, spice, currants and black raspberries define the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, almost light on its feet with sweet black currants, peppery cherries, chewy blackberries, dark chocolate and a touch of refreshing spearmint that adds to the vibrant character. The wine blends 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2050.

Dark ruby garnet colour with purple reflections, subtle ochre rim. Red heart cherries, delicate tobacco-like, herbal savouriness, forest berries and mandarin zest in the background. Juicy, delicate savoury nuances, fresh acidity, round tannins, mineral, good length, a medium-bodied food wine with good ageing potential.

Beychevelle 2021 is rich, slightly sweet, with caramel-chocolate notes and an alluring character; less typical, perhaps, but very crowd-pleasing, with high intensity. Very forceful and concentrated on the palate, with plenty of creaminess and generous sweetness. Racy tannins, very clear and long. Round, dense, creamy and full, it draws its energy from a generous core.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 13% vol. alcohol). Medium-bodied, fragrant bouquet with cassis, cherries, fine woods, and delicate roasted notes. Fine, fresh palate with good fruit, slightly powdery tannins, fresh aromatics, classic structure, and a powerful finish.

(57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 13% alc./vol.) Medium-bodied, fragrant bouquet, cassis, cherries, fine woods, delicate roasted notes. Fine, fresh palate with good fruit, slightly powdery tannins, fresh aromatics, classic structure, powerful finish. 17/20 2028 - 2048

Soft ruby-rose colour, fresh acidities. Clearly a challenging vintage, well handled with a gentle, fine tannic frame. Raspberry and redcurrant fruits, clear tobacco leaf and smoked earth, edges of turmeric and cumin. Should soften a little over the next few years, but honestly no great need to wait: this has St Julien balance and charm, and perhaps the earlier the better to make the most of those qualities. 60% new oak.

A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Beychevelle has a deep garnet-purple color. It needs plenty of swirling to coax out notes of ripe blackcurrants, Bing cherries, and juicy strawberries, giving way to nuances of forest floor, mossy tree bark, and tapenade. The light-bodied palate has delicately played red and black fruits that match its ethereal weight, supported by silky tannins and great tension, finishing long and fragrant. Pretty!

Endowed with a very elegant substance, with a silky, poised and well-defined palate, this 2021 is a very classic Saint-Julien. It is delicious, with fine tannins and a lovely length. It clearly reflects the fine form of the cru.

Very ripe fruit, empyreumatic aromas and a touch of vanilla create a warm, generous sensation, quite atypical for Beychevelle. On the palate, it returns to Beychevelle’s hallmark precision and purity—silky, lively, with marked freshness and an expansiveness that delights the palate, all charm and seduction.

Still quite marked by its élevage, Beychevelle certainly puts forward inviting arguments, with nuances of cocoa paired with black-berry aromas. With creamy, slightly suave tannins, the wine combines charm and density. It has a refreshing acidic structure that complements its silkiness and ensures both character and potential. A flavorful wine that deserves a little cellaring.

Dark, intense, purple color. Very aromatic, fruity nose. A palate of refined tactile delicacy, with a lovely burst of fruit and medium body.

Elegant and pure, the nose opens onto lovely depth. The texture is focused, sanguine and vibrant, while also embracing breadth, curves, and amplitude. This is a very well-built wine, with a biting, energetic flesh, dressed in elegant tannins and a firm acidic framework.