| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
With its distinctive label of a sailing boat, Beychevelle is a Bordeaux that is popular the world over. Always one of the most forward and "user-friendly" of the Saint Julien classed growths, this is a wine that is usually made to give relatively early drinking pleasure rather than to win academic blind tastings. We have noticed a significant step-up in quality in recent vintages. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon is low for the Northern Médoc and there is always a high percentage of Merlot in the final blend. From a vineyard that is 90 hectares in size. Always polished and supple, it is in huge demand in China where it is known as "Dragon Boat Wine".
Rich and muscular, the 2020 Beychevelle offers up aromas of cassis, blackberries and baked plums mingled with notions of spices, pencil shavings and toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, thick and fleshy, with an ample core of fruit framed by powdery, generously extracted tannins that assert themselves on the finish, this is a more powerful, chunky Beychevelle than the suave 2019. 2027 - 2055
The 2020 Beychevelle has an open-knit, very well-defined bouquet with pure black cherries, bilberry, veins of blueberry and crushed violet. There's just a touch of new oak still waiting to be assimilated. The palate is lavish and very ripe, displaying black fruit tinged with notes of fig and date, turning almost exotic toward the lascivious finish. Perhaps, for Beychevelle, this is modern in style. It's a world away from the slightly herbal showing in barrel, but bottle age ought to temper its hedonistic urges. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2030 - 2060
A very polished and refined 2020 with a medium body, integrated tannins and a pretty texture. Nice currant, light chocolate and cedar undertones. Fresh finish. Drink after 2026.
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Beychevelle leaps with vibrant notes of crushed blackcurrants, juicy black plums, and black raspberries with fragrant hints of pencil shavings, dried roses, and aniseed. Medium-bodied, the palate is refined and elegant with bright acidity and fine-grained tannins, finishing long and earthy.
Big shouldered, layers of dark berry fruits, liqourice, cigar box, cloves and solid tannins, with character and depth, clear ageing potential. Muscular tannic construction, keeping its St Julien finesse a little hidden for now, but it will arrive with ageing, and you'd be hard pressed to be unhappy with drinking this 15 years from now. 47hl/h yield.
Full bottle 1,245 g. Cask sample taken 31 March. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot.
Concentrated purple. Headily aromatic with mulberry perfume and just a hint of oak. Silky tannins and marked freshness. Neat and the opposite of opulent. Classic wine for the table. 13.5%
Drink 2028 – 2044
The 2020 is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot with a yield of 47hl/ha. The grapes were brought in from 14th-30th September. The Grand Vin represents 55% of the crop. Mid ruby in colour. Bright cherry fruit, herbs and toasted spices on the nose. The palate is fresh with red berries and a little cool blackcurrant. The tannins are crunchy against the fruit, sweetened by a little cinnamon spice. Floral and lifted on the finish.
(51% CS, 45% M, 4% PV; 55% harvest; 47hl/ha; 13.4% ABV)
Smells Merlot-plummy and subtly gravelly; full, fresh in acidity, very fine in tannin, a most delicious and particular balance; density and flesh, with a delicious freshness to taste, so easy at only 13.4% ABV; very finely tannic, long, juicy, characteristically fleshy from its 45% Merlot, remarkably harmonious and very satisfying; succulence, sap, complexity, and great length. Like the 2018 (especially), another magnificent Beychevelle, of slightly more classic proportions and style than either 2018 or 2019. In any case, a wonderful trio! The last trio of vintages, of both the Beychevelle and the Amiral, are a great achievement, in which Philippe Blanc can take very legitimate pride. 2030–50+.
The 2020 Beychevelle was perplexing from barrel. Re-tasting it three or four times, I discerned a faint but nagging vegetal note on the finish, though it was not evident on a bottle subsequently tasted at the property, which governed my banded score. Returning to Bordeaux to taste the wines that had been bottled in June 2022, I certainly appreciate the bouquet that is clean and pure with blackberry, bilberry, cedar and background sous-bois aromas. The oak is beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and well-judged acidity. Quite intense black fruit laced with graphite, perhaps a tad more peppery than usual. On the first bottle encountered at a merchant, I picked up on the green note that sent alarm bells ringing. A second bottle at the château unequivocally showed no signs at all, very sleek and poised with a residual tingle of black pepper. Based on this sample, I am cautiously optimistic about this Beychevelle, though I will always keep a lookout for that trait.
The 2020 Beychevelle is the one wine that I vowed to re-taste at the château since I found three samples tasting in the UK vexing because of a green taint on the finish. Here, the nose performs well: pure blackberry and crushed violet, none of those incongruous “mulch” or “vegetal” scents that I noticed before. That’s a good omen. The palate? This is far different to the samples tasted before. I think there is still a very nuanced green/bell pepper note towards the finish, but here it is subsumed into the layers of black fruit. Swallowing a sip just to be certain, I am more reassured that the samples in the UK were unrepresentative and glad that I did not attribute a score, which I am happy to do now. 2028 - 2055
Sweet-berry and tobacco character with blackberries and violets. It’s full-bodied with firm, polished tannins and a fresh finish. Very fine at the end.
Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Beychevelle offers up vibrant notes of black raspberries, fresh black cherries and cassis, plus hints of wild sage, chocolate mint, rose hip tea and fallen leaves, with an exotic hint of Indian spices. The medium to full-bodied palate offers layers of crunchy black fruits with a firm, grainy texture and just enough freshness, finishing long and perfumed. 2026 - 2046
Smoke, grilled almond on the nose, even a touch of rubber from an edge of reduction. This has depth to black chocolate and bilberry fruit, it is well balanced and seductive. Enjoyable, it's pretty broad shouldered but it sits well within the successful run of vintages at Beychevelle. A yield of 47hl/ha. 18 months ageing. 55% first wine.
Drinking Window 2029 - 2044
