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4th Grand Cru Classé in 1855
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Located at the entrance to the Saint-Julien appellation, the architecture of Château Beychevelle has earned it the nickname of the "Versailles of the Médoc". It was the stronghold of the Ducs d'Epernon, and notably of the first of them, Jean-Louis Nogaret de La Valette, Grand Admiral of France.
The strategic position of Château on the banks of the Gironde enabled them, according to legend, to force ships sailing up the river to pay a octroi, a kind of toll. Ships had to lower their sails as a sign of allegiance. Beychevelle thus takes its name and emblem, a ship with a griffin bow, from the old Gascon name Bêcha Vêla, meaning "Lower Sail".
Built in the 17th century, rebuilt by the Marquis de Brassier in 1757, the Château was restored to its original splendor at the end of the 20th century. In the meantime, it has been awarded the title of Fourth Grand Cru Classé in the prestigious 1855 classification published for the Paris Universal Exhibition. Today, the property belongs to Grands Millésimes de France.
The Château Beychevelle vineyard is planted on deep Garonne gravel soils, covering 92 hectares of vines planted with 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet franc. The wines are aged for 18 months in oak barrels, 60% of which are new.
The estate produces a Second wine, Amiral de Beychevelle, and a third... See more ...
The year 2010 is a wonderfully successful vintage in Bordeaux. The climatic conditions were indeed extraordinary, with a very homogeneous budburst of the vine in April, a hot and dry summer and an alternation of sunny days and cool nights until the end of the harvest. The berries were very rich in aroma, colorful and with thick skins.
Blend of the 2010 vintage: 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot.
The color is an intense purple with brilliant garnet tint.
The nose reveals a sumptuous purity of fruit, with notes of wild berries, crème de cassis and black cherry, supported by peppery spices, cedar and eucalyptus.
Smooth on the entry, it is voluptuous and dense on development. The finely chiseled tannins bring freshness and complexity, and it lingers on a beautiful register of red fruits. It stretches for a long time until a finish that is long, racy and persistent. What a vintage for this iconic Saint-Julien wine.
Food and wine pairing:
Château Beychevelle 2010 is best enjoyed with beef fillet with Chimichurri sauce, duck breast with a sauce of Perigord ceps, rack of lamb in a herb crust, wild boar haunch marinated in red wine or even a truffled venison steak.
For a match with cheese, choose uncooked pressed cheeses: Edam, Gouda, Saint-nectaire, morbier, Tomme de Savoie or Salers.
For dessert, enjoy it with a tiramisu, a milk chocolate and hazelnut dessert or an Opera cake.
Ageing potential and tasting:
Chateau Beychevelle 2010 is a great Saint-Julien with tremendous aging potential, which will peak between 2035 and 2040, or beyond.
However, it is quite ready to be enjoyed now. To do so, take care to open the bottle in the room of service at a room temperature between 15 and 18°C and to decant it ideally 6 to 7 hours before tasting.
The bottles should be kept in the cellar, protected from the light, lying down, at an optimal hygrometric degree of 70%.
