2016 Beychevelle
By Chateau Beychevelle
2016 Beychevelle from Chateau Beychevelle, St-Julien, Bordeaux
The 2016 vintage from Chateau Beychevelle stands as a testament to the winemaker's art in a year that was widely acclaimed across Bordeaux. I have followed Chateau Beychevelle's offerings for many seasons, and the 2016 vintage provocatively whispers of its calibre through every sip.
A Vintage with Poise and Precision
Blessed with an excellent growing season, St-Julien's vineyards enjoyed an auspicious blend of warm days and cool nights, leading to a harvest that promised much and delivered even more. The opulent blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot that typifies the estate’s crafting has reached a particularly harmonious expression in this year.
Exploring the 2016 Vintage Palette
Tasting the 2016 Beychevelle, one is first greeted by a cornucopia of dark fruit notes - cassis and blackberry lead the charge - before revealing layers of intricate subtlety. Hints of violet, cedar and tobacco leaf add to the rich tapestry. This vintage is undoubtedly structured, carrying its oak aging with aplomb and suggesting substantial cellar potential.
On the palate, it is both robust and refined, tannins well-integrated yet promissory of longevity. The remarkable balance achieved in the 2016 Beychevelle renders it a stellar candidate for fine wine investors looking for grace and development over time.
A Sterling Investment into Bordeaux Excellence
The investment allure of the 2016 Beychevelle is undeniably strong. Its poised evolution over time signals not just a remarkable drinking future but potentially rewarding financial dividends for those with the acumen to recognise its dormant value.
This addition from Chateau Beychevelle shines amidst a storied quintet of Bordeaux's wine producing regions, offering collectors an exquisite combination of terroir-driven excellence and lustrous aging capacity. For those seeking to diversify their portfolio or enrich their cellar with a luminary from St-Julien, the 2016 Beychevelle emerges as an impeccable choice – poised to seduce palates for decades to come.
Market price (CAD)
$1,754.17
12x75cl
Highest score
95
POP score
70.27
Scores and tasting notes
A textbook St.-Julien in the making, with crushed plum and warm cassis notes inlaid with anise and graphite accents. The muscular, driven finish is just a touch chewy in feel but gets soaked up quickly on the finish by the pure fruit. Really solid.—J.M.
Wine Spectator - The Wine Spectator (James Molesworth)
The softness and finesse to this are indeed impressive with blackberry and blackcurrant character. Full-bodied, dense and polished. Lovely texture and length. It builds on the palate. Clearly better in 2015. This is the first year in from the new cellar.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com, April 4th 2017
The 2016 Beychevelle is comprised of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. It spent 18 months aging in 50% new and 50% second use barrels. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little broody to begin, opening slowly to reveal subtle savory notes of dried herbs, charcuterie and black olives before breaking through to a profound core of warm cassis, baked black plums, red currant jelly and candied violets. The palate is medium-bodied and delicately played with a quiet intensity of tightly wound nuances and fantastic freshness, finishing with a lingering savory lift. This latent beauty will require a bit more time than most 2016s, but it promises to overdeliver to those prepared to wait. Around 19,000 cases were made.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 30 November 2018
Dark purple. Light peppery nose. Sweet palate entry with a hint of sweet oak, and then a bit austere on the palate. Lively coconut hint. Falls away on the finish. Competent rather than exciting.
Jancis Robinson - jancisrobinson.com