Updated: Apr 16, 2024
Beau-Séjour Bécot, a single plot all on limestone, has been expertly run by her father, Gérard, and uncle Dominique for 35 years, with the esteemed Michel Rolland as a friendly advisor. Beausejour Becot used to be dense. The transition to a lighter touch in the vineyard and cellar, led by Juliette Bécote and her husband Julien, has brought a delightful energy to the current vintages, infusing them with a plummy Merlot bounce and immediacy. The high scores like WS99, 97JD, 97RP, 97V, and 96JS are a testament to their expertise. A St Emilion GCC B.
This wine is a fascinating blend of contrasting fruit profiles, resulting from mixed oak ageing with aromatic and stylistic influences from limestone topsoil. Merlot's early picking and Cabernets' late picking add to its unique character. It's a must-try for any wine enthusiast.
Other tastings are as follows:
WS99. This wine is a sensory delight, with a juicy and forward feel that is complemented by fresh plum, blackberry, and anise notes. Despite its density, it retains a silky and refined feel, with a long mineral echo that lingers on the palate. The purity of this wine is such that it almost seems too easy to drink, until you realize its astonishing length. Barrel Tasting (JM) (3/2019). Edited.
97 Jeb Dunnuck. Tasted on two separate occasions, the 2018 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is a brilliant wine based on 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, ageing in 65% new oak (there's some in amphorae ageing as well) that comes from a magical terroir on the upper plateau, just outside of Saint-Émilion. This is pure limestone soil; the wine shows it with its fresh, vibrant style and incredible minerality. Vivid cassis, graphite, white flowers, and spice characteristics all flow to a medium to full-bodied, pure, exquisite wine that shows the new style of this estate beautifully. It's not for those sIt'sng overt power and luxury, but it builds incrementally on the palate with ultra-fine tannins and an excellent finish. It's as classy as it is. Give bottles 4-6 years of bottle age, lasting 2-3 decades. (5/2019). Edited.
97RP. The 2018 Beau-Sejour Becot is composed of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot was harvested on September 12-25, and the Cabernet varieties were harvested on October 4, 5 and 10. Yields were 46 hectoliters per hectare, and the wine is anticipated to age for 16 months. Sixty-five per cent of the wine will be matured in new barriques, while 35% will be aged in vats, amphorae and large oak casks of 20-hectoliter capacity. Deep garnet-purple coloured, it leaps from the glass with bold, expressive notions of stewed plums, blackberry pie and Black Forest cake with nuances of menthol, mocha, molten liquorice and wild sage, plus a waft of lavender. Full-bodied, the palate is laden with latent energy, offering slow-releasing glimpses at dark, seductive berry preserves layers and vibrant earthy accents, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral-laced. (LPB) (4/2019). Edited.
97 Vinous. The 2018 Beau-Séjour Bécot is fabulous. Dense, rich and explosive, the 2018 has it all. Soaring aromatics and a massive spine of tannin give 2018 its regal contours. The 2018 was barreled down late and is still coming together, especially in its aromatics, but its potential is evident. A wine of tremendous character and personality, Beau-Séjour Bécot dazzles in 2018. It is an utterly captivating Saint-Émilion from Juliette Bécot, Julien Barthe, and their consulting winemaker, Thomas Duclos. (AG) (4/2019). Edited.
96 JS. The 2018 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is a beautiful, fresh wine with excellent tannins that meld nicely into the pure fruit. It's a medium to fulIt'sdied wine that's crisp and verthat'sty. The finish is a beautiful experience that lasts for minutes, and the wine grows in stature at the end, leaving a lasting impression. This wine is a testament to the quality and craftsmanship of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot. (4/2019). Edited.
Updated: Apr 25, 2024
Batailley 2015 is an exceptional Pauillac that has impressed wine enthusiasts with its exquisite blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot. The wine has consistently received high scores from renowned wine critics, making it a go-to choice for those searching for a refined and delicate Pauillac at the Cru level.
The wine's complexity is derived from ageing in 60% new oak, contributing to its striking energy and cut and creamy touch and finish. Moreover, bottle ageing also contributes to the wine's distinct personality and nuance.
Neal Martin, who awarded this wine a V95, described it as a wine of class, pedigree, and nuance. He praised the wine's dark, purplish flavour profile, which includes graphite, smoke, violet, mint, dark cherry, and plum. The wine's striking energy and cut are noteworthy, making it stand out. Batailley is always a Pauillac with a distinct personality; this wine is no exception. It's also one of the overachievers of the year.
JS also awarded this wine a 95, highlighting its immediate appeal to the nose and palate with blackberries and dark plums. He also praised its chiselled tannins, long and fresh fruity finish, and spicy oak flavours.
RP awarded this wine a 95, commending its fruit intensity with blackberry, boysenberry, tobacco, and cedar aromas. The wine develops a subtle mint accent and gathers momentum in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, lithe tannin, well-balanced, and slightly tinniness that will disappear in the bottle. The pencil shaving sprinkled over the aftertaste has excellent substance and impressive length, making this classic Pauillac a wine you can enjoy for 25 or 30 years.
The 2018 Château Berliquet vintage departs from its predecessors, showcasing a shift from austerity to elegance.
This stylistic change is evident from the start of our tasting, with the wine offering powerful blue fruit, giving plummy and forward flavours that linger. The palate is dense, hinting at its potential; lengthen is medium. This is the first vintage crafted by Nicolas Audebert and the technical team at Canon following Chanel's acquisition of the estate in 2017. The blend is a unique combination of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc. Scores are reasonably high, such as:
96 points Jeb Dunnuck
A rough blend of 78% Merlot and 22% Franc made by the team at Canon (Thomas Duclos also consults here), the 2018 Château Berliquet sports a deeper purple colour as well as a complex, layered style in its black raspberry, white flowers, dried earth, spice, and forest floor aromas and flavours. It's medium to full-bodied and has a rounded, expansive texture, beautiful tannins, brilliant freshness and purity, and a serious kick of minerality on the finish. Coming from a smaller 10-hectare terroir located on the clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau, it will spend 16 months in 45% new French oak. Tasted twice. (5/2019). Edited.
95 points, James Suckling
A fine and fruity red with blueberries and blackberries and hints of walnuts. Medium to full body and ultra-fine tannins that melt into the body of the wine. It's muscular in some ways. Lots of potential. Punchy. (3/2019). Edited.
95 points Wine Advocate
This was Nicolas Audebert's first vintage at Berliquet since Chanel acquired the property in the autumn of 2017. The most significant, immediate change from 2018 came from noticing that blocks of the vineyard had Merlot and Cabernet Franc interplanted. These used to be harvested together. This year, the different cultivars were flagged and harvested separately to achieve optimal ripeness for both varieties. The 2018 Berliquet is blended with 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc and has 14.5% alcohol. Deep purple-black, it leaps from the glass with bold kirsch, blueberry compote and Black Forest cake with touches of cloves, lavender, menthol and lilacs. Medium to full-bodied and elegant, with lovely freshness lifting the densely packed blue and black fruit flavours, it has a velvety texture and long, earthy finish. (LPB) (4/2019). Edited.
94 points Wine Spectator
This is a focused, restrained style, with cherry, plum, and red currant notes carried by persistent chalky minerality. It shows a light tobacco shading throughout (JM, Web Only-2019). Edited.
