2022 Château Beauséjour, 1er Grand Cru Classé St-Emilion

Just so good, so much uplift, direction and power, with vivid violet reflections to the ruby coloured fruit. Intense and concentrated on the opening, then a soaring limestone juice comes in through the mid palate, with the whole thing showing precision and character. A jumbled, joyful mix of blueberry, cassis, peony, roses, pummice stone and slate limestone, cocoa bean and coffee, showing real depth and seduction. This is always one of the wines that for me most leans in to the character of limestone, and you really feel the full impact in this hot year. Old vines 45 years average. Stopped all punch down during fermentation, now only soft pumpovers and infusion. Axel Marchal and Julien Viaud consultants. Highest Cabernet Franc percentage in the estate's history, and a full 40hl/h yield, 3.5ph. Potential 100.

The 2022 Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) looks to be another brilliant wine from this incredible terroir located just outside the village of Saint-Emilion. Based on 69% Merlot and 31% Cabernet Franc resting in 68% new oak, it sports a dense purple hue as well as a floral, intense bouquet of cassis, liquid violets, black cherries, truffly earth, and graphite. Hitting 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.5, it's full-bodied and has a pure, layered, opulent mouthfeel and just about perfect tannins. There's a little bit more clay in the soils at this estate (there's still plenty of limestone) which gives the wines plenty of power and richness, and the 2022 holds onto a beautiful sense of elegance.

The 2022 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) promises to be the finest wine that this superb limestone terroir has produced in at least several decades. In recent years, the quality of the site always shone through, but it was sometimes obscured by an impactful vinification and élevage (plenty of creamy new oak and malolactic fermentation in barrel). Much of the estate's Cabernet Franc was frequently eliminated from the blend. Joséphine Duffau Lagarrosse has changed that, incorporating fully 31% Cabernet Franc in the blend to deliver a complex and compelling wine evocative of wild berries, plums, rose petals and violets. Medium to full-bodied, pure and vibrant, it's supple and layered, with beautifully refined tannins, terrific depth at the core and a long, chalky finish.

A beautiful and enticing red with blackberry, hazelnut, dried flower, spice and berry character. It’s full yet poised with finesse and richness while also being bright and energetic. Precise.

The 2022 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse is an elegant, supremely polished wine. It is also an infant, and yet the pedigree is easy to see. Bright red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint, chalk and white pepper lend aromatic brilliance to this understated, classy Saint-Émilion. Clean saline notes extend the finish effortlessly. I can't wait to taste this from bottle.