Chateau Belgrave 2023

Shaped by the élevage, dark fruit, cherries, blackcurrants; dense on the palate, generous fruit, powdery tannins, shows drive, energy and length, with very good reserves.

Lovely floral and blackcurrant aromatics on the nose, smells open and expressive with some clear, herbal and bramble notes. Clean and direct, the mouthwatering cherry and strawberry juiciness is lovely though with a chalky base. Crystalline and pure, straight and linear, not as fleshy as some, but really well balanced. Smooth and really approachable with a lift on the finish. Missing some more flesh and weight, but there’s great coolness and lots of finesse. Tannins are fine and integrated and this carries to a long finish. Feels very cool and very classic minty Cabernet. Effortless and gently wide. A yield of 47hl/ha. 3.69pH. Ageing 30% new oak.

The 2023 Belgrave is a seriously beautiful, vivid wine. Blackberry, crème de cassis, licorice, espresso and mint are some of the many nuances that start to take shape in the glass. Give this a few years to be at its finest.

Blackberries, tobacco leaves, spearmint, and currants with a pinch of flowers form the core here. The palate is fresh, bright, crisp, and fruity, with a lean to the red berry side of the style range, finishing with a touch of mint in the background. Drink from 2028-2042.

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, brightening on the rim. Delicate wood nuances, black forest berries, cherries, a hint of herbal savouriness underneath. Medium body, red cherries, appears lean and fresh, integrated tannins, a hint of nougat on the finish.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 45 hl/ha. Densely interwoven bouquet, delicate blue and black-berry contours, dark noble wood, chocolate pastilles. On the complex palate, fleshy extract, a tightly knit tannic framework and a trained, linear body. In the concentrated finish, morello cherry, graphite and fine powdery astringency paired with a refined mint note.

Firm tannic structure, textured slate and rose bud adding savoury character and punch, plenty of blackberry and cassis fruit, soft through the mid-palate but this is unfussy and well made. 30% new oak for ageing.

Score: 90–92. The seductive nose is welcoming, with pure, serene aromas of red fruits and old rose, a touch of blond tobacco and mint. The palate is supple and caressing, with innate class. Small red and black berries reappear, carried by a granular, gentle, finely textured tannin grain. The tangy backbone brings cheerfulness to a lively, juicy finish.

The nose is fruity, indulgent, ripe, with a subtle density/darkness. It shows notes of bigarreau cherry, fairly ripe wild red berries and, more lightly, graphite, joined by fine hints of roasted fruit and infusion. The palate is beautifully juicy, fresh, mineral, balanced, offering a juicy/fruit-driven backbone, good definition, gourmandise, and a certain brightness. It reveals notes of juicy/fruit-forward blueberry, juicy/pulpy cherry and, more gently, bursting raspberry, with touches of licorice stick and smoke, as well as fine hints of toasted almond and vanilla. The tannins are sapid and supple. Lovely freshness.