A very sophisticated, layered red with dark-plum, chocolate and walnut character. It’s full and flavorful with a cashmere-like texture. Flavorful at the end.

With a strong touch of minerality, the wine is elegant, fresh and refined with good intensity. The fruit is vibrant, lifted and precise. There is a refinement and purity in the sweet, red fruits. The finish is loaded with flowers, crushed rocks and stones providing you with length, complexity and freshness coupled with the ability to age and evolve. The wine was made from blending 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and is aged in a combination of 30% foudres and 30% new, French oak. 94-96

A rocking wine based on 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 Château Bellefont-Belcier sports a dense purple color as well as gorgeous black cherry and currant fruits, classic chalky Saint-Emilion minerality, violets, and camphor notes. A rich, medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion, it's concentrated, with ripe tannins and a great finish. This ripe, sexy, yet still classic Saint-Emilion will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and have 20-25 years of longevity.

The 2020 Bellefont-Belcier is a dark, brooding beauty. Intense red-toned fruit graphite, leather, cedar and incense give the 2020 layers of aromatic dimension. More than anything else I am impressed by how well the potent tannins are integrated. Bellefont-Belcier is still a powerful wine, but not the behemoth of years past. Sweet floral notes and red toned fruit perk up the mineral-laced persistent finish. The 2020 is bit tight, but also super-promising.

vinous.com

Drink Date
2024 - 2039

Reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2020 Bellefont Belcier displays a deep purple black color, opening with fragrant notions of chocolate-covered cherries, red roses and menthol, giving way to a core of stewed plums, blackberry pie and hoisin, with a waft of anise. The medium to full-bodied palate has a solid backbone of finely grained tannins and bold freshness supporting the intense, tightly wound black fruit and earthy layers, finishing long and spicy. The blend this year is 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon with an alcohol of 14.5% and a pH of 3.65. The wine is aging in French oak barriques, 30% new.

The 2020 Bellefont-Belcier was picked from September 15 to October 9 at 37hl/ha and matured in 30% new oak, 20% oval foudres. It has a ripe bouquet of blackberry and raspberry fruit, plus touches of plum jam and subtle undergrowth, almost mulch-like scents. The palate is fleshy and open on the entry, framed by distinctly malleable tannins and a plush yet controlled finish with a dash of white pepper and sage. I suspect that this Saint-Émilion will drink earlier than its peers, yet it has the substance to give up to 15, possibly 20 years of drinking pleasure. - vinous.com

70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cask sample.
Fresh and vibrant with a touch of leaf and spice, the Cabernet showing its presence. Dances on the palate with juicy fruit and an elegant touch of tannin. Firm finish, the oak well integrated. (JL)