2022 Château Beychevelle, St Julien, Bordeaux

54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.

High-toned. Very solid! Quite savoury and appetising with, obviously, lots of work on the tannins. Really very well balanced and with freshness and inkiness rather than heaviness. Long!

Drink 2030 - 2048

It's a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, with a pH of 3.85, quite typical for this address.

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.

Of course, it is still young, but it underlines Beychevelle's success in this hot and dry vintage. It has cloves, slate, black tea, campfire, liquorice, cassis, sculpted tannins, balance, and finesse.

Drink 2029 - 2044

I was able to taste the 2022 Château Beychevelle on multiple occasions, and it never failed to impress me. Based on 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that will see 18 months in 70% new oak, it’s one of those wines that makes you stop and say “wow” due to its purity, depth, and texture. Sporting a dense purple hue and lots of blueberry and black cherry fruits, it’s full-bodied and has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, building yet gorgeous tannins and subtle background notes of crushed violets, flowers, and graphite. This is a sensational effort from director Philippe Blanc.

A yield of 36hl/ha

Supple, rich, and velvety, this wine has a great delineation of tannins and fruit, with creamy blueberries and cola touches alongside savoury elements of dark chocolate, liquorice, and salt. Structured, fresh, and well-worked, this feels sophisticated, focused, and confident. It’s missing a touch of acidity, but it has plenty of polish, seduction, and potential to age.

Drink 2025 - 2045

54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.

Intense blackberries and blackcurrants with spice and lead-pencil aromas. Medium-bodied, it has creamy and polished tannins and a long and flavorful finish. The cabernet sauvignon is singing here. Give it three to five years of bottle age.

Best after 2028

The 2022 Beychevelle is so impressive. A wine of precision and stature, the 2022 has so much to offer. Inky dark fruit, liquorice, mocha and lavender build in a sumptuous, creamy Saint-Julien. All of that intensity mounts through the mid-palate, reaching a stunning crescendo on the explosive, resonant finish. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2022 retains a gorgeous sense of freshness and vibrancy.

Drink 2030 - 2062

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, a newfound sense of clarity 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.

Drink 2030 - 2065