Chateau Beau Sejour Becot 2020

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Beau-Sejour Becot is on a hot streak and 2020 shows why. Opening with a wealth of flowers before you get to all the red, black and blue fruits, thyme, spice-box, espresso beans, cocoa and licorice in the bouquet. The palate is even better with its multiple-layers of crushed stones, sensuous fruits, velvet-tannins and long, expansive, lifted finish, with its hint of salt in the endnote. As I penned after tasting a barrel sample, this is a new level of quality at Beau-Sejour Becot that embraces less volume, but more intensity, and purity in the fruit. With their new cellars about to come into use, you are looking at a new level of Beau-Sejour Becot! Drink from 2025-2055."

JAMES SUCKLING: "This has a fantastic finish with crushed blackberries and raspberries and salt undertones. It’s full-bodied, yet really racy and polished with such fine, intense tannins. Love the length to this. Very distinguished and toned. Excellent energy. 85% merlot, 13% cabernet franc and 2% cabernet sauvignon."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A terrific performance for an estate on a continuing upward trajectory, the 2020 Beau-Séjour Bécot unwinds in the glass with a deep bouquet of cherries and blackberries mingled with violets and spices. Medium to full-bodied, pure and layered, it's deep and concentrated, with a vibrant core of fruit, polished tannins and a long, sapid finish. The 2020 is a blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, some two-thirds of which was matured in new oak, with the balance in tanks, amphorae and foudres."

DECANTER: "Velvety rich deep blue fruits, this is powerful and measured, fruit-forward and yet subtle, layered blueberry and raspberry with smoked almonds and mocha on the finish. Sleek and finessed fruit flavours, a sense of forward motion from beginning to end and a burst of freshly-grated minerality on the finish. Extremely good quality. This is the second to last vintage in the new cellar, before building a new cellar for 2023 vintage. They have done a lot of work in the vineyards studying the terroir to understand how smaller sectors and zones within each plot reacts, and this work of studying the plots will help to inform the new cellar. Harvest September 8th to September 29th. 3.5ph. A yield of 42hl/ha. 16 months ageing in 65% new oak barrel, 35% in vats, amphoras and 20hl oak tanks. Thomas Duclos consultant."

JEB DUNNUCK: "A brilliant wine that's up with the finest to date from this incredible terroir, the 2020 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot checks in as 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. Revealing a vivid purple hue as well as a drop-dead gorgeous nose of black raspberries, cassis, violets, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality, it’s medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with ultra-fine tannins and perfect balance. This beauty deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully over the following two decades or more. Don't miss it."

FALSTAFF: "Im Duft fein und komplex zugleich: Schwarzkirsche und kreidige Kalknoten, auch Kokos. Thymian, Salbei, Darjeeling, Rote Johannisbeere, Wildkirsche, schwarzer Pfeffer. Im Mund ölig, mit leichter Süße in der Frucht, der Alkohol stört den seidigen, saftigen Eindruck nicht. Gut integrierte, feinnervige Säure, mutet in seiner feingliedrigen Art fast schon burgundisch an."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Very expressive, with cassis, cherry puree and plum pâte de fruit notes leaping to the fore with good energy, while violet, red tea, savory and sanguine details add range and guile through the stylish finish. It's not easy to capture such freshness in this vintage like this version does. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2026 through 2038."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Absolute expression of place with stony, chalky notes superimposed over the berry fruit. Lovely texture of tannin, the palate fine, fresh, fruity and persistent. Really elegant and digeste. Reinforces the change of style seen since 2017."

WEINWISSER: "Feingliedriges Bouquet, rotbeerige Konturen, Graphit und helles Edelholz. Am kompakten Gaumen mit weicher Textur und zupackendem Tanninkorsett, engmaschig, zarte Adstringenz. Im konzentrierten Finale wenig Frucht, dunkle Mineralik und staubiges Extrakt, kann das gute Primeur-Ergebnis leider nicht wiederholen."