2023 Ch. Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse
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Tasting Notes
Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse has produced a stunning 2023. It’s a wine that sings of its terroir, seamlessly ripe and intense with a lifted nose. Like sinking your nose into a gorgeous bouquet of peonies and violets, on a bed of vivid red and black berry fruit. It’s juicy and vibrant with a mineral, saline freshness that drives the palate. Medium-bodied with effortless weight, feather-light and fine-boned tannins that are layered to give it lovely structure. Long and seamless. Outstanding. Aged in 60% new oak, with 3.4pH and 14% alcohol. Blend: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc
Critic Scores
Average Score
Neal Martin, Vinous
Georgie Hindle, Decanter
More reviews and scores
The Grand Vin 2023 Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) is based on 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc that was harvested from the 13th of September to the 3rd of October. Vinified all in concrete, the élevage here will span 14-16 months in 60% new French oak. It brings a richer, slightly darker style with ripe currants, leafy herbs, tobacco, and smoky nuances. These carry to a medium-bodied Saint-Emilion with beautiful overall balance, a juicy, vibrant, layered style, ripe tannins, and terrific yet integrated acidity (pH 3.4). It reminds me of the 2001 from this château and will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and evolve gracefully.
Quite floral in nature, the perfume adds nuances of cherries, licorice, red fruits, cocoa, and spice. The medium-bodied palate balances its freshness, elegance, silky tannins, and most importantly, purity in its layers of sweet, ripe, red fruits. Complex, and refined, everything is in balance here with no hard edges. The lingering finish delivers layers of vibrant red berries. This is effortless to drink. But, do not let that fool you, as this is also a candidate for decades of aging. The wine blends 70% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Franc. 14% ABV, 3.41 pH. The harvest took place September 13 - September 29 for the Merlot, and October 2-3 for Cabernet Franc. This is the longest harvest in the history of the estate.
The 2023 Beausejour (formerly Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse but since 2021 simply named Beausejour) is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. It is ageing in 60 % new oak barrels and it has a pH of 3.41. The color is a deep garnet-purple and after a swirl or two, it rockets out of the glass with intense scents of redcurrants, Bing cherries, and fresh blackberries, giving way to an undercurrent of candied violets, fragrant soil, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is a very tightly wound coil of red berry, mineral, and earthy flavors, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing long and perfumed. Gorgeous!
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About the producer
Ch. Beauséjour is one of the finest Premier Grand Cru Classé estates in Saint-Emilion. Situated between Ch. Canon and Ch. Angélus on the limestone plateau, it is one of the best positioned in the appellation.