Château Beychevelle is one of the most historically distinguished and commercially recognisable estates in the Saint-Julien appellation, a Quatrième Grand Cru Classé occupying some of the finest riverine gravel soils on the Médoc’s Gironde bank between Ducru-Beaucaillou to the north and Saint-Julien-Beychevelle to the south. The estate produces wine from 90 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant vineyards in a style that has evolved from the very traditional towards a more precise, elegant expression under the direction of the Japanese owner Suntory, who acquired the estate in 1986 and has invested consistently in both vineyard management and cellar technology. Beychevelle has attracted increasing critical attention over the past decade as the quality of its winemaking and vineyard management has produced wines that challenge the estate’s traditional fourth-growth commercial positioning relative to its terroir quality. The 2022 Bordeaux vintage was warm and generous, and for a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant estate on the Médoc’s finest riverine gravel, this should have produced a wine of excellent concentration and structural depth alongside the elegance that the Saint-Julien terroir and the Beychevelle team’s refined approach consistently provide.

The 2022 Beychevelle’s blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, aged in French barriques at a proportion calibrated to the vintage’s naturally generous character, should produce a wine of considerable aromatic richness and accessible early drinking appeal alongside sufficient structural depth for ten to fifteen years of cellaring. Beychevelle has established itself over the past decade as one of Saint-Julien’s more reliably quality-focused producers at the fourth-growth level, and the 2022 vintage’s generosity of fruit should be a particularly natural fit for the estate’s increasingly polished and precise winemaking style.

Château Beychevelle from a warm, generous vintage at a historically accessible price relative to its Saint-Julien classified growth provenance and improving quality trajectory is an excellent value proposition for collectors who seek Saint-Julien appellation character and classified growth prestige at a price point below the estate’s more commercially prominent neighbours.

Deep ruby with a generous nose of blackcurrant, ripe cherry, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs and the characteristic Saint-Julien gravelly mineral character. Full-bodied with well-structured tannins, excellent natural acidity and a long, herb-edged, classical Médoc finish. Best from 2026 through 2040.

The 2022 Beychevelle has turned out nicely, offering up aromas of ripe berry compote mingled with notions of petals, espresso roast and rich, toasty oak. Medium to full-bodied, sweet and fleshy, it's velvety and layered, with plenty of powdery tannin lurking behind its ripe core of fruit. It's a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Fans of contemporary Beychevelle's rich, lusty style will love it. - Wine Advocate