2003 Château Beau-Sejour Becot, 12-bottle Lot, Wood Case

Château Beau-Sejour Becot is a 41-acre estate in the Saint-Emilion appellation of Bordeaux. It is a Premier Grand Cru Classe B in the Saint-Emilion classification. Originally a vineyard owned by monks, the estate was acquired by wealthy local families in the 18th century. In 1969 it was acquired by Michel Becot, who added his name to the historic name, and today it is owned and operated by his sons Gerard and Dominique. The vineyards are planted to 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. About 70,000 bottles are produced annually. The second wine is Tournelle de Beau-Sejour Becot. Michel Rolland has worked as consulting oenologist at the château.

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.