Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse 2018 is a Premier Grand Cru Classé Saint-Émilion made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. It comes from a small estate on the western edge of the limestone plateau, in a warm, generous vintage.
About This Wine
About 60% of the vineyard is on the limestone plateau, with 30% on south- and south-west-facing slopes and the rest on lower ground. In 2018 a mild winter and dry spring were followed by a hot, sunny summer with occasional storms. The grapes were hand-picked into small crates, Merlot between 25 September and 3 October and Cabernet Franc on 3 and 8 October. Yields were low at 27.5 hectolitres per hectare, the vines average 45 years, and the wine was aged 12 to 14 months, reaching 14.5% alcohol.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Ripe black fruit, plum and cassis, with violet, spice and graphite.
- Palate: Broad and harmonious, with depth of dark fruit, silky tannins and a mineral core.
- Finish: Refined and lasting, with floral lift and a cocoa note.
Serving & Food
It will benefit from time, so wait until later this decade if you can. When opened, decant for about two hours and serve at 16 to 17°C. Match it with duck breast and cherries, rack of lamb, or a porcini risotto.
How to Enjoy
Right-bank lovers laying down a warm-vintage Saint-Émilion for the next decade and beyond.
Product Details
Producer: Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse
Country: France
Appellation: Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux
Classification: Premier Grand Cru Classé
Vintage: 2018
Grape Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Ageing: 12 to 14 months
ABV: 14.5%
Volume: 750mL
About the Château
Beauséjour was once part of a larger property that was split in the nineteenth century. One half became today's Beau-Séjour Bécot; the other came to the Duffau-Lagarrosse family in 1847 and stayed with them for nine generations. It has been ranked among Saint-Émilion's Premiers Grands Crus Classés since the classification began. In 2021 the Courtin-Clarins family bought the estate, with Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse staying on to run it, and the château now uses the name Château Beauséjour. The vineyard covers 6.8 hectares, about 6.24 in production.