2011 Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse, St Emilion, Bordeaux

  • Red
  • Dry
  • Full Bodied
  • Merlot (80%),Cabernet Franc (20%)
Ready - mature
Robert Parker
94+/100
17/20
Robert Parker
92-94/100
Product: 20118012270
2011 Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse, St Emilion, Bordeaux

Description

This wine was, for me, unquestionably the pick of the Nicolas Thienpont stable and one of the highlights of our Right Bank tastings. I could wax lyrical about the wonderful harmony between the grape varieties, the fruit, the tannins and the oak; I could add that it is subtle, profound and very long, but there is an undefinable extra, something almost ethereal which I would simply describe as "class" and which elevates this wine above most of its peers.
Colour Red
Sweetness Dry
Vintage 2011
Alcohol % 14.5
Maturity Ready - mature
Grape List Merlot (80%),Cabernet Franc (20%)
Body Full Bodied
Producer Château Beauséjour

Critics reviews

Robert Parker 94+/100
Another brilliant wine of great nobility and finesse, the 2011 Beausejour-Duffau reveals a saturated chalky minerality as well as plenty of blue and black fruits, and fabulous precision and purity. It possesses a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel and a distinctive/singular style only possessed by the greatest wines. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades. It promises to be one of the longest lived wines of the vintage. At 14.7% alcohol, this is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 30/04/2014
Drink 2019 - 2039
Robert Parker, RobertParker.com (Apr 2014)
17/20
Attractive fruit with a hint of oak. Acidity is a little strident but it has a firm, long, structured palate. Awkward at the tasting but potential here.
Drink 2019 - 2039
Decanter.com
Robert Parker 92-94/100
Massive for the vintage (14.7% alcohol), this blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from a small 16-acre vineyard was cropped at 21 hectoliters per hectare. It was made by the remarkably talented team of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt. Inky/purple-colored with notes of crushed rocks, blackberry and blueberry liqueur and hints of charcoal and incense, this full-bodied, rich, dense offering admirably displays its exquisite terroir. Give the 2011 4-5 years of cellaring, and enjoy it over the following 20-25. (robert_parker - Wine Advocate - April 2012)
Drink 2019 - 2039
Robert Parker, RobertParker.com (Apr 2012)

About this wine

Merlot

The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.
Find out more

Château Beauséjour

Château Beauséjour is a 6.8-hectare jewel long recognised for the quality of its terroir; it has been a Premier Grand Cru Classé B since the first St Émilion classification. Almost half the vineyard sits atop the appellation’s limestone plateau, another half extends down onto the côtes. This was once part of a larger estate along with what is now Château Beau-Séjour Bécot.
Find out more

Need help?

Delivery and Quality Guarantee