Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot 2016
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Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesRight on the limestone plateau, this has a lovely delivery of extremely ripe black fruits dotted through with minerality and little pulses of electricity. Extremely successful, this will age well thanks to elongated tannins that are chalky in all the right places. Again, we have this slight austerity on the finish, a reminder than 2016 is not the right bank party we saw in 2015, but this is excellent with such a beautiful balance. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050
Edging slightly to sweetness in its deep and juicy aromas but not in the least confected and keyed on pulpy, red cherry fruit with a scant inkling of milk chocolate just off to the side, the latest from Château Beau-Séjour-Bécot very much recalls its year-older incarnation if, perhaps, slightly less rich overall. It is once again a tantalizingly supple wine of a somewhat riper bent, and, although surprisingly easy to access now, it closes with enough tannic grip to make a convincing case that better awaits some four or five years hence.
The estate was named Beau-Séjour in 1787 by General Jacques de Carle, the proprietor at the time. Michel Bécot bought the estate from Doctor Jean Fagouet in 1969 and further increased the area under vine from 10.5 hectares to 15 by acquiring 4.5 hectares on the Trois Moulins plateau in 1979. The chateau then took on the name of Beau-Séjour Bécot. The vines are planted on perfectly homogenous soil ideal for producing fine wine. Michel Bécot retired in 1985. His two sons, Gérard and Dominique, now manage the estate.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.