2013 Beausejour Duffau-Lagarosse

Tasted blind. Deep garnet. Restrained, dusty, slightly leafy nose with much darker fruit than the two wines I have just tasted (Quintus and Beau-Séjour Bécot). Dry finesse, not a lot of weight but elegant overall. Very fresh and lively but a bit tart on the finish. (JH)

The 2013 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) offers impressive intensity given the growing season with crisp and pure dark cherries, raspberry coulis and subtle earthy bordering upon loamy scents. The oak here is nicely enmeshed and attests some clever winemaking in this challenging season. The palate is well balanced with a little chewiness on the entry. There is admirable weight here, even if I discerned more finesse and precision on the 2013 Pavie-Macquin. Still, this constitutes a sterling effort and it should give 10 to 15 years of pleasure, possibly longer.

The 2013 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse is one of the most exciting wines of the vintage. Dark, rich, powerful and creamy, the 2013 boasts stunning overall balance. An exotic, beguiling bouquet melds into dark fruit in an utterly impeccable, vivid wine loaded with personality. Sweet rose petals, spices and mint wrap around the highly expressive finish. This is one of the highlights of the vintage, a year that had more than its share of challenges. The old-vine Merlot was quite vulnerable to coulure, while the later-ripening Cabernet Franc suffered from poor late-season weather. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Tasted twice.