| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
This Saint Emilion property of 9 hectares is well situated on the plateau of Saint Emilion. Previously the wines were made by Nicolas Thienpont from Pavie Macquin and Beausejour Duffau. However in July 2017 the property was purchased by the owners of Chanel and it is now under the control of the wine-making team of Chateau Canon. Consequently there is a significant change in the style of the wine into something much more sophisticated and smooth than before. The vineyard is planted with 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. The 2018 is a breakthrough vintage for Berliquet as the wine becomes very much like Canon in style. The blend is 78% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc.
The 2018 Berliquet is composed of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc and has 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls in the glass to reveal a classic nose of ripe black plums, wild blueberries and pencil shavings with hints of unsmoked cigars, tilled soil and red roses. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of blue and black fruit preserves, supported by plush tannins and impressive freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. Since the Chanel takeover and under Nicolas Audebert’s direction, the development of this site and the wine are truly impressive. I suspect a lot of selection has gone into making this 2018, and the results reveal a top-tier Saint-Émilion in the making. 2023 - 2040.
The 2018 Berliquet is more controlled on the nose than when tasted from barrel, though I still feel it needs more time to completely gel and would benefit from greater delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with toasty black fruit, tar and tobacco, leading to a dry and slightly smudged finish. Maybe I could find a better and fresher bottle, but this is par for the course. 2023 - 2037.
Blackberry, plum, blueberry and some stone and crushed cement on the nose. Full body with firm, chewy and ultra fine tannins that will soften nicely. I like the lightly smoked nuts and chocolate. Needs time to come around. Try after 2025.
Coming from the team at Canon and a blend of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Berliquet sports a dense purple hue as well as a classic Saint-Emilion, mineral-driven bouquet of red and black cherries, chocolate, graphite, roasted herbs, and chalky, rocky nuances. A big, rich, dense 2018, it has chewy tannins, good mid-palate depth, and outstanding length.Coming from the team at Canon and a blend of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Berliquet sports a dense purple hue as well as a classic Saint-Emilion, mineral-driven bouquet of red and black cherries, chocolate, graphite, roasted herbs, and chalky, rocky nuances. A big, rich, dense 2018, it has chewy tannins, good mid-palate depth, and outstanding length.
Tasted blind. Meaty nose. And then rather pinched fruit. Ungenerous. Ambitious but not yet at all charming. Though the core of fruit is impressive. 14.5%
Drink 2028 – 2040
Inky core with purple rim. Ripe and dark on the nose. Quite leafy on the palate and the tannins are pretty drying. Difficult to taste after the Canon. The nose more attractive than the palate. A little dry on the finish but has very good freshness, showing the chalky texture that I associate with limestone soils. Clearly a work in progress.
Drink 2023-2028
Deep purple in colour, with a nose of milk chocolate, liquorice, and dark cherries. The palate is open and forward, with velveteen tannins and juicy black fruits. This opulent, silky wine is moreish and bursting with fleshy fruit. The finish is pure, ripe and creamy. On the hedonistic side, but very well balanced and should drink well from its youth.
The 2018 Berliquet is the first vintage that Nicolas Audebert and his team take full responsibility for. It has an opulent bouquet with black cherries, blueberry and cassis fruit, compared to the Canon just a touch strong. It is a powerful and dense Berliquet with a slightly heady finish, although at 14.2% alcohol it is under control. Since the vineyard contains less limestone than Canon, the imprimatur of the growing season speaks a little stronger. 2023 - 2037
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.
This was really Nicolas Audebert’s first vintage at Berliquet, since the property was acquired by Chanel 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 so as to achieve optimal ripeness for both varieties. The 2018 Berliquet is blended of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc and has 14.5% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, 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 flavors, it has a velvety texture and long, earthy finish.
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 color as well as a complex, layered style in its black raspberry, white flowers, dried earth, spice, and forest floor aromas and flavors. It's medium to full-bodied, has a rounded, expansive texture, beautiful tannins, and brilliant freshness and purity as well as 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.
