Beychevelle 2017

St Julien, Fourth Growth

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Tasting Notes

The 2017 Beychevelle is a luscious, extroverted beauty. An exotic mélange of super-ripe dark cherry, red plum, pomegranate, espresso, licorice and blood orange build as this potent, unctuous Saint-Julien opens up in the glass. The tannins need time to soften but should not be much of an issue in another few years' time. I very much like the push and pull of ripeness and energy in the 2017. In a word: memorable. Tasted two times.

Score: 95

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2047 01 March 2020

The 2017 Beychevelle is absolutely gorgeous. Creamy and beautifully layered on the palate, Beychevelle exudes exotic richness in its ripe red/purplish berry fruit. Even though the 2017 is rather flamboyant in style, it retains quite a bit of brightness to play off its more extroverted leanings. Beychevelle was impressive on the several times I tasted it.

Score: 92 - 95

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 May 2018

The 2017 Chateau Beychevelle is another beautiful wine from this estate, which is being run with incredible talent and passion by Romain Ducolomb, who was hired away from Chateau Clinet. The 2017 is based on 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc (a selection of just 52% of the production) and spent 18 months in 60% new French oak. Lively, elegant notes of green tobacco, lead pencil, flowers, mint, and blueberries all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a classic, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s up with the top wines in the vintage and will evolve for 2+ decades.

Score: 95

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2020-2042 26 February 2020

Only 52% of the production went into the 2017 Château Beychevelle (they normally shoot for 60%), and the blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc that’s still aging in 60% new oak. This inky purple-colored beauty gives up loads of blue fruits, black cherries, underbrush, and a touch of minerality in a medium to full-bodied, pretty, elegant package that’s very much in the style of the vintage. This estate has been on a serious roll lately, and the 2017 isn’t going to break the trend. Tasted twice.

Score: 92 - 94

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 23 April 2018

The 2017 Beychevelle was cropped at 54hl/ha between 18 September and 3 October, matured in around 60% new oak with 13.4° alcohol. It has a very ripe blueberry, almost iodine-scented bouquet that is much more extroverted than its peers (like the 2016 last year.) The palate is medium-bodied with sweet black cherry and boysenberry fruit, and plenty of crushed violet. The palate is ripe and succulent; a sweet core of blue and black fruit here although perhaps its neighbor across the road, Branaire Ducru, displays a little more terroir at this early stage. Maybe that is because of the saignée? I would just like to see a little more restraint come through in bottle while I noticed greater precision developing during the 30 minutes the sample spent in my glass.

Score: 90 - 92

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2021-2040 01 May 2018

Deep crimson with purple rim. Tangy, slightly wild black fruit, more bramble than cassis. Smooth, rounded and rather gentle but still persistent. Supple tannins already, though they may be deceptive.

Score: 16 - 17

Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2024-2036 27 April 2018

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Beychevelle opens with gregarious cassis and blackberry pie notes with touches of baking spices and underbrush plus a waft of lavender. Medium-bodied with a great core of ripe black fruits, it has a firm frame of ripe, grainy tannins and balancing freshness, finishing long. The final blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 4 Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.

Score: 90 - 92

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 27 April 2018

Very fine tannins already with a solid core of blackberry and blueberry character. Hints of flowers. Full-bodied, well-integrated and tight, not to mention fresh and long.

Score: 93 - 94

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 06 April 2018

This is a fine expression of St-Julien, with extremely pretty aromatics and brambly, juicy black fruits that remain soft and persistent through the palate, with the tiniest hint of acidity tightening the tannins. It's not as expressive as in 2016, but that was exceptional, though this is certainly a wine to recommend in 2017.

Score: 92

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026-2040 01 April 2018