Château Beychevelle 2023

Critic scores

• Vinous96
• James Suckling95
• Jeb Dunnuck95
• Decanter95
• Wine Advocate93-94
• Wine Spectator93

The 2023 vintage in Saint-Julien

Vintage benchmark: 91/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: July mildew followed by a hot September demanded strict selection: fleshy, aromatic wines, more approachable than 2022.

Overall reading of the year’s season across Saint-Julien. An estate can depart from it sharply, in frost or hail years, where two neighbours did not make the same vintage. What this particular wine actually gave is on its technical sheet and in the scores above.

Tasting

Château Beychevelle 2023 is the harmonious balance between power and elegance, with a finesse and elegance that stand out, a silky texture on the palate, integrated tannins with a velvet touch, and a remarkable concentration of red and black fruits with nuances of spices. Its color: deep and opulent purple announces the great intensity of this wine. On the nose: sweet woody notes blend delicately with slightly smoky fragrances; the aromas of black fruits add a fruity dimension, the blackberries echo the black cherries. On the palate: the attack is lively and fresh revealing generous fruitiness in harmony with woody nuances of vanilla, floral notes of violets, a texture of remarkable finesse. The racy character is expressed through assertive tannins which lengthen the finish, bringing power, density and tension. At the end of the palate, a slight tangy note brings length to this harmonious balance.

Blend of the 2023 vintage

Cabernet Sauvignon (61%), Merlot (35%), Petit verdot (4%)

Shares for this vintage, as recorded on the 2023 technical sheet. The vineyard itself is planted with 62 % cabernet sauvignon, 31 % merlot, 5 % cabernet franc, 2 % petit verdot.

Figures from the 2023 sheet

• 13.33 % vol.Alcohol

Terroir

The strength of Château Beychevelle lies in its terroir. It consists of two rises of deep, free-draining gravel that spread out close to the Gironde estuary and give us a unique microclimate, a genuine shield against the weather events that marked the 2023 season.