2022 Ch. Beauséjour

The 2022 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) saw a slightly longer élevage than usual, due to construction at the new winery, but that seems to have suited this broad-shouldered, powerful vintage very well. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of blackberries, blood orange, espresso roast, bay leaf and vanilla pod, it's full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with lively acids, chalky tannins and a long, creamy finish. This blend of 69% Merlot and 31% Cabernet Franc is the second vintage made by Joséphine Duffau Lagarrosse since she took control of the family estate in April 2021.

Violets, ripe black cherries, spring flowers, cassis, and a riveting sense of chalky minerality all shine in the 2022 Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse), another heavenly 2022 that has gorgeous tannins, a seamless, layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It's not massive or incredibly concentrated, yet it has flawless balance and remarkable length. The pH is 3.45, with an alcohol of 14.5%. It's a more elegant, pure, seamless example of the 2020 vintage and has everything in the right place. Give bottles just 4-6 years if you can and it’s clearly going to have 20-30 years of overall prime drinking, as well as a gradual decline thereafter.

The 2022 Beauséjour has a gorgeous bouquet with pure redcurrant, raspberry and wild strawberry fruit scents. Hints of pencil shavings and orange sorbet emerge in the background. It’s very harmonious and the oak is seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, fresh and vibrant with crisp acidity. This is a more intense Beauséjour under Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse, yet it retains delineation from start to finish, with the tongue tingling on the aftertaste. Exchanging the wine between two glasses really brings out the true character of this fabulous Saint-Émilion that is going to give a lot of pleasure. Chapeau Joséphine Duffau!