Château Berliquet, Grand Cru Classé, St Emilion, 2025
Berliquet still has some of the wildness of older vintages, but this is becoming more and more refined. Under the stewardship of Nicolas Audebert and the Canon team, this excellent terroir, which overlooks Angelus, is beginning to achieve a newfound refinement. More brooding initially, then some juicy black berries and a floral element. The palate is nervy and vibrates with bramble fruit, leafy cassis, blackcurrant, clove, tobacco, tilled earth and spice. Whilst not at the level of Canon (few wines are this year), this is a remarkably good effort. The tannins provide lots of grip and length. Surprisingly polished and refined.
critic reviews
The 2025 Berliquet was picked September 3 to 17 and is aged in 38% new barrels and 23% amphora, which are being increased slightly each year. This has a very refined bouquet, lifted and quite floral, black cherry and blueberry, a little creaminess, in fact, quite Canon-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity on the entry. The limestone really comes through and underlies this Berliquet, almost like a white wine, as if someone crumbled it into the wine. That's terroir for you. It lends plenty of freshness and another layer of complexity on the finish. This is one of the best vintages of Berliquet that I have tasted from barrel.
Juicy acidities, cloves, blueberry, fresh mint, clearly set to soften and smooth over ageing, the overall structure has energy and momentum that lift through the finish, great quality and a healthy 42 hl/ha yield. 3.44pH. Harvest September 3 to 17. Tasted twice.
A blend of 61% Merlot and 39% Cabernet Franc, the 2025 Berliquet is the best wine to emerge from this ascendent property yet. Bursting with aromas of sweet dark berries, licorice and violets, it's medium- to full-bodied, rich and suave, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acids and a seamless, complete profile. The estate's new winery, inaugurated with the 2023 vintage, permits harvesting block by block with greater precision. Readers who haven't been following Berliquet's progress should make a special effort to seek out the superb 2025.