2011 Beychevelle

Beychevelle appears to have handled the 2011 vintage in an intelligent manner, producing a soft, round, attractive, medium-bodied wine that, while not terribly deep or powerful, is well-balanced with excellent equilibrium and lots of dusty, loamy soil notes interwoven with black cherry and plummy fruit. This pretty St.-Julien can be drunk over the next decade. Drink: 2014 - 2024
-Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #212 Apr 2014

(87-89)
A medium-bodied, pleasant, lighter style of St.-Julien, the 2011 Beychevelle reveals a dark plum/ruby color in addition to notes of strawberries, black cherries, new saddle leather and hints of herbs and earth. Refreshing and delicate, it should drink well for 10-15 years.

The Beychevelle 2011 is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that was picked between 14th and 29th September, with twelve days of picking between those dates. The yield is one of Beychevelle’s lowest at 39.5hl/ha with 13.2% alcohol and an IPT of 78. It has decent concentration on the nose, red rather than black fruit: raspberry, cranberry and a touch of pomegranate struck through with graphite and tobacco. It is medium-bodied with chalky tannins on the entry that is showing a little grittiness and chalkiness to its texture. It has crisp acidity and firm backbone with a grainy, masculine, tobacco tinged, tapered finish that is a little raw at present. Tasted April 2012.

[47CS/47M/4CF/2PV] Closed but minerally to smell with a nice ripe fruit behind; fresh, finely tannic middleweight of moderate concentration; dry, elegant, no excess extract, crisp and juicily red fruit in flavour, with good length across the palate and good fruit length to finish. Not a big wine, but this should make a very nice, typically ‘Beychevelle easy’ mature St Julien. A stylish, gentle, refreshing Claret in the making. 2019-30 [M.Schuster, Bordeaux Mar/Apr 2012]

This has good ripe plum and black cherry fruit woven with a currant eau-de-vie aroma. There's fine-grained structure and an easy, vanilla-tinged finish. Not as dense as the top St.-Juliens.-J.M.

Plenty of blueberry and currant character with soft and velvety tannins and a pretty balance of fruit, alcohol and bright acidity. Nicely done.

Drink 2017-2026 Deep crimson. Delicately, leafily fragrant. On the lighter side but the tannins reined in to keep the balance. Finishes dry but still fragrant. (JH)

Quality 735 | Brand 978 | Economics 953 | buzz brand
Quality: Above the average quality score of its peer group for the 2011 vintage, 725 Brand: Strong restaurant presence, featuring on 29 of the world's top wine lists, including Jean-Georges Economics: Above its peer group average price of £34 for the 2011 vintage Production: Higher yields than its peer group average of 41 hl/ha

- www.wine-lister.com June 2017