Chateau Beausejour Web

2003 Château Beauséjour

By Chateau Beausejour

2003 Beausejour Duffau-Lagarosse from Chateau Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse, Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux

In the panorama of Bordeaux's lauded vintages, the 2003 Beausejour Duffau-Lagarosse firmly stands out with magnanimous distinction. In a year where the heatwave was the architect of many a winemaker's furrowed brow, this iconoclastic bottle from Chateau Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse emerged triumphant against the elements.

 

The Heatwave Vintage – A Story of Triumph

The Saint-Emilion landscape in 2003 was dominated by relentless summer thermals that defined the berries' gestation. But felicitously at Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse, old vines plunged their roots deep into cool limestone terraces, unperturbed, drawing on hidden moisture reserves to deliver a crop of exceptional character. What this demanding season unveiled was a wine robust in temper but refined in expression.

Upon tasting, one is enveloped by the plush, velvety tannins – a signature trait proficiently executed by the venerated parcels of Chateau Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse. The concentration here is marvel to behold, presenting dark fruits drenched in sunlight yet captured before over-exuberance could taint their innate elegance. A palimpsest of structure and balance, it propels Bordeaux's already towering reputation for fine wine investment to loftier climes.

 

Finessing the Elements: A Wine for the Sagacious Investor

It's a rare occurrence when climatic caprice aligns with vinicultural virtuosity to craft something nothing short of monumental. The 2003 vintage is precisely such an occurrence for Chateau Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse. With two decades of maturation, it has unfurled layers of complexity akin to an Alderney tapestry.

This is not merely wine; it's a liquid asset wreathed with allure for the perspicacious collector. Endowed with staying power and yet transcendent in its prime, there exists potential for further evolution within proper cellars, beckoning towards a prosperous horizon for investors with an acumen for extraordinary claret.

A Synopsis of Splendour

In summation, the 2003 Beausejour Duffau-Lagarosse stands as a bastion of resilience amidst an arduous year for Bordeaux. It espouses sheer depth and complexity granted by its auspicious terroir and time-honoured winemaking acuity – attributes that not only endear it to connoisseurs' palates but also make it a compelling entrant in any investment portfolio.

Current market price

£1,120.00

12x75cl

Highest score

90

POP score

112

Scores and tasting notes

90

The elegant, medium-bodied 2003 Beausejour-Duffau reveals notes of crushed rocks, raspberries, licorice, forest floor and underbrush. The tannins are fully resolved, and the wine remains well-delineated and fresh. It should drink well for another decade.

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 27 August 2014

Vintage performance