2005 Château Beychevelle, 12-bottle Lot, Wood Case

Château Beychevelle is a Fourth Growth estate according to the Bordeaux classification of 1855. Located in the St.- Julian appellation, the estate’s history dates back to the Middle Ages, when its wine was shipped to England and Germany. After a succession of owners over the centuries, the estate today is owned by an international business conglomerate, Grands Millesimes de France. There are 192.7 acres in the St.-Julien appellation, and the vineyards are planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. About 300,000 bottles are produced annually. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “Beychevelle wines are generally soft and smooth, and accessible in their youth."

Saint-Julien is the smallest of the four main Médoc appellations with 2,175 acres of vineyards. It is just south of Pauillac on the left bank of the Gironde, and although it has no First Growth châteaux, its 11 Classified Growth estates are widely admired. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that winemaking in Saint-Julien from all classifications “is consistently both distinctive and brilliant.” He adds it is Médoc’s “most underrated commune.” The best-known estates are Léoville Las Cases, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Poyferré, Léoville Barton and Gruaud Larose, and most of those have riverside estates. The soil in this appellation is gravelly with clay. Cabernet Sauvignon is the main grape grown, and it is blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and sometimes small amounts of Petit Verdot.