Learn everything about Chateau Beychevelle, St. Julien, Fourth Growth with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn about the best vintages, a history of the property, information on vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other Bordeaux wine producers: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau Beychevelle History, Overview
Chateau Beychevelle, due to its classic, stunning architecture of the chateau and beautiful gardens, is often referred to by its fans as the Bordeaux version of Versailles. However, the history of Beychevelle dates back much further than that. In its formative years, it was the property of the Foix Candale family.
The Foix Candale were well established in Bordeaux by 1446, as they already possessed Chateau dIssan in Margaux. In 1565, Bishop François de Foix Candale commissioned the building of the grand chateau at Beychevelle. Eventually, Beychevelle became the property of the Dukes of Epernon.
To understand the Duke’s power, it’s important to note that all the ships sailing in front of Beychevelle were ordered to lower their sails as a sign of respect. In fact, that is where Beychevelle took its name.
Chateau Beychevelle, when translated from the dialect of the times, which was Baisse Voile, means lower the sails. This event is the inspiration for their label design and is honored with the statue of the boat in the garden, at the rear of the chateau.
Beychevelle was sold and sold again to a myriad of people. Because of the enormous cost to keep the Saint Julien estate up to date, each owner allowed Beychevelle to slide into further states of neglect. This pattern changed in 1757 when the Marquis François-Etienne de Brassier renovated and rebuilt the entire estate. The chateau constructed in 1757 by de Brassier is still in use today.
In 1825, Beychevelle was bought by Pierre-François Guestier. Guestier was a popular negociant and the mayor of St. Julien. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because the Guestier family and the Barton family, the owners of Leoville Barton formed a negociant company that is still in business today, Barton and Guestier, also known as B and G.
Chateau Beychevelle, The Modern Era
In 1970, Aymar Achille-Fould took over managing Chateau Beychevelle. In 1984, Achille-Fould took on a partner for the first time when he sold a small portion of shares to the GMF Insurance Group. Following the death of Aymar Achille Fould in 1986, after 100 years of family ownership, GMF Insurance became the majority shareholder. In 1988 the GMF Group partnered with the Japanese Suntory company, who were already familiar with Bordeaux, as they owned the neighboring estate, Chateau Lagrange. Philippe Blanc was brought in as the managing director in 1995.
In February 2011, Chateau Beychevelle took on new owners when Suntory along with Pierre Castel, the head of the massive company Castel Freres, purchased the estate.
Aside from Chateau Beychevelle, the partnership counts the well-known Bordeaux negociant companies Barriere Freres and Oenoalliance, numerous branded wines, and Chateau Beaumont in the Haut Medoc appellation as part of their holdings. They also maintain investments in Burgundy, Africa, and in China with Changyu-Castel.
Chateau Beychevelle Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The 90-hectare Left Bank vineyard of Chateau Beychevelle is planted to 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. However, it is the goal of the estate to slowly replace a portion of their old Merlot vines over time with more Cabernet Sauvignon, as some of the Merlot are planted in gravel, which is better suited for Cabernet.
The vines are planted to a density that ranges from 8,300 to 10,000 vines per hectare. Newer plantings are done at higher levels of vine density. On average, the vines are over 30 years of age. Starting in 2008, Chateau Beychevelle began moving closer to organic farming techniques. Today more than 35% of the vineyard is farmed organically. Progress is always slow and steady in Bordeaux, especially in the Medoc.
It is important to note that while the entire estate is 250 hectares, only 0 hectares are planted with vines. The remaining land is used for forestry, gardens, and greenery, with an incredible view of the Gironde.
The Chateau Beychevelle vineyard is dispersed in the Saint Julien appellation. They have vines close to the river, next to Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou and Chateau Leoville Barton.
They also have vines in the southern tip of the St. Julien appellation as well as parcels located further inland, not far from Chateau Gruaud Larose. In all they have 14 different blocks of vines, that can be divided into almost 60 different parcels of vines.
That being said, their best vines, which number about 20 hectares are planted adjacent to the chateau on the Beychevelle plateau, next to Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, with a view of the Gironde.
At its peak, the vineyard plateau rises up to 18 meters. However, it is also important to note that the estate also owns 22 hectares of vines that are actually located in the neighboring Haut Medoc appellation, in Cussaac that are considered part of the Saint Julien appellation.
The vines in the Haut Medoc are situated in the commune of Cussac, not far from Chateau Beaumont, which the estate also owns. There, you find a very different and much cooler terror than their vineyards in the St. Julien appellation.
Due to the fact that those vines were part of Chateau Beychevelle at the time of the original classification, even though they are located in the neighboring appellation of Haut Medoc, the estate has the right to include those vines in either their Grand Vin, the second wine or use them to produce an Haut Medoc wine.
Those parcels are planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon, although many of those vines are being replaced with Merlot. Chateau Beychevelle also owns an additional 14 hectares of vines in the Haut Medoc, that are not allowed for use in St. Julien.
Today, close to 35% of their vineyards are farmed using organic vineyard management techniques. Previously, the percentage was higher, but that has recently changed. It is the definitive direction of Beychevelle to continue increasing the number of hectares in their vineyards that are farmed organically.
However, while the estate continues to expand its organic farming, they also believe in being green, sustainable, and energy efficient. All the waste created by the estate is not placed back into the environment.
In fact, newly planted bushes, plants, and assorted greenery were recently added to the grounds to help promote biodiversity. This, coupled with their sustainable farming practices, earned them the ISO 14001 certification.
Making the Wine of Chateau Beychevelle
The wine of Chateau Beychevelle is vinified in 59, gleaming new, troconic shaped, stainless steel vats that range in size from 73, 105, 120, and up to 160 hectoliters. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of barrels and in tank.
However, depending on the vintage, a large portion of the malolactic, if not all of it can take place in the barrel. The wine of Chateau Beychevelle is aged in an average of 70% new, French oak barrels for about 18 months before bottling. While this is an increase in the amount of new oak than older vintages saw, this is clearly better for the aging of the wines as texturally, Beychevelle is now much silkier and creamier on the palate.
There is a second wine, Amiral de Beychevelle which made its debut in the 1950s. However in those days, perhaps only 4% of the wine was placed into the second wine. It was the decision of Philippe Blanc to vastly increase the percentage of the harvest placed into the second wine, in 1996. There is also a third wine, which is sold as a supermarket brand.
Chateau Beychevelle invested more than 20 million Euros to completely renovate its wine-making facilities with a major remodeling of its cellars, vat rooms, tanks, and visitor center. Designed by the noted architect Arnaud Boulain and Atelier BPM, the most striking feature of the new winery is its glass walls.
The glass walls enclosing the cellars are unique in Bordeaux, allowing visitors to instantly peer directly into the winery and view the winemaking taking place. The construction was finished in 2016. Now that it’s completed, visitors can see the estate from Route de Medoc.
Clearly, the biggest improvement in the quality of the wine being produced at Chateau Beychevelle is due to the massive reduction in the effective yields at the property. Vintages like 1982 were produced with almost no selection. In fact, close to 95% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin in 1982.
Now, the average amount of the harvest going into Beychevelle is closer to 50%! Today, on average, the production of Chateau Beychevelle is about 25,000 cases per year.
The best vintages of Chateau Beychevelle are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2000, 1989, 1982, and 1961. However, other older vintages of Chateau Beychevelle, dating back to 1906 have been fabulous wines! If you see these wines at auction, they are worth considering, especially if they have good provenance.
As we mentioned earlier, the estate also owns vines in the Haut Medoc appellation which are used to produce a wine sold under name of Les Brulieres de Beychevelle. Chateau Beychevelle also produces a negociant wine in partnership with negociant owner, Barriere called Secret de Grand Bateaux.
Secret de Grand Bateaux also displays the estate’s famed Dragon boat logo in its label design for brand continuity. The wine is available as a red wine and white Bordeaux wine.
Due to the high demand of their wine, known as the Dragon Boat wine, coupled with the rampant counterfeiting that takes place in China, Chateau Beychevelle has added anti counterfeiting measures to their bottles using the Tesa PrioSpot system.
The Tesa PrioSpot method adds a unique code to each bottle that is stored in a database that allows purchasers and sellers to check for the authenticity of each bottle along with the name of the original, authorized distributor.
Chateau Beychevelle, The Style and Character of the Wine
Chateau Beychevelle used to be a traditionally made and traditionally styled Bordeaux wine full of cassis, earth, spice, and tobacco notes that age well.
But today, while everything is still in many ways traditional, the estate has really upped its game and is now making some of the top wines in the appellation. The wine today, shows purity and elegance, along with richness and concentration.
The wine is concentrated, fresh, and complex, needing time to show at its best. But the wine in some previous vintages lacked excitement. However, they took on a new winemaker to assist with Philippe Blanc, Romain Ducolomb who was previously working at Chateau Clinet in Pomerol.
The first vintage for the young Romain Ducolomb is 2012, which showed softer tannins and more ripeness. It will be interesting to see what the new team continues to add to the wine of Chateau Beychevelle, especially with the new, state-of-the-art cellars that were completed in 2016.
When to Drink Chateau Beychevelle, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau Beychevelle can be enjoyed on the young side with at least a few hours of air. However, the wine is usually better at 8-12 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. In the best vintages, the wine will be at its best between 10-40 years of age after the vintage.
Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 2-4 hours give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Serving Chateau Beychevelle with the Best Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Chateau Beychevelle is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.
Chateau Beychevelle is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, stewed, and grilled dishes.
Chateau Beychevelle is also good when served with Asian dishes, Chinese food, hearty seafood, or fish like tuna, salmon, mushrooms, pasta, and cheese.
Château Beychevelle Wine Tasting Notes
67 Vintages 447,080 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
|
2023
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Black, red, and blue fruit, with a hint of chocolate, flowers, and espresso jump from the nose. The palate is packed with layers of supple, black cherries, vibrant black currants, cocoa, spice, black raspberries, and espresso. Energetic, medium-bodied, long, and intense, with purity, and lift, this is going to offer fabulous drinking with just a few years in the cellar. The key to the vintage this year was patience, which was to find the perfect moment to harvest. The wine blends 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot. This is the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever used in the blend! 13.3% ABV, pH 3.67. The harvest took place September 13 - October 6. This is the longest harvest on record. 50% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2029-2060. 94-96 Pts. 1,854 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
|
2023
Amiral de Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Flowers, and black cherries form the nose. The palate is loaded with sweet, ripe cherries, currants, spice, and licorice, Round, forward, and supple, this will be delicious on release, and for at least a decade or more. The wine is produced from 51% Merlot with 49% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2026-2036. 90-92 Pts. 836 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
|
2022
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Flowers, black cherries, cedar, tobacco wrapper, and blackberries crowd into the perfume. On the palate, the fruits match the nose. The wine is silky, fresh, vibrant, and concentrated. The fruits express purity, elegance and refinement. The finish delivers a wealth of sweet red, and black fruits, creamy textures and a chalky finish that sticks with you. The wine blends 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot.14% ABV, pH 3.85. The harvest took place September 12 - September 29. The yields were 36 hectoliters per hectoliter with 60% of the harvest going into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2027-2060. 96-98 Pts. 2,271 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
|
2022
Amiral de Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Flowers, and cherries form the nose. On the palate, the wine is forward, medium-bodied, soft, polished, and fresh, finishing with sweet, currants, and a touch of spice and cocoa. The wine is produced from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Drink from 2025-2032. 90-92 Pts. 1,307 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
|
2021
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
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. 740 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024The nose starts off with dark currants, tobacco leaf, espresso, flowers, herbs and black cherries. Medium-bodied, sweet, soft and fresh, there is a peppery, spicy touch on the backend, along with a hint of refreshing spearmint that adds to the vibrant, sweet, red fruits in this classically styled wine. The wine blends 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. 13% ABV, pH 3.7, the harvest took place September 25 - October 11. The yields were 50 hectoliters with 54% of the harvest going into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2025-2050. 92-94 1,795 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
|
2021
Amiral de Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Medium-bodied, forward, fresh and already quite charming. Opening with scents of licorice, herbs, pepper and red berries, the wine is soft, savory and ready to go. Drink from 2024-2031. 329 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Forward, soft, savory, and fruity, the red berries come along with a savory, minty, earthy edge on the medium-bodied, palate and in the easy to enjoy, finish. Drink from 2023-2031. 87-89 1,357 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
|
2020
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
The nose opens with a gorgeous display of flowers, chocolate, tobacco, black currants, blackberries, licorice, wet forest floor and espresso. As good as the perfume is, the wine is all about its layers of creamy, fresh, sweet, ripe, dark red pit fruits on the palate. The wine is full-bodied, elegant, lifted and refined, with length and purity to top it all off. The wine should age effortlessly for 3 decades, yet drink well, relatively early. Drink from 2025-2060. 2,154 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Dark garnet in color, the wine shows off its black currants, licorice, wet forest floor, tobacco leaf, creme de cassis and blue fruit on the nose effortlessly. Full-bodied, fresh, elegant, lifted and vibrant, the wine is refined, juicy, sweet and long, with an ending packed with ripe, red and black currants, silky tannins, spice and crushed stones from start to finish. Made from blending 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot , 13.45% ABV, pH 3.8. 55% of the harvest was used in the Grand Vin. 95-97 Pts 2,666 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
|
2020
Amiral de Beychevelle (St. Julien)
On the fruity side, the wine is loaded with currants, cherries, cranberries and touches of flowers with tobacco. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, forward, refined, fresh and with a touch of dust in the finish. The wine is already approachable. Drink this while waiting for the Grand Vin to mature. 88-90 Pts 1,904 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
|
2019
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Dark garnet in color, the wine pops with its nose that already shows tobacco leaf, forest floor, cedar, earth, savory herbs, spice and currants. Medium-bodied, fresh and vibrant, with soft, elegant, polished tannins along with ample blackberries and red currants on the mid-palate and in the finesse styled finish. Drink from 2028-2050. 2,044 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022Deep in color, with a floral, blackberry, cedar, cherry, cocoa and tobacco leaf nose. On the palate, the wine is soft, polished, elegant and with depth of flavor. There is freshness, a good mid-palate, length, purity and loads of sweet black and dark red fruits with silky tannins in the finish. Made from blending 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc and reaching 13.7% ABV with a pH of 3.77, the harvest took place September 23 to October 11. 50% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. 95-97 Pts 4,276 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
|
2019
Amiral de Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Fresh, lively, reserved, forward and fruity, the wine is medium-bodied, accessible, soft, elegant, refined and earthy. This is perfect for ordering in a cafe or restaurant. Enjoy it now while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. Drink from 2023-2032. 1,965 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022 |
|
2018
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Even at this still primary age, it is impossible not to be seduced by this opulently-styled gem. There is a richness, flamboyance, and showy attitude here that stands out. Concentrated, long, lush, and powerful, this is going to be great with a few more years of age. Drink from 2024-2055. 2,945 Views Tasted Jun 27, 2024The nose starts off with flowers, tobacco leaf, thyme, black currants, blackberries, cedar and wet earth. Deep in color, the wine is full-bodied, with a serious depth of flavor culminating in its rich, round, concentrated long, elegant, fruit-filled finish. This will age and evolve for at least 25-30 years. The wine blends 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. 3,766 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Packed and stacked with black fruit, flowers, thyme, earth, espresso, tobacco, herbs, freshness and density, this is a knockout! The wine is opaque in color with palate staining intensity. The fruit shows a beautiful combination of elegance, concentration, purity and staying power with a finish that does not quit. Made from blending 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc and reaching 14.5% ABV with a pH of 3.71, the harvest took place September 21 to October 16. 50% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. 96-98 Pts 3,977 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
|
2018
Amiral de Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Cedar, tobacco, cocoa, red pit fruits and just a hint of chocolate come through easily in this soft, silky, sweet, juicy and fresh charmer that is perfect for drinking while waiting for its big brother to develop. 2,344 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021Fruity, floral, fresh and forward, this wine brings sweet cherry and cocoa nuances with soft, approachable textures bringing an elegant, red berry finish. Drink this young while waiting for its big brother to develop. 89-91 Pts 3,437 Views Tasted Apr 19, 2019 |
|
2017
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
With its dark color, the wine serves up a juicy array of black fruits, tobacco, cedar and earthy nuances. The wine is full bodied, concentrated and shows the lift from the vintage. The tannins are silky. The finish focuses you on its polished, fresh, dark, red berries. Made from blending 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.5% ABV with a pH of 3.66. 2,871 Views Tasted Apr 26, 2018 |
|
2016
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
This is stunning. From start to finish, this is a complete wine. The nose pops with ripe currants, blackberries, flowers, and leafy tobacco. The palate offers vibrancy, concentration, length, and a classic structure with multiple layers of black and red fruits that start off strong, and keep on going. This is perhaps the best vintage of Beychevelle ever produced. Drink from 2026-2060. 3,263 Views Tasted Jun 27, 2024This is a serious wow wine, that is one of the great vintages of all time for Beychevelle. The complex aromatics with their floral, leafy tobacco, forest floor, blackberry, and black currant profile is the perfect introduction to the wine. On the palate, the wine is deep, full-bodied, concentrated, long, and rich, ending with layers of elegant, soft, lifted black and red fruits. Drink from 2024-2056. 4,921 Views Tasted Oct 12, 2022Deep in color, truffle, tobacco, herbs, cigar box and dark red fruits are already in play. The wine is full-bodied, deep, concentrated with a non-stop wave of black fruit that adds another dimension. Clearly this is polished, powerful, elegant and fresh with lift, complexity and a finish that keeps on going. Give this at least a decade and enjoy it over the next 30-40 years! 5,620 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2020Deep in color, the wall of black fruit picks up an additional dimension from the hints of blue fruits that enter the mix. Polished, powerful, elegant and fresh, there is good energy here that lets the wine move forward on the palate, ending with a blast of ripe, pure, black fruits, licorice, espresso and earth. Give this at least a decade and enjoy it over the next 30-40 years! 5,678 Views Tasted Feb 9, 2019Without a doubt, this is the best wine ever produced at the estate. The levels of richness, depth of flavor and silky, polished tannins all work together to deliver a supple, lush, opulent wine with layer after layer of pure, black and dark red fruits. The velvet-textured wine remains with you for at least 50 seconds in its long, multi-dimensional finish. 7,046 Views Tasted May 13, 2018A blue-black deep red, nearly opaque, this the sexiest wine ever created at Beychevelle. The nose moves with cassis, tobacco, cigar box, flowers, boysenberry and dark chocolate. The fruit has unbelievable length, purity, density and silk sheets for tannins -- grand style and character here. This is the first vintage produced in their gleaming, brand new, state-of-the-art cellars. Made from blending 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.5% ABV with a pH of 3.62. The Grand Vin represents just 60% of the harvest, which took place from October 3 to October 15, the latest harvest in the history of Beychevelle. 6,380 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2017 |
|
2016
Amiral de Beychevelle (St. Julien)
A message in a bottle with salty, oceanic aromatics, followed by a treasure trove of dark red fruits. Medium body, forward and approachable with a soft, refined, fruity finish, this will be delicious on release. Drink this while waiting for the sublime Grand Vin to develop. In my view, this second wine is better than Beychevelle in the 70s and in a good portion of the 80s! 5,169 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
|
2015
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Voluptuously styled, with layers of sweet, ripe, soft, luscious black and red fruits that start strong, and keep on going. This is already a treat in your glass today. However, its best days are in the future. Drink from 2024-2050. 3,015 Views Tasted Jun 27, 2024Rich, ripe, round, and loaded with juicy sweet black fruits, tobacco leaf, espresso and cedar, the wine is full bodied, deep, complex, polished and round. There is length, which lets you enjoy the purity in all the sweet fruit and the silky textured finish. 4,226 Views Tasted May 21, 2018Now we are talking. This stunner has it all. That is, if you are looking for a concentrated, deep, complex with offering perfectly ripe, black fruits, silky tannins, round, polished, soft textures and the backbone to age. The nose, with its tobacco leaf, cassis, blackberry. espresso and truffle is a treat. But the purity of fruit on the palate, length and finesse in the finish is what seals the deal. The wine really improved from the barrel samples tasted over the past 2 years. 4,178 Views Tasted Mar 12, 2018This should come in at the middle or the top of my range as the wine has fleshed out, softened and added more complexity and length. This is just a great wine, but look out, as the 2016 is even better!!! 3,488 Views Tasted Jul 12, 2017Licorice, tobacco, cassis and black cherry scents pop with little effort, escorting the palate to an end note of chocolate-covered cassis and dark, red fruits. With soft tannins and the structure to age, this is a richly-textured, round and elegantly-styled wine. Produced from a blend of 47% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, this wine reached 13.9% ABV with a pH of 3.72. The Grand Vin represents 58% of the harvest which took place from September 22 to October 8. Over the past few years, Beychevelle has really stepped up their game. Under the direction of Philippe Blanc, this has really become a wine to watch. 92 - 94 Pts 3,900 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2016 |
|
2014
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Medium-bodied, easy to drink, and charming, the wine is soft-textured, forward, earthy, and herbal, with a spicy, leafy, red currant, and plum finish. Drink from 2024-2044. 2,786 Views Tasted Jun 27, 2024Step by step, the wines here keep getting better, year after and 2014 is about to break that streak. With a polished, round texture, and layers of, ripe, earthy, blackberries, smoke, thyme and tobacco, there is a hint of dark chocolate and licorice, on top of the sweet, black cherry and cassis and blackberry in the finish that wants you to take another sip. 3,712 Views Tasted Feb 2, 2017This is a beauty. This wine possesses ample depth and intensity, setting a new standard of quality for Beychevelle. Dense, long and voluptuous, arousing the senses with a sweet kiss of sun-warmed currants and dark chocolate, this is by far the most concentrated, supple wine that the estate has ever produced. The finish really lingers with its layers of fruit. With 51% Merlot in the blend, it’s the highest percentage of Merlot used in the history of the estate. That is paired with 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The wine reached 14.05% ABV with a pH of 3.64. The Grand Vin represents 68% of the crop. 93 – 94 Pts 3,826 Views Tasted Apr 16, 2015 |
|
2013
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
A solid wine in a difficult vintage, there is freshness in the fruits and notes of cedar with tobacco to complicate matters. Medium bodied, forward and classically styled, give it a few years and it could be even better. 1,893 Views Tasted Feb 9, 2016With an earthy, sweet and sour cherry nose, this classically styled wine serves up strong notes of cherry griotte and licorice in the fresh, but austere, short finish. Blending 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot, this is the first time since 2001 the property did not use Cabernet Franc in the blend. The wine reached 13.4% ABV. This represents 45% of the Grand Vin. 88-90 Pts 1,684 Views Tasted Apr 20, 2014 |
|
2012
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Quite stylish for the vintage, with its ripe, soft blackberry, smoke and tobacco personality, the wine finishes with soft, polished fruits. 2,978 Views Tasted Mar 11, 2015A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the wine reached 13.3% ABV with 3.82pH. The wine will be aged in 50% new French oak. Good depth of color, truffle, earth and blackberry scents come to the forefront. Soft, round and showing some nice flesh, the wine ends with fresh black and red spicy fruits. This is a nice effort for the debut vintage with their new winemaker, Romain Ducolomb. 90-92 Pts 2,348 Views Tasted Apr 23, 2013 |
|
2011
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Medium bodied with bright cassis and cranberry fruits, herbs and is slightly austere in style, with some dryness in the bright finish. With luck, time might soften the wine. 2,557 Views Tasted Feb 16, 2014With lead pencil, cedar and cassis, the wine is medium bodied and tannic, ending with bright cassis and cranberry. 88-91 Pts 2,852 Views Tasted Apr 13, 2012 |
|
2010
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Still youthful, but developing, the wine is focused on its core of ripe, vibrant, classy, and lifted black, with red currants. There is a pronounced freshness, and structure here that can use a few more years to soften and fill out. Drink from 2028-2055. 2,462 Views Tasted Jun 27, 2024Continuing to move in a positive direction, the wine is full bodied, concentrated, ripe and round. The dark red berries offer energy, length and an earthy, tobacco and cedary character. This is clearly built to age and develop for decades. Give it until at least 2022, or longer if you can wait that long. 4,307 Views Tasted Nov 1, 2018Even better than the 2009, the 2010 Beychevelle has more of everything, focus, energy, concentration, length and tannins. Full bodied, fresh and lively, the blast of sweet, ripe, dark red fruits, polished tannins and length that keeps it going is the mark of a really great wine. At the moment, it needs at least 3-4 hours in the decanter and coaxing to see its potential. I'd give it until at least 2022-2025 before it really starts to sing. 6,174 Views Tasted Jul 14, 2016Much better today, than it seemed to be on release. Full bodied, soft, refined, with the structure to age and develop, with air and effort, tobacco, black cherry, forest floor, fennel and cigar box aromatics are easily found. Polished, fresh and soft, this vibrant wine will get better for years. I would wait until at least 2020 to pop a cork. 6,092 Views Tasted Sep 23, 2014Beychevelle A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot create a structured, masculine, four-square styled wine dominated by fresh, ripe, cassis notes. This old school style of wine will please some tasters more than it did me. 89-91 Pts 6,112 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2011 |
|
2009
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
There is a gorgeous, elegance and supple character to the wealth of ripe fruits here. The silky-edged finish, with its blend of black with red fruits, tobacco leaves, spice, and herbs seals the deal. Drink from 2024-2049. 2,194 Views Tasted Jun 27, 2024Continuing to open and develop nicely, now, you find the beginning of a rich, supple, lushly textured gem with layers of black and red fruits, earth, tobacco, cedar, and touches of herbs and smoke. The tannins are soft, the fruits are ripe, expressing sweetness and purity. Drink from 2022-2045. 3,420 Views Tasted Nov 3, 2022Wet forest floor, cigar wrapper, red fruits, earth, smoke and leafy nuances come through on the nose. The wine is medium/full-bodied, ripe and supple. The soft textured, red fruits and dusty tannins show well and feel great on the palate. You can start drinking this now. However, anther 5-8 years of cellaring is going to add a lot more complexity and silkiness to the wine. The wine was produced from blending 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. 3,811 Views Tasted Sep 20, 2019The best showing yet. The wine seems to be filling out, putting on more weight, and softening. The licorice, smoke, espresso, black cherry and tobacco charms are becoming more evident. Supple, focused and youthful, give this beauty another 5 years and it should be a real treat! 7,013 Views Tasted Jul 14, 2016Another wine that is better today, than on release. Showing a fleshy, polished refined, round personality. with soft, silky tannins and ripe dark berries with some dark chocoalte notes, this is a refined, elegant Bordeaux that needs more time in the bottle. 5,228 Views Tasted Sep 23, 2014Earth, smoke, blackberry and cassis aromas lead to a full bodied wine that is slightly firm in its personality. 6,189 Views Tasted Feb 5, 20122009 Beychevelle offers spice, cedar, cassis, oak, and black raspberry aromas. Full bodied, with soft tannins, the wine ends with a dark berry finish. Beychevelle is one of the few non First Growths popular in the Asian market, in part because of the wine’s logo. The image shows a boat that was used to ferry barrels of Bordeaux. In China, the boat is called a Dragon boat, a symbol of good luck. June 16, 2010, marked the official date of the Dragon Boat festival in China. It is possible that was the same day 2009 Beychevelle was offered as a future. 90/92 Pts 7,066 Views Tasted Aug 26, 2010 |
|
2008
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Showing some bricking around the edges, you can already enjoy some of the secondary aromas of cedar, mushroom and wet forest scents. The wine is tannic, bright and focused on its, crisp, spicy red fruits. It needs at least a few more years to round out and add additional complexities. 2,682 Views Tasted Sep 17, 2018Old school in style, the wine combines cassis, cranberry and earthy flavors. The finish has a hint of tart and green flavors along with the bright cassis sensation. Fans of old school Bordeaux wine will like this much more than I did. 7,496 Views Tasted Jan 28, 2011 |
|
2007
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Easy drinking, medium bodied charmer, with soft tannins, a tobacco, cedar, red plum and cassis nose and freshness in the crisp, red berry finish. This is ready to go. 6,188 Views Tasted Jul 14, 2016 |
|
2006
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Cedar, tobacco and cassis open the nose. The wine is medium bodied, classically styled and ends with a fresh, spicy, earthy, vibrant finish. Give it a few more years to soften and round out the tannins. At 56% of the blend, the Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most dominant in the history of the estate. 5,237 Views Tasted May 25, 2016Black raspberry, earth, spicy cassis and floral notes in the perfume are the best part of the wine. Medium bodied, almost light in style, in a good sense, this is a great example of what the British refer to as a luncheon Claret. 4,597 Views Tasted Jul 27, 2013 |
|
2005
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Showing quite well at the moment, the wine is medium-bodied, vibrant, structured, and easy to drink. On the fresh side of the style range, it is easy to enjoy all the ripe currants, cassis, and cranberries with their earthy, mildly, leafy-edge. Drink from 2024-2045. 3,561 Views Tasted Jun 27, 2024Medium-bodied, crisp, and crunchy with accents of tobacco leaf, cedar, cigar box, and flowers, the wine is fresh, as well as firm on the currant-filled palate. Drink from 2022-2037. 3,702 Views Tasted Sep 26, 2022Much better than the previous bottle tasted, this was a lot of fun to have in my glass. The fruit was ripe, the tannins were polished the aromatics too time to get going, but once they did, the cedar, tobacco, thyme, cassis, earth, spice and blackberry aromatics were right where they needed to be. The wine had ample concentration and length, all it needs is more time in the cellar in the cellar to develop its nuances and textures. Else, give it a few hours of air, if you cannot wait. 5,241 Views Tasted Jul 14, 2016Medium/full bodied, with a classic cassis, cedar, wet earth and tobacco profile, along with ample tannins and crisp fruit in the finish. Still young, and better on the nose than than the palate today, this old school Bordeaux styled wine, will appeal to some tasters more than others with its structured classical approach. The wines being made at the property today offer a lot more excitement. 5,866 Views Tasted Jun 27, 2015Tight, but with coaxing, aromas of dark berries, cassis, earth, spice and tobacco could be found. In personality, while well made, this medium bodied wine is a bit four square and lacks the depth and concentration found in many of its neighbor's wines. Still tannic, this blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc demands another 5-8 years before it comes out of its shell. 8,030 Views Tasted Dec 26, 2012 |
|
2004
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Leafy, pine, cedar chest, forest, lead pencil and black cherry aromas create the perfume. Blackberry and cassis on the palate, with firm tannins and a strict, spicy, cassis and herbal finish. 3,187 Views Tasted Jan 4, 2015 |
|
2003
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Ruby with slight bricking at the edge, jammy black raspberry, forest floor, cigar box, cedar and earthy scents create the nose. On the palate, the wine is soft, silky and offers sweet, ripe roasted black cherries and juicy plums. 4,901 Views Tasted Aug 18, 2015Still young, with air the wine revealed an earthy, tobacco, blackberry, forest floor nose. On the palate, the wine feels a little dry, ending with black cherries and herbs. This is a nice wine. It's well made, but it lacks the depth found in the best wines of the vintage. 4,125 Views Tasted Feb 10, 2013 |
|
2002
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Firm, rustic, classic style of wine, with a crisp, peppery, sharp, red berry edge that is a bit stoic in its personality. Drink or hold, but do not expect miracles if you lay it down for ages. 3,157 Views Tasted Aug 1, 2016 |
|
2001
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Medium bodied, with a lean to the red berry side of the range, there is freshness, spice and earth, but not a lot of excitement in this wine. 3,393 Views Tasted Jul 27, 2013 |
|
2000
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
The nose offers tobacco, blackberry, cassis, wet earth, cedar chest and cassis. On the palate, the wine is firm, fresh and traditional. This is well made and developing nicely, but there is a lack of excitement in the wine that would make me want to open another bottle. Tasters that prefer less ripe, lean, traditional or classic Bordeaux wine, will like this a lot more than I did. 6,206 Views Tasted Jan 6, 2013 |
|
1999
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Medium bodied, tart, and almost peppery, with a distinctive, herbal edge to the bright, almost lean, red berry finish. 2,891 Views Tasted Nov 16, 2017 |
|
1998
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Medium-full bodied, the classically styled wine shows some herbal, leafy nuances along with its red fruits, cranberry and cassis. A bit stoic, the finish offers dusty tannins with its sweet and tart red pit fruits. 2,796 Views Tasted Aug 17, 2020 |
|
1996
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Firm and classic in nature, the wine is crisp, bright and fresh, with a peppery bite to the cedar tinted, Cabernet fruit. You can drink this now with an hour or more of air. 3,892 Views Tasted Nov 1, 2018Medium bodied, fresh, with a lean to the crisp, red berry side of the style range, the wine lacks intensity, exchanging it for more freshness. The wine is more interesting on the nose, than on the palate. You can drink this now, or age it further. 4,885 Views Tasted Jul 14, 2016 |
|
1995
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Firm, almost strict, classic, four square style of wine, with a tannic edge. There is plenty of tobacco, earth, forest, cassis, cedar wood and cranberry to go around, but the wine does have a very austere character. this wine is going to please some folks more than others. 5,606 Views Tasted Feb 11, 2017 |
|
1990
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
With more red fruit than black fruit in the earthy aromas, this traditionally made St Julien is past full maturity. Medium bodied, soft textured and a bit four square, the wine ends with a light, black plum and cranberry finish. Drink up. 4,653 Views Tasted Oct 23, 2011 |
|
1989
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Dirty cherries, earth and wood. This was a one dimensional, boring wine 3,528 Views Tasted Feb 27, 2006 |
|
1988
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Better on the nose, with its earthy, tobacco, cedar, cigar box and red plum filled perfume, than on the classic, firm, slightly austere, crisp palate. There is no reason to hold this for further aging. 3,982 Views Tasted Oct 1, 2019 |
|
1986
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
The years have been kind to this wine, as the tannins have become subdued and integrated, giving the wine structure along with lift, ripe, juicy cassis and a distinctive cigar box note that really works. Medium/full bodied and just entering its prime time window, this is a great example of classic Bordeaux. 4,670 Views Tasted Jul 14, 2016 |
|
1985
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Charmless, lacking fruit and excitement expressed an austere personality. 5,040 Views Tasted Feb 26, 2008 |
|
1983
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Classic and classy, medium-bodied, elegant, crisp, red berry-filled, fully mature, wine. Already displaying its bright, red currants, crunchy tannins, and accents of cedar, tobacco leaf, peppery herbs, and cigar wrapper accents with ease. No decanting is needed. Drink from 2023-2028. 2,421 Views Tasted Nov 23, 2023Surprisingly fresh, complex and loaded with ripe, sweet dark red fruits, cedar wood, smoke, tobacco and cigar box aromatics that are present in the aromatics and in the finish. 5,670 Views Tasted Jan 1, 2017 |
|
1982
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
The best bottle of this wine I have ever tasted really moved me. Served blind at the chateau, so you know the wine has perfect provenance was exciting from the initial sniff of the cigar box, cedar, salt, rocks, cherry and cassis. Full-bodied, supple and fresh, there was length and purity. Extremely well-stored bottles have a good future here as do larger formats. Else, it is time to pull the cork. 4,317 Views Tasted Nov 1, 2018Old school charm in spades are found in this wine. The earthy, truffle, cedar chest and cassis nose, with its strong tobacco essence makes the perfect foil for the non-stop cassis and cigar box finish. My guess is, this is drinking at peak and that there is no reason to age it further. 3,461 Views Tasted Jan 14, 2016Old school, with some rusticity to the tannins, a nose packed with tobacco, leaves, herbs, cigar box and cassis, the wine ends with sweet, fresh cherries that slowly move to cranberry in the end note. 3,133 Views Tasted May 13, 2015Mature scents of cassis, tobacco, earth and spice were easy to spot. Full bodied and concentrated, this usually four square, structured wine offered ample pleasure. Full bodied and with ripe tannins, this charming wine showed a lot of stylish, ripe dark berries in the mouth filling finish. 8,707 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2010 |
|
1981
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
With more focus on its earthy, tobacco, herbal, cigar box and leafy secondary notes than its bright, fresh, crisp red berries, this is already entered into a slow decline. If you have a bottle, it is time to drink up. 2,560 Views Tasted Aug 20, 2021 |
|
1980
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Bricky in color, with the taste of tea, not much fruit, but a nice texture, drink this sooner than later before the remaining red fruits fade away. 3,580 Views Tasted May 13, 2015 |
|
1978
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
This is a dog of a wine that never stops barking. Brown, red tint with not much fruit. Drink up if you dare. 4,827 Views Tasted May 27, 2004 |
|
1975
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Cigar box, currants, spearmint, and spice pop in the nose. The wine is medium bodied, sweet, tart and crisp, with an earthy, crunchy, rustic, firm, finish. Drink from 2024-2030. 1,866 Views Tasted Jan 29, 2024Old school, tough style of wine with an herbal, or leafy edge to all the cedar, leather, tobacco, cassis and forest floor notes goin on here. Lean and bright, this is clearly in the classically styled camp of older Bordeaux. 4,932 Views Tasted Jul 7, 2017 |
|
1973
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Thin, weedy, and with a focus on its tobacco, cedar, herb, and leafy, peppery, sharp red fruit profile. Not undrinkable, and knowing the vintage, this was better than expected. Drink from 2023-2024. 2,188 Views Tasted Nov 25, 2023 |
|
1970
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Truffle and tobacco with cherries and cedar chest aromas in the nose. The wine shows a brown, ruby hue in the glass. There is a modicum of light, earthy, red fruits remaining. The texture was soft and pleasurable, but it really requires drinking much sooner than later. 5,288 Views Tasted May 13, 2015Light in color, this medium bodied Bordeaux offered smoke, tobacco, earth, cassis and spice aromas. The wine ends with spice, cassis and cherry. A nice example of traditional, aged Bordeaux. However, there is no reason to hold it any longer. As light as it is, it will only drop more fruit in the future. 5,561 Views Tasted Dec 7, 2011 |
|
1966
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
From a perfect bottle that has never been moved from the cold cellars of the chateau, the secondary, wet forest, cedar, tobacco and fresh cherry aromas are out in front. Medium bodied, elegant, soft, fresh and spicy, with a refined texture, this is really a nice, aged, classic Bordeaux at peak. 3,073 Views Tasted Jul 14, 2016 |
|
1965
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Murky in color, and not much better in the mouth, on the bright side, the wine was wet and had some ABV remaining. This could be the first bottle of 1965 Bordeaux I've ever tasted. I'm hoping not to double the amount of my 65 tasting notes in this life. 3,156 Views Tasted May 13, 2015 |
|
1964
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Holding its own with a focus on its core of cigar box-edged red currants, herbs, wet earth, and cranberries, the wine was soft, with a nice vibrancy to the fruits on the palate. Considering the challenging vintage, and its age, this was surprisingly nice. Drink from 2024-2027. 927 Views Tasted Jun 22, 2024It's always nice to be surprised when a wine shows much better than expected. Beychevelle was on top of their game in the 60's and this bottle shows why. Truffle, smoke, tobacco, earth, plums and leather scent to a soft textured, medium/full bodied wine that is fully mature. The wine ends with a spice and cassis finish. This bottle was in such perfect condition, it is probably better than most examples out there to taste. 4,329 Views Tasted Nov 27, 2011 |
|
1961
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
There is no better 1961 Bordeaux for the money than this! The supple, silky textures, wall of ripe, fresh, clean red fruit and gorgeous, cedar, tobacco, spice, earth and cigar aromas all work together in harmony. The richly textured wine feels great on your palate all the way through to the long finish. 4,298 Views Tasted Mar 25, 2021This bottle was just great. I purchased this case from the original owner and every bottle has showed majestic, old wine characteristics that can only develop with the patina of age. Packed with cigar wrappers, smoke, thyme, wet forest notes filled with leaves, cedar wood, lead pencil and cherry pipe tobacco, who could ask for more? With good concentration of flavor and raw material, this is a steal in today's marketplace for 60 year old Bordeaux! 3,772 Views Tasted Jun 10, 2017Beychevelle was at one time, a more expensive wine than Ducru Beaucaillou or Gruaud Larose. This bottle showed why. Truffles, earth, tobacco, cassis, stone, and scents of roses were easy to detect. Sweet, soft, elegant and fresh in the mouth, this delightful, fully mature Bordeaux wine ended with a long cassis, spice and cold steel filled finish. This is one of the better buys for a wine from this legendary vintage. 4,134 Views Tasted Jan 21, 2014Tobacco, smoke, cassis, cedar wood, truffle and forest floor aromas made their presence known. Still going strong at over 50 years of age, this concentrated, classic, old school Bordeaux wine ends with a long, masculine, yet refined, cassis, earth and spice filled finish. Beychevelle was producing strong wines in the 40,s 50's and early 60's. I bought a case of this wine a few years ago and every bottle has been a pleasure to taste! 4,285 Views Tasted Jan 28, 2012Tobacco, cigar box, ash, gravel, cassis, forest floor and wet earth aromas keep your nose busy. Round, soft, full bodied and filled with blackberry and plums, this is one of the better buys for people seeking a Bordeaux wine from the 1961 vintage. 4,454 Views Tasted Dec 7, 2011Light ruby with tea color. Tobacco, cedar, cassis, truffles, earth, spice and herbs start off the perfume. Full bodied, with ample concentration, the wine ended with cassis, spice, blackberry and tart dark cherry finish. This was a surprise aas I was not expecting much. It’s always great when you expect the worse from a bottle, and you end up with a great tasting experience that was much better than anticipated. 3,949 Views Tasted Jun 13, 2009 |
|
1959
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
This particular bottle was stunning! It started off good and got better and better. I mention the specific bottle, because, with every older bottle, you will get a unique experience. As I was saying, this beauty was packed with cigar box, leafy herbs, smoke, leather, tobacco leaf, spice, and red berries. The palate stained by the patina of age with soft, elegant, and refined, with length and complexity. There is no reason to hold off opening it, if you are lucky enough to have a well-stored bottle. 3,437 Views Tasted Jun 1, 2023Smoky, full-bodied, bright, earthy and filled with cigar, tobacco and cassis, the fully mature wine is a perfect example of classic claret at its best. Not decanted, this was simply popped and poured, which is a good thing, as it did not improve in the glass. 3,139 Views Tasted Jun 26, 2019A golden era for Beychevelle, the wine started off great. The showy nose with its stacks of tobacco, ash, leaf, cedar and smoke stood out. But on the palate, the wine faded a bit too quick, which was too bad, as the tannins were soft, and fruit bore the touch of an obviously sunny vintage. This is not a wine to age any longer. 2,732 Views Tasted Oct 22, 2018 |
|
1957
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Light in color, with a hue that reminded of rose hip tea. Equally light in fruit, with a lean to earthy, strawberry, cedar and tobacco. Bright, crisp and acidic, there was some red fruit that could be discerned, but the wine was more interesting historically, than from a pleasure point of view. This was from a magnum. I imagine 750 bottles will be worse. 2,135 Views Tasted Nov 12, 2017 |
|
1955
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
With older wines, storage is everything. And it is easy to see when you compare this tasting with my previous bottle. The nose captivates you with its melange of herbs, wet forest floor, cedar, leather, cigar box, and bright red fruits. Medium-bodied, soft, refined, and earthy with its chalky, dusty red fruits and green herbs, this is what good, classic Bordeaux is all about! Though, I would not press my luck and hold it for further development. Drink from 2023-2025. 1,890 Views Tasted Nov 23, 2023Better on the tobacco, earth, cedar, cigar box and strawberry nose, than on the light, sharp, cassis and cranberry, acidic palate. 2,669 Views Tasted Feb 4, 2017 |
|
1953
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
With all the tobacco leaf, cedar, cigar wrapper, and currants you need in the nose before you find all those sweet, ripe, earthy, bright currants on the palate, the wine is everything a textbook example of a fully mature Bordeaux should be. No decanting or aging is warranted, just pop, pour and enjoy, if you can find a well-stored bottle. Drink from 2023-2025. 1,991 Views Tasted Sep 25, 2023 |
|
1949
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
WOW! What a beauty. The cigar box, ash, leaf, leather, herb, and red berry filled nose instantly grabbed you. But the palate, with its display of sweet and tart red fruits, tobacco leaf and earthy nuances just kept on going. This is one of the top wines of the vintage. 1,857 Views Tasted Aug 22, 2019 |
|
1948
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
A beautiful example of what classic Bordeaux is all about. The tobacco, leaf, cigar box, cedar and bright red fruits kick the wine off to a good start. Juicy, energetic, cedary and with more cigar wrapper on the palate, this is fully mature and quite a historic treat to taste. And at least this bottle had a beautiful, blue tint to the green glass. 1,821 Views Tasted Sep 8, 2018 |
|
1945
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Tasting much younger than its true age, the wine delivers tobacco, sweet, spicy cherries, plum, earth and cigar box aromatics. There is a sense of old school, rustic charm that adds to the experience. 4,052 Views Tasted May 7, 2015 |
|
1937
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
I was shocked at how good this wine was. Soft and polished, with tobacco leaf, cigar box, cedar, earth, smoke and red fruits, there was depth, sweetness in the red fruits and polish to the finish. From an original bottle with the original cork, with older bottles, sometimes you never know, you just have to put down your money and take your chances. 1,563 Views Tasted Feb 3, 2019 |
|
1934
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
A solid bottle with sound character, complexity, aromatics, and presence. Medium-bodied, lifted, fresh red fruits with a minty, tobacco edge and a soft, sweet, and tart finish. Considering the age, this was a treat. Drink from 2024-2024. 875 Views Tasted Jun 22, 2024Fading, but still holding on to its last layers of red fruit, paired with spice, cassis, cedar chest, lead pencil and wet earth. Medium bodied and more than fully mature, it begs to be consumed, if you have a bottle left in your cellar. 2,427 Views Tasted Nov 10, 2017 |
|
1929
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
From a magnum, this was an absolute beauty in every sense of the word. With an intoxicating, earthy, spice, tobacco, cigar box, truffle and red berry bouquet, the wine was even better on the palate. Soft, polished and with just a bit of tart that combined with the sweet, dark, red fruits, the finish, with its freshness and spice just kept on going! This was a treat I will not forget!!! 2,676 Views Tasted Jul 7, 2017 |
|
1928
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Just a super wine, the wine looked like rosehip tea in the glass. The sweet perfume was loaded with tobacco, cigar box, cedar, roasted red fruits, caramel, smoke and herbs. Soft, medium/full bodied with a long finish completed by the bright, red cherries and tobacco notes that tasted and still felt great. What a treat! 3,790 Views Tasted Jun 5, 2018 |
|
1926
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Ruby tea in color, with a stunning nose, showing off its dried leaves cedar, tobacco, tea, smoke, tobacco, forest floor, cigar wrapper and cherry scented perfume with ease. Medium bodied, and almost light in weight, the spicy, tobacco stained red fruits still offered some sweetness with a shot of freshness to keep things honest. This bottle had not moved from the cellars since it produced, which I am sure helped it retain its character over the years. 2,754 Views Tasted Sep 10, 2017 |
|
1920
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Looking more like rose hip tea than wine, the perfume was the best attribute, with its forest floor, cedar wood, cigar box, tobacco, tar and hints of cassis. The whisp of fruit remaining showed a light, still fresh cassis character. 1,753 Views Tasted Apr 16, 2016 |
|
1906
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
Served double blind, I was sure it was from the early 1950's. Discovering the wine was 100 years old was mind blowing! The nose, with its cornucopia of scents, mostly from the smoke, tobacco and earthy side also showed a strong cedar wood component. Amazingly, there was also red fruit remaining int eh spicy finish. This is one bottle I will not see again, but the memory is really going to linger. 1,685 Views Tasted Apr 16, 2016 |
|
1858
Château Beychevelle (St. Julien)
The oldest dry red wine I have ever tasted. Tea and rust in color, there is a bare suggestion of strawberry along with the tobacco, cigar box, wet forest and cedar chest notes. Light in texture and fruit, it's an amazing treat to taste bottled history. 3,008 Views Tasted Dec 15, 2014 |
