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2018 Château Beau-Sejour Becot

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

September 8, 2024 - $56

Estimate

RATINGS

96-99Wine Spectator

Juicy and forward in feel, with fresh plum, blackberry and anise notes. Dense, but still silky and refined in feel, revealing a long mineral echo through the finish. This is so pure...

95-97The Wine Advocate

...it leaps from the glass with bold, expressive notions of stewed plums, blackberry pie and Black Forest cake with nuances of menthol, mocha, molten licorice and wild sage plus a waft of lavender. Full-bodied, the palate is laden with latent energy, offering slow-releasing glimpses at dark, seductive berry preserves layers and vibrant earthy accents, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.

95-96James Suckling

A very fresh and beautiful wine with extremely fine tannins that melt nicely into the pure fruit. Medium to full body. Crisp and very fruity. Wonderful finish that lasts for minutes. It grows in stature at the end.

95-97Jeb Dunnuck

This is pure limestone soils, and the wine shows it with its fresh, vibrant style as well as incredibly minerality. Vivid cassis, graphite, white flowers, and spice characteristics all flow to a medium to full-bodied, pure, incredibly elegant wine that shows the new style of this estate beautifully. It’s not for those seeking overt power and opulence, but it builds incrementally on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins and a great finish. It’s as classy as it gets.

92-94Vinous / IWC

...a "serious" bouquet with darker fruit than expected: blackberry, bilberry, then raspberry and crushed strawberry mixed with rose petal and peony scents. The oak is nicely integrated here. The palate is satin-smooth in texture thanks to the plush, saturated tannins. Layers of red fruit are enmeshed with the oak, whilst the finish fans out gloriously.

16+ Jancis Robinson

Red fruit on the nose, but also some darker and incense-laced blackberry. Polished texture on the palate allows the fruit to shine through. Bursting with blueberry and black cherry. The oak brings a slightly aggressive smokiness through the finish, but the fruit weight retains the balance in the wine. Chalky but ripe tannins are persistent...

PRODUCER

Château Beau-Sejour Becot

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.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, St.-Émilion

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.