2022 Ch Berliquet Grand Cru Classé St Emilion
£274.00 In Bond £348.04 Inc VAT (£58.00 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, April 2023, Score: 94-96
Winemaker Nicolas Audebert has proved the perfect custodian of this diamond of a vineyard acquired by the Chanel group in 2017. It combines three different geological formations and has its own personality, so different to lauded neighbour, Canon. The 2022 represents a culmination of all his work, dark cherry and blueberry, with cedar and freshly picked herbs. A tighter and more tense style than the Canon, with a chalky, clay bite, this is bold without being ostentatious, with a fine, classy persistence.
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Goedhuis, April 2023, Score: 94-96
Winemaker Nicolas Audebert has proved the perfect custodian of this diamond of a vineyard acquired by the Chanel group in 2017. It combines three different geological formations and has its own personality, so different to lauded neighbour, Canon. The 2022 represents a culmination of all his work, dark cherry and blueberry, with cedar and freshly picked herbs. A tighter and more tense style than the Canon, with a chalky, clay bite, this is bold without being ostentatious, with a fine, classy persistence.
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Neal Martin, April 2023, Score: 92-94
The 2022 Berliquet was picked from 29 August to 14 September and matured in 44% new oak. The wood is a little more prominent on the nose than the Canon, with black cherries, bilberry and light oyster shell scents. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins. This is a juicy Berliquet that probably belies the structure underneath. There's more red fruit toward the finish, with a touch of pepper on the aftertaste. Drink 2030-2055
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Antonio Galloni, April 2023, Score: 91-93
The 2022 Berliquet is super-concentrated, dark and ripe, but also without the forbidding tannins of the past. Succulent plum fruit, mocha, licorice and dried herbs are some of the many notes that grace this gorgeous Saint-Émilion. It will be interesting to see where the 2022 ends up post élevage. Today it is full-bodied and quite opulent. Tasted four times.
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Wine Advocate, April 2023, Score: 94-95
The 2022 Berliquet is brilliant, bursting with aromas of plums, wild berries and lilac, followed by a medium to full-bodied, concentrated and vibrant palate that's deep and mineral. It's likely to be another of the vintage's more attractive en primeur proportions. This estate just goes from strength to strength—and that's before its new winery has been constructed! One of the most significant changes has been opting to retain higher canopies, which means that the fruiting zone of rows planted along the slope are now shaded, preserving freshness.
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James Suckling, April 2023, Score: 93-94
Lots of dark and crushed stones with blackberries and black olives. Dark earth. Full-bodied and more concentrated with very intense fruit and chewy tannins. Velvety and slightly rough, but all there.
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Matthew Jukes, April 2023, Score: 18.5+
While tasting this wine, it feels like there is a cube of limestone in my glass, akin to a cube of ice in a perfectly made G’n’T, and this makes it a white-knuckle experience. This is Berliquet’s finest moment of late, with admirable balance along a long, fine, even palate. Medium-weight, stylish and honed, this is a profoundly luxurious wine with epic tension and wonderful length. This is a level above anything I have previously tasted at this property, and it feels holistic, elegant and calm. The absence of any ostentatious fruit might not appeal to all comers, but terroir acolytes and those who seek meticulous detail will fall at Berliquet’s feet and soak up the incredible precision found here.
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Jancis Robinson, April 2023, Score: 17
Poised and elegant on the nose. Red fruit to the fore. Palate juicy but refined. Tannins finely honed. Length and persistence on the finish. Continues its upward curve. (James Lawther MW). 14.5%. Drink 2028 – 2040
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Jancis Robinson, April 2023, Score: 17
Very deep crimson. Rich, sweet and burly compared with the Canon but still with purity. Such polish! Clean and fresh. Sleekissimo. Drink 2030 – 2045
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Jeb Dunnuck, April 2023, Score: 94-96
Candied cherries, tapenade, violets, and floral notes all emerge from the 2022 Château Berliquet, a medium to full-bodied, seamless Saint-Emilion that brings plenty of ripeness while staying nicely balanced, light on its feet, and elegant. Based on 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc, from yields of 31.2 hectoliter per hectare, it will spend 16 months in 44% new French oak, with a portion of the blend aged in amphora. This isn't the most powerful or opulent wine in the vintage, but it's as seamless and graceful as they come.
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Jane Anson, April 2023, Score: 94
Dark damson colour, beautiful sense of upliflt and freshness, with mint leaf, sage, wild rosemary, cassis fruits. Slate texture to the wine here, feels carved out and crafted, with edges of austerity that constrict the cassis and raspberry fruit. 44% new oak, 8 amphoras (around 10% of overall), the rest in one year old barrel, 45hl/h yield. Great stuff.
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2022 Ch Beau-Séjour Bécot 1er Grand Cru Classé St Emilion
£354.00 In Bond £444.04 Inc VAT (£74.00 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, April 2023, Score: 94-96
It is so exciting to see this prestigious estate now under the guidance of second-generation winemakers Gérard and Dominique Bécot, with a real focus on the qualities of its terroir. They have the confidence to show the vineyard’s great class and the individual characteristics of the vintage. An array of fresh red fruits flow from the glass, with cranberry, spring blossom and rose petal. The attack of vivid, bright fruits is followed by broader, plump flavours of sloe and plum. It has a chalky lift on the finish, controlled and persistent. Lovely.
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Goedhuis, April 2023, Score: 94-96
It is so exciting to see this prestigious estate now under the guidance of second-generation winemakers Gérard and Dominique Bécot, with a real focus on the qualities of its terroir. They have the confidence to show the vineyard’s great class and the individual characteristics of the vintage. An array of fresh red fruits flow from the glass, with cranberry, spring blossom and rose petal. The attack of vivid, bright fruits is followed by broader, plump flavours of sloe and plum. It has a chalky lift on the finish, controlled and persistent. Lovely.
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Antonio Galloni, April 2023, Score: 98-100
The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot has a bit more Cabernet Franc than most years, which comes through immediately in the wine's aromatic profile. Dark, rich and expressive., the 2022 is seriously impressive. Crushed flowers, herbs, mint, blood orange and red-toned fruit all build into a sumptuous, majestic finish that just explodes on the back end. The 2022 is one of the very finest editions of Beau-Séjour Bécot I can remember tasting. It is a great, great wine. Drink 2032 - 2052.
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Wine Advocate, April 2023, Score: 96-98
With the 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot, this estate has taken another step up the ranks in Saint-Émilion, producing a wine of breathtaking perfume and harmony that will be worth a special effort to seek out. Wafting from the glass with aromas of wild berries, violets, lilac, raw cocoa and forest floor, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, with an ample and enveloping core of weightless fruit, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, saline, resonant finish. Recently planted massale selection Cabernet Franc is now producing meaningful yields at this address, so this cépage now represents 22% of the blend, complemented by 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot. The team harvested only in the mornings, picking Merlot from 5-18 September and Cabernet from 13-23 September, sub-block by sub-block.
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Decanter, April 2023, Score: 96
Floral notes on the nose. Tangy and sharp, lively and bright straight away, sweet and sour, so energetic and lively with a mineral grip from the fine, firm, grippy tannins. Lovely precision and almost delicate presentation of fruit. You really feel the mineral, salty, tangy aspect of the fruit, nothing feels overworked, all in balance, really quite thrilling and electric. Great purity and focus. Scintillating yet still with a lovely volume and roundness accented by tobacco, clove, liquorice and cinnamon touches. Really well worked and fresh - this feels very modern with such control to the fruit, tannins, acidity giving overall depth and complexity. Elegant but confident, taking the best density from clay density and freshness from limestone. A very singular charm with this wine. 3.55pH. 10% press wine.
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Matthew Jukes, April 2023, Score: 18.5+
This is a stunning wine that rightly sits atop the Saint-Emilion GCC pile. There is so much class here and so much going on, from the riveting fragrance powered by Cab Franc to the indulgent, multi-layered palate and the bold oak notes that slash through the fruit with confidence. But the minerality and freshness woven into the tapestry of flavour here are breathtaking, bringing a truly impressive stance to the whole experience.
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Jancis Robinson, April 2023, Score: 17+
The change to a more refined style clearly marked. Juicy, fresh and floral with a feather-light touch to the palate. Substance and structure, though, the tannins plentiful and long. Clean, refreshing finish, the limestone terroir apparent. (James Lawther MW). 14.5%. Drink 2030 – 2042
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Jeb Dunnuck, April 2023, Score: 95-97+
Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot aways impressed, and I think it's clearly one of the finest vintages for this château. Including more Cabernet Franc than usual and a blend of 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, its ruby/purple hue is followed by a pure, ultra-fine, seamless Saint-Emilion with a wonderful core of black raspberry fruits supported by beautifully complex notes of chalky minerality, flowery incense, tobacco, and graphite. Medium to full bodied, with beautiful tannins and a great finish, this is never the most massive or concentrated wine in a vintage, yet it shines for its incredible sense of elegance, finesse, and complexity. The élevage here will span 18 months in 55% new French oak, and this hit 14.5% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.55. It will drink well for 30+ years.
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Jane Anson, April 2023, Score: 96
This has double the amount of Cabernet Franc in the blend as of this year after vineyard restructuring, and the chalkiness of the limestone helps underline the curling peony and violet floral character on the opening beats, balancing the intensity of the vintage. Plenty of blueberry and damson fruit, with bitter cocoa bean and coffee, saffran and smoked dried herbs. Highly successful. No irrigation, instead used cover crops, and reduced the height of the canopy by 15cm to limit the transevaporation. Cold maceration for 10-15 days, 55% new oak, 30% oak casks, and amphoras. Jean de Cournuaud technical director. 33hl/h yield after frost impact, harvest September 5 to 23. The new cellar will be ready for the end of August for the 2023 vintage.
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LPB, April 2023, Score: 95-97
A blend of 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Beau-Sejour Becot has more Cabernet Franc than any previous vintage. The pH is 3.55 pH and it has a deep purple-black color. Notions of blackcurrant jelly, blackberry pie, and warm plums jump from the glass, followed by suggestions of cedar chest, Sichuan pepper, and garrigue. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of juicy black fruit flavors, with bright acidity and ripe, rounded tannins, finishing long and earthy.
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2022 Ch Brane-Cantenac 2ème Cru Margaux
£360.00 In Bond £451.24 Inc VAT (£75.20 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, April 2023, Score: 96-98
Proprietor Henri Lurton is not one for hyperbole, so when he says that the 2022 is the greatest wine he has made in his 30 years at the property, and also to include it in the same hall of fame as 1961 and 1945 it is wise to take note! A truly memorable wine from our week of tastings, with smoky dark black fruits, warm chocolate fondant and a spice of oak aromatics. Silky and charming, with its velvet like texture, the palate is so graceful, full of refined excitement. Beautifully poised, with the perfect balance of sweetness of fruit and freshness. Quite lovely.
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Goedhuis, April 2023, Score: 96-98
Proprietor Henri Lurton is not one for hyperbole, so when he says that the 2022 is the greatest wine he has made in his 30 years at the property, and also to include it in the same hall of fame as 1961 and 1945 it is wise to take note! A truly memorable wine from our week of tastings, with smoky dark black fruits, warm chocolate fondant and a spice of oak aromatics. Silky and charming, with its velvet like texture, the palate is so graceful, full of refined excitement. Beautifully poised, with the perfect balance of sweetness of fruit and freshness. Quite lovely.
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Neal Martin, April 2023, Score: 96-98
The 2022 Brane-Cantenac, as usual, is a wine that you must sit and contemplate before words gush forth. It was picked from 7 September to 10 October (their tiny plot of Carmenère) at 31.5hL/ha and contains 16% vin de presse from the Cabernet Sauvignon. It is well-defined and fresh, a very subtle Margaux, precise with blackberry, wild strawberry, cedar and tobacco scents. As previous vintages have proven, there's a kind of "hidden depth" that will become apparent post-bottling. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very elegant and unashamedly classic in style. This is blessed with haunting poise, composed and detailed on the finish. This Margaux is not a show stopper, which in any case, is not really Henri Lurton/Brane Cantenac’s signature style. Instead, it is a wine that 15 to 20 years down the road, you are going to treasure. Drink 2030-2065
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Antonio Galloni, April 2023, Score: 95-97
The 2022 Brane-Cantenac is captivating. Aromatic, savory and layered, the 2022 is so alluring from the outset. The natural radiance of the year is very much on display, and yet there is nothing that is overdone about the 2022. Hints of blood orange, spice, rose petal and minerals open over time, offering stunning contrast to the sheer intensity of the fruit shaped by low yields and tiny berries. Brane-Cantenac is, in my view, one of the most under-the-radar wines on the Left Bank. The 2022 is a stunner.
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Wine Advocate, April 2023, Score: 95-97
A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Carmenère and Petit Verdot, the 2022 Brane-Cantenac unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, crème de cassis, black truffles, loamy soil, burning embers and violets. Medium to full-bodied, deep and velvety, with a fleshy core of fruit, terrific concentration and lively acids, it concludes with a long, perfumed finish. This is a terrific 2022 that may rival or even surpass the 2019 if it realizes all its potential in bottle.
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James Suckling, April 2023, Score: 96-97
A long and very linear red for Margaux with intense freshness and energy. The cabernet sauvignon shows real clarity with blackcurrants and flowers. Crushed stone. Firm and racy with lots of lemon rind and intensity. 74% cabernet sauvignon, 23% merlot, 1% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot and 1% carmenere.
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Matthew Jukes, April 2023, Score: 18.5+
Château Brane-Cantenac (2ème Cru Margaux) This is a beautifully silky and luxurious wine with smooth flanks and masses of fruit. The texture is sheer heaven, and the oak is perfectly integrated while the finish is long, classy and enticingly mouth-watering. The overall package is superb and incredibly confident, with dark plum and cherry notes bringing detail to the black core of velvety fruit. Brance Cantenac continues its run of beautiful wines in 2022 and this is a vintage for the long run despite its apparent precocity.
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Jeb Dunnuck, April 2023, Score: 96-98
I was absolutely blown away by the 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac, which looks to be a reference point vintage for this château. Based on 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, and Petit Verdot, it sports a deep purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of crème de cassis, lead pencil, sandalwood, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shines for its purity of fruit, has ultra-fine tannins, a great mid-palate, and one heck of a finish. It hit 14.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.6, and like many estates today, they utilized quite a bit of press wine (15%) in the final blend. This is clearly up with the finest wines from the appellation and is well worth seeking out.
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Jane Anson, April 2023, Score: 98
Easily one of the best wines of the appellation. Red rose petal fragrance, damp earth, rosemary, baking spice, sandalwood, incense, graphite and slate. Exceptional balance, deep chocolate and mint character, with lush damson and cassis fruits. Crushed violet flowers and salted cracker salinity, extremely impressive. Owner Henri Lurton has experience of making wine overseas, in Baja California, which may have given insights into viticultural techniques n the heat, but the real key here is the old vine Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the 1950s and 1960s by his late father Lucien Lurton. 100% new oak, from 8 coopers, and the meticulous approach to oak ageing care of technical director Christophe Capdeville is also important. 42% of production in the 1st wine. All the young vines, even when co-planted in the same rows were picked separately also this year.
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LPB, April 2023, Score: 95-97+
A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Brane-Cantenac has a pH of 3.61 and there is 15.8% press wine in the blend. It has a deep garnet-purple color and it is a little subdued to start with notes of cedar chest and redcurrant preserves leading the charge, soon giving way to a profound core of crème de cassis, juicy black plums, and candied violets, with a touch of iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is simply electric, shimmering with bright, energetic black and red berry layers, supported by super-ripe, finely grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing long and perfumed. Stunning!
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