notre avis sur la dégustation verticale exceptionnelle de Château Beychevelle
The wines were divided into three categories: the great classics, the flamboyant and the challengers. The most fascinating thing was to observe the evolution of the style, and above all of the precision acquired in the last quarter of a century. The grand cru classé, so sought after by the Chinese because of this “dragon boat” that adorns its label – but also for its prices that are all in all reasonable en primeur – is a model of quality and consistency for lovers of Bordeaux and in particular of the Saint-Julien appellation. The last six vintages, starting in 2015, are the culmination of a decade of improvements and investments. From 2017, the construction of the new cellar has also enabled a real move upmarket.
The “Beychevelle” style is, without a shadow of a doubt, of inimitable refinement: an often precise character, beautiful black and blue fruits, and a savory minerality.
Flamboyant vintages:
Chateau Beychevelle 2020 (first)
Le Figaro score: 96-98/100
Price: €84 excl. VAT » SERVICE: Buy this wine
A heady, fragrant bouquet, with precise and shimmering aromas, reminiscent of summer meadows. There are also notes of ferns and tea leaves. A limpid, voluptuous and enticing palate follows, with a fruit density that gains in sweetness. A harmonious and powerful whole that ends in splendor, revealing spicy, chocolate notes in a silky finish. A very great wine.
Chateau Beychevelle 2018
Rating Le Figaro: 94/100
Price: 108€ » DELIVERY: Buy this wine
A nose of chocolate ganache and plum liqueur. In the mouth, we discover black fruits with bittersweet flavors, as well as notes of violet, which are prolonged by a dense and concentrated finish.
Chateau Beychevelle 2016
Rating Le Figaro: 94/100
Price: 124€ » SERVICE: Buy this wine
The nose, reminiscent of a bitter blackcurrant candy, is enriched with notes of plums and blueberries. A pure and powerful fruit attack precedes the arrival of elegant dark chocolate tannins, coating the mouth until a finish of great length.
Chateau Beychevelle 2015
Rating Le Figaro: 96/100
Price: €62 (half bottle, 37.5cl) » SERVICE: Buy this wine
A fresh and playful nose, very pure, imbued with pretty red fruits, and endowed with a very fine saline solution. The palate, caressing and racy, unfolds aromas more characteristic of Beychevelle – black fruits, graphite and chocolate.
Chateau Beychevelle 2010
Rating Le Figaro: 97/100
Price: 196€ » SERVICE: Buy this wine
The 2010 reveals a more reserved bouquet than that of the 2009: it is quietly awaiting its moment of glory. Silky, velvety, literally melting in the mouth… Simply divine. The “little brother” of the 2009 is actually taller, thinner and more elegant than its elder. The flavors are very precise, with notes of black fruits, graphite and a deliciously chalky texture.
Château Beychevelle 2009
Rating Le Figaro: 93/100
Price: €1,509 (imperial, 6l) » SERVICE: Buy this wine
This wine proudly displays the exceptional character of its vintage: on the nose, rich aromas of ripe fruit mingle with exuberant notes of sweet spices and sandalwood. In the mouth, the heat is present but does not dominate. A wine that turns out to be dense without ever being sickening. A pure pleasure!
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Chateau Beychevelle 2005
Rating Le Figaro: 94/100
Price: 135€ » Buy this wine
An elegant bouquet that opens up to seductive notes of fresh herbs and barley sugar. On the palate, a reserved wine full of distinction, with a supple acidity that counterbalances a warm side, and a pleasantly long finish.
Château Beychevelle 2003
Rating Le Figaro: 96/100
Price: 112€ » Buy this wine
On the nose, it is the freshness that stands out first, energizing a warm bouquet of rich and deep fruit. Its mouth, enveloping and juicy, offers a beautiful depth of ripe fruit but it is once again this fresh side which dominates the aromas, preventing any feeling of heaviness that the exceptional heat wave of 2003 could have caused.
Chateau Beychevelle 1996
Rating Le Figaro: 94/100
Price: €1,500 (imperial, 6l) » SERVICE: Buy this wine
A floral, delicate, honeyed, slightly medicinal nose. On the palate, fresh, velvety, friendly, Endowed with the candor and kindness of a young peasant woman, sitting on a bale of straw under a summer sun.
The great classic vintages:
Castle Beychevelle 2019
Rating Le Figaro: 96/100
Price: 96€ » DELIVERY: Buy this wine
A fresh and delicate nose with notes of freshly picked flowers and perfectly ripe plums. A mouth that reveals a delicious concentration of flavors, while keeping a great fluidity of texture and a perfect lightness. On the finish, satiny and caressing tannins on aromas of chocolate and tobacco.
Chateau Beychevelle 2017
Rating Le Figaro: 94/100
Price: 110€ » Buy this wine
The blue fruits, very precise and fresh at first, are softened on the second nose by notes of hay, chamomile and dried clementine skin. The mouth is tense, full of sinuous energy; here we find the promise of a great “classic” vintage.
Chateau Beychevelle 2014
Rating Le Figaro: 91/100
Price: 152€ » SERVICE: Buy this wine
On the nose, we find more spicy and vegetal notes of undergrowth than in other vintages of the same cru. Then come aromas of ripe plums and macerated strawberries. Horizontal at first glance, it then finds this verticality so characteristic of the Beychevelle, which culminates in a warm finish, on notes of ferns.
Chateau Beychevelle 2012
Rating Le Figaro: 93/100
Price: 143€ » Buy this wine
An expressive nose of fresh fruit, with notes of undergrowth. The tannins, precise and chocolatey, give this velvety texture, which frames rich and salty fruits, and a long finish full of generosity.
Chateau Beychevelle 2011
Rating Le Figaro: 88/100
Price: 125€ » DELIVERY: Buy this wine
An abnormally bitter, slightly volatile nose. In the mouth, the flavors are very concentrated, bittersweet, with a touch of petroleum. Very present tannins make the finish a little drying.
Château Beychevelle 2006
Rating Le Figaro: 91/100
Price: 99€ » Buy this wine
An opulent, rich nose, which presents aromas of deer meat, black pepper and juniper. A marvel in the mouth! A wine with a languorous attack which rises in tension gradually, against the current.
Château Beychevelle 2001
Rating Le Figaro: 92/100
Price: 115€ » Buy this wine
The quintessence of the Bordeaux nose with notes of mint, tobacco and eucalyptus. This is followed by notes of tender berries and a touch of steak tartare. The palate is seductive, balanced and classic. A wine that has it all.
Château Beychevelle 2000
Rating Le Figaro: 90/100
Price: 154€ » Buy this wine
The 2000 forms a classic duo with the 2001. On the nose, we detect aromas of tobacco, ferns and verbena tea. A limpid, runny and very supple mouthfeel, a little drying on the finish.
Chateau Beychevelle 1998
Rating Le Figaro: 93/100
Price: 970€ (imperial, 6l) » SERVICE: Buy this wine
A warm nose like a return to the chalet after a long day in the cold, with the sweet smell of candied fruit cakes baking in the oven. We detect notes of cherry jam, plums, and menthol aromas. On the palate, this wine is pure pleasure, full of lively fruit, freshness and cheerfulness, which unfurl like a silk ribbon.
Chateau Beychevelle 1995
Rating Le Figaro: 92/100
Price: €1,190 (jeroboam, 5l) » SERVICE: Buy this wine
The nose releases notes of exotic flowers heated in the sun and wet tea leaves. The palate is evolved, discreet, with bittersweet flavors diminished by aging.
Challenger vintages:
Chateau Beychevelle 2013
Rating Le Figaro: 93/100
Price: 920€ (imperial, 6l) » SERVICE: Buy this wine
A rich, assertive, imposing bouquet, with notes of spring flowers (peony, rose, iris). On the palate, we find purple fruits, energetic and lively, and a good length. A wonderful surprise.
Château Beychevelle 2008
Rating Le Figaro: 93/100
Price: 140€ » Buy this wine
A playful and quivering nose, overflowing with crunchy fruits and wildflowers. On the palate, the fruits are lively, generous and silky. This wine presents a beautiful saline elegance and great drinkability.
Chateau Beychevelle 2007
Rating Le Figaro: 92/100
Price: 105€ » Buy this wine
A pretty nose of wild rose and dried flowers. Clean and frank flavors on the palate, of great elegance. A firm structure of grainy tannins counterbalances the intense and deep black fruits.
Château Beychevelle 2004
Rating Le Figaro: 89/100
Price: 102€ » Buy this wine
A discreet nose of caramel, hazelnut and milk chocolate, with notes of red prunes and wild rose. The palate is friendly, easy to approach, with very present fruit. Slightly drying tannins on the finish. Drink quickly.
Château Beychevelle 2002
Rating Le Figaro: 91/100
Price: 108€ » Buy this wine
With its ripe and dense black fruits, the bouquet reveals a Latin sensibility. On the palate, the aromas are much more precise and fresh. The fruits, dense and tasty, gradually invade the mouth. A wine that intrigues.
Chateau Beychevelle 1999
Rating Le Figaro: 94/100
Price: » Buy this wine
A bouquet of black fruits, young and virile, whose fleshy and dark aromas caress the nostrils, followed by a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is supple and velvety, the tannins finely grained and the finish long and expressive. A delight.
Chateau Beychevelle 1997
Rating Le Figaro: 90/100
Price: 96€ » Buy this wine
On the nose, we find dried tertiary aromas of leaves and heather but also notes of dried rose petals. The mouth, with soft and generous fruits, ends with a fairly long finish.
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