The colour is deep garnet. On the nose black cherry, plum, tobacco, graphite. In the mouth medium-bodied. The well-integrated tannins provide structure without being aggressive. The acidity keeps the wine balanced and elegant. The aftertaste is long.
This 4ème Cru Classé Bordeaux wine is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot grapes.
The 2012 Bordeaux vintage was not an easy year. It was marked by unpredictable weather conditions that required careful vineyard management. While not as highly regarded as the stellar 2009 or 2010, 2012 still produced many excellent wines and at a much lower price. Judging from this bottle, it seems like it is a good time to uncork them.
Nestled in the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux, Château Beychevelle is one of the most storied estates in the Médoc.
The property traces its roots to the Foix de Candale family, related to French royalty. In 1587, their only daughter and heiress married Jean-Louis Nogaret de la Valette, the Duc d’Épernon, the admiral of the French fleet, who gave the estate its name: “Baisse-voile”, meaning “lower sails”. Legend says merchant ships would lower their sails as a gesture of respect towards the Admiral of France as they passed the property.
The château as it stands today was rebuilt in the mid-18th century in the neo-Louis XIII architectural style.
The Guestier family, a prominent Bordeaux wine merchant, acquired the estate in 1825 and manage it through the 1855 Classification, when it was ranked a Fourth Growth. The estate remained in the Guestier family until 1875, when it was sold to the banker Armand Heine.
Today, Château Beychevelle belongs to Grands Millésimes de France, which is jointly owned by the Castel and Suntory groups.
I bought this wine En Primeur for 60 CHF. Nowadays it sells for more than double the price, an appreciation of 5-6% a year.
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Type: Red
Vintage: 2012
Producer: Château Beychevelle
Price range: Luxury (>100 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 5/5