Ch.Beau-Sejour Becot 2012 - 6bots 750mlx6

Wine Advocate #227, Oct 2016
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux tasting. The 2012 Beauséjour Bécot had a strange bouquet at first, a little funkiness that soon dissipates with several swirls of the glass. I like the delineation here, nuanced red cherry and wild strawberry scents, black tea and undergrowth, though I noticed that it becomes just a little volatile with aeration—something to watch out for. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, foursquare for a Saint Emilion and yet nicely focused, just the right amount of dryness, if not quite delivering the requisite complexity and tension on the finish. This is one of those wines that is "nearly there" and needs bottle age, but I am certain it will come good once it has settled down.

Once a vineyard cultivated by the monks of the Church of St-Martin during the Middle Ages, in the 17th century it was acquired by the Geres family, the land then named Peycoucou. By marriage the estate came to the de Carle family, seigneurs of Figeac, and in 1787 General Jacques de Carle renamed the property to Beausejour. When the historic estate in its entirety came to Pierre-Paulin Ducarpe, it was divided in 1869 between his two children.
The daughter wed Duffau-Lagarosse, received what became Chateau Beausejour-Duffau-Lagarrosse (present day Chateau Beausejour) and his son inherited the half which was sold in 1924 to Dr. Fagouet, altering the name to Chateau Beausejour-Dr-Fagouet. The estate received its current name after it was acquired in 1969 by Michel Becot who began extensive efforts to modernise.Michel Becot retired in 1985, and the estate is to date run by the sons Gerard and Dominique Becot.
Beausejour Becot's 20 hectares of vineyards are superbly sited on a limestone plateau in the north-west part of the appellation. The wine is a blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon - the grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats, and the wine is matured in oak barriques (50-70% new) for 18-20 months. It is now one of the leading 1er Grand Cru Classé 'B' properties.

Meats, Beef and Venison