Château Beychevelle, 4ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2022
The dream team of Philippe Blanc, Erwan Le Brozec and Romain Ducolomb is doing a wonderful job at Beychevelle. Following their excellent 2021, the 2022 goes up another gear. Notes of Asian spice, damsons and violets waft from the glass. There's plenty of plump red fruit in the middle; stylish, natural, nothing feels forced. The mid-palate is beautifully pixelated and measured with notes of Chambord, ripe plums and gravelly cassis, while the tannins are super-refined and silky, laced with lots of fine detail. An excellent Beychevelle produced from 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
critic reviews
This is a blend of just 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, a low figure for the appellation although quite typical for Beychevelle, with 42% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. It is dark, smoky, focused, sweet and concentrated on the nose, with dense dried cranberry and blackberry fruits, with seams of powdered chalk and sandalwood. The palate presents a sweet and delicately polished texture, with a rather open and more loosely knit substance than some of its peers, which is all draped over a core of firm and nicely grained tannins. A wine of seductive texture, peppery fruit and charming grip here, with a nicely balanced presence. The tannins shimmer on through the finish;this is one to tuck away for a long time. Tasted twice. The alcohol on the label is 14%.
The grand vin is pure, vibrant and expressive on the nose, which simmers with smoked black cherry, toast and sweet damson, all laced with contrasting savoury elements including soot, charcoal and black olive. The palate sets out to seduce and it succeeds, with a velvety texture which wraps up a core of dark fruits, black olives, damson and dark cherry, which rests upon a frame of ripe and powdery tannins. Most importantly, there is a vein of acidity here, which lends it a real sense of energy and drive. A superb Beychevelle, reflecting the character of the vintage.
The 2022 Beychevelle has a succinct bouquet that has tightened up since I tasted it in barrel. It retains wonderful precision and focus, pure black fruit, black olive compote and subtle tobacco scents. It unfurls with aeration yet doesn't want to give too much away. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins. Like Gruaud Larose this year, there is a newfound sense of clarity that lifts this 2022 above recent vintages. This is unequivocally one of the most elegant Beychevelles on the finish and it lingers temptingly in the mouth. It’s a benchmark wine for this Saint-Julien—bravo to head winemaker Philippe Blanc and his team.
Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and cassis mingled with hints of violets and licorice, framed by creamy new oak, the 2022 Beychevelle is medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with a fleshy core of fruit framed by rich, unusually suave and polished tannins in the context of recent vintages at this address. It's a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, with a pH of 3.85, quite typical for this address.