Ch.Beausejour Duffau 2013 ex-ch 750ml

Wine Advocate #214, Aug 28, 2014
I had this three different times, consistently scoring it the same. The final blend was 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. The 2009 and 2010 are legendary if you can still find any. Fifty-seven percent of the total production made it into this wine, which tips the scales at 14.3% natural alcohol, giving you an idea that even in a very tough vintage this terroir can still produce ripe fruit. Yields were 13 hectoliters per hectare. A huge nose of crushed chalk, licorice, blueberry liqueur, graphite and a hint of truffle and camphor jump from the glass of this opaque ruby/purple-colored wine. Medium-bodied, it doesn’t have the great depth, power and broad swath across the palate that the 2009 and 2010 possessed, but it’s still a beauty. This is elegant and should drink well in 3-4 years. This is one 2013 that may well last and improve beyond 12-15 years.

Château Beausejour Duffau is one of the 13 Premier Grand Cru Classes in the appellation of St Emilion. Formerly fully titled Château Beauséjour-Duffau-Lagarrosse, was originally part of a single estate with Château Beau-Séjour-Bécot. In 1869 the vineyards were split up between the owner's two children and they have been owned and run separately ever since. Beauséjour-Duffau, a 1er Grand Cru Classé B property, is located on the Côtes of St-Emilion, on the edge of a limestone plateau.
Beausejour-Duffau's 7 hectares of vineyards are planted with Merlot (70%), Cabernet Franc (20%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%). The grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel and concrete vats and the wine is aged in barriques (50% new) for 18 months. It is bottled unfiltered. Under the brilliant management of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt quality has soared. The estate consistently produces complex St-Emilion wines which are intense, powerful, full-bodied and redolent of black fruits, spices and minerals. It shows at its best with at least 6-7 years of bottle age.

Meats, Beef and Venison