Chateau Beychevelle 2019

JAMES SUCKLING: "Gorgeous aromas of currants, crushed stones, blackberries and flowers. Full-bodied with refined tannins that are long and very polished. Creamy texture. It goes on for minutes. Lovely energy and sophistication to this. Try after 2026."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Coming in close to equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with just a splash of Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Château Beychevelle shows a classic Saint-Julien purity and finesse-driven style as well as notes of red and blue fruits, sappy flowers, tobacco, and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, I love its overall balance and purity of fruit, it has silky tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. This wine always has upfront appeal, but the 2019 will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and should have 30 years of overall longevity."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarter Ockerrand. Attraktive schwarze Beerenfrucht, reife Herzkirschen, ein Hauch von Cassis und Edelholz. Saftig, elegant, extraktsüß, feine Pflaumenfrucht, reife, runde Tannine, feines Nougat im Abgang, sehr gute Länge, harmonisch und frisch strukturiert, mit großem Zukunftspotenzial ausgestattet."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "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."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Aromas of raspberries, currants, pencil shavings and sweet spices introduce the 2019 Beychevelle, a medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping wine that's fleshy and seamless, with a generous core of fruit, ripe tannins and succulent acids, concluding with an expansive finish. This is an open-knit, demonstrative Saint-Julien that will offer a broad drinking window."

WEINWISSER: "Fast schwarzes Purpur mit satter Mitte. Konzentriertes Bouquet mit Holundersaft und edler Cassiswürze, dahinter heller Tabak und Fliedernoten. Am eleganten Gaumen mit seidiger Textur und stützendem Tannin gepaart mit fein nerviger Rasse, dadurch behält er seine Finesse. Im aromatischen Finale mit blauen Beeren, Brasiltabak und fein körnigem Extrakt. Well done, Philippe Blanc!"

DECANTER: "Lovely intensity on the nose, rich and dark with blackcurrants and some wonderfully attractive floral aromas. Excellent follow through on the palate, this is direct and precise with a good drive of black fruit flavours into a long finish. Fresh acidity underpins the fruit and there is an appealing undercurrent of minerality that is so refreshing. Liquorice spice marks the finish with a touch of dryness from the acidity. A lovely impactful wine with a flavour that goes on and on. Sophisticated, sculpted and well defined. Drinking Window 2027 - 2044"

WINE SPECTATOR: "Dark, with plum, açaí and blackberry compote notes, this is juicy and expressive. Features racy wood spice, graphite and apple wood notes, which give this a structured feel through the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. 2,000 cases imported."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Dense and tarry nose. Savoury and dry with lots going on. Rounder and less obviously tannic than I would have expected in a St-Julien. Long. Rich!"