Chateau Beychevelle 2018

Has density, volume and fire; the tannins are ripe and round. Pleasant development, far more balanced than the en primeur sample.

Aged for around 18 months in barrel, 60% new and 40% second fill, the 2018 Beychevelle needs a fair bit of swirling to release classic notes of cassis, plum preserves and ripe blackberries, with emerging suggestions of unsmoked cigars, tilled soil and cedar chest, plus a waft of pencil lead. The medium to full-bodied palate is still very tightly wound, offering finely packed black fruit and earthy layers within a frame of firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. This will need a good 5-6 years to come around and then will drink beautifully over the next 20+ years.

Violet and warm cassis aromas and flavors lead the way, melding with applewood, ganache, açaí and blueberry reduction notes along the way. Almost lush in the end, but there's a buried tarry streak giving it just a bit of grippy texture for contrast. Serious juice. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2038.

Gorgeously brushed tannins with a smoked oak nose. This is excellent, firm and bright, layered and nuanced, gently inviting you in, with plenty of promise of life ahead. Has some austerity and although this is not in 2016 territory of 360-degree expansion, it is highly successful. A yield of 55hl/ha, with 50% of production going into the grand vin. 60% new oak.

Currants and blackberries with crushed stone and fresh herbs. Some flower stem, too. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and linear with firm, driven tannins. This needs four or five years of bottle age to open and come together. Try after 2025.

50% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc; 60% new oak. Barrel sample. Inky crimson. Lively elderberry-like tangy fruit on the nose. Thickly textured and rather oaky on the palate, slightly monolithic at this stage. Could do with a bit more freshness overall. (JH)

An unabashedly flamboyant, exotic wine, the 2018 Beychevelle possesses tremendous richness and raciness right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, spice, menthol and espresso infuse this sumptuous Saint-Julien with striking aromatic and flavor complexity. Soft contours and silky tannins add to its irresistibly sensual personality. Time in the cellar should help the new oak assimilate, but readers should be prepared for a full-throttle, heady wine.

Even at this still primary age, it is impossible not to be seduced by this opulently styled gem. There is a richness, flamboyance, and showy attitude here that stands out. Concentrated, long, lush, and powerful, this is going to be great with a few more years of age. Drink from 2024–2055.

Dark ruby with purple reflections, brightening at the rim. Cassis is underlaid with tangerine zest and a hint of liquorice on the floral bouquet, which also has some lavender, and inviting nuances. It is juicy and elegant, with ripe cherries, savoury, supporting tannins - there is still some tannin on the finish, and a ripe cherry aftertaste. Needs time, good ageing potential. (2025-2045)

The flagship 2018 Château Beychevelle is a more serious, concentrated, focused wine that still has that classic Saint-Julien purity of fruit as well as a wealth of fruit. Gorgeous notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered blueberries, violets, spring flowers, tobacco leaf, and cedar all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, with sweet tannins, moderate acidity, and a great, great finish. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it's one of the sexiest, most up-front and irresistible wines of the vintage. Don't let that scare you, though; it's going to drink beautifully for 2–3 decades.

Dense purple with a rich core. Concentrated black-fruit bouquet with hints of dark cherry and blackcurrant, followed by licorice and chocolate notes. On the palate, powerful, with finely grained extract, a tightly knit tannic framework, and a robust body. The focused finish shows sloe juice and exotic woods, very modernly vinified; the astringency is currently slightly to the fore but well balanced.

Kunz barrel sample 19: dense, fresh, finely mineral, powerful bouquet, blue and black berries, granola bar, nougat. Densely woven, classic palate with fine tannins, creamy fruit, elegant structure, long, fresh finish. Can still improve.

Fine, medium, peppery bouquet, blackberries, cassis. A classic, fruity palate with dark fruit, fine sandy tannins, good aromatics, muscular structure, and a firm, austere finish. 17/20 2024 - 2044

Even at six years old, the exuberance of the 2018 vintage gives this great approachability, with an emphasis on grilled oak notes of cloves and campfire alongside liquorice root, pomegranate, cassis, and even a sweetened smoked caramel. It stretches across the palate, with well-integrated tannins. Ageing potential is clear, although the style is less muscular than 2016. Harvest from September 21 to October 6.

The 2018 Beychevelle is deep garnet-purple in color. It bounds out of the glass with bold notes of black cherry compote, dark chocolate, and blackcurrant pastilles, plus fragrant hints of violets, underbrush, and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is coated with juicy black fruits and a firm, grainy texture, finishing long and perfumed.

Sublime finesse and infinitely delicate flesh in a very generous body—the squaring of the circle—the most artistic and most complete Beychevelle in history.

This is a flamboyant, seductive Beychevelle, with ripe fruit, richness, and tremendous length. The texture remains fine and silky.

A nose of chocolate ganache and plum liqueur. On the palate, there are dark fruits with bittersweet flavors, along with violet notes, leading into a dense, concentrated finish.

Dense garnet red. Being subtle does not preclude intensity, as Beychevelle convincingly demonstrates. Pleasant notes of black berries and spices. On the palate, the wine is delicious, compact, and perfectly supported by its tannins. These are dense and tight, ideally backing up the wine alongside a beneficial freshness. Fruity, persistent finish.

Logo on the cork: AL

Rich and opulent, this 2018 is defined by seductive fruit while retaining a certain freshness. It has breadth and density, a velvety sweetness, generous, heady black fruit with spices, Zan licorice notes, and just enough acidity to support it. Its sun-kissed character lends a deliciously decadent edge, almost “New World” in style, yet it is a perfect interpretation of a sunny vintage.

There is attractive tension in this wine between the dry tannins and opulently ripe black fruits. That sets the wine on a course of long-term aging. Bold, dense fruits are matched by the dry core. The wine will take time. Drink from 2027.