Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) 2012 is the grand vin from a small, historic Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate on Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau. The vineyard is about 6.8 hectares, with limited production and strict selection; in 2012, sources report low yields and that only about two-thirds of the crop made it into the grand vin. The blend is Merlot-dominant with Cabernet Franc; Jeb Dunnuck specifies “75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc,” while some reports cite a higher Merlot proportion. Alcohol is noted around 14%.

In a vintage that required careful work on the Right Bank, the 2012 stands out for combining ripe fruit with structure and freshness. Wine Spectator (94) describes it as “quite ripe, with unctuous plum sauce and warmed fig fruit,” anchored by “a solid graphite spine,” with “smoldering tobacco and anise” and a “gorgeous echo of boysenberry,” recommending it “Best from 2017 through 2030.”

Several reviewers call it an excellent success. Jeb Dunnuck’s 96 is one of the top scores, calling it “one of the stars in the vintage,” citing “inky purple color” and notes of “blackberries, blueberries, crushed violets and graphite,” and advising to “hide bottles for another 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more.” James Suckling (95) highlights a more glossy texture, calling it “really sexy and polished with ultra-fine tannins,” with “dark mushrooms… and dried strawberries.”

Neal Martin is consistent across outlets in framing it as structured but balanced. In Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (93), he notes a “dense, slightly broody but well-defined bouquet” and a palate that is “structured and a little masculine,” concluding, “A bright future lies ahead.” A decade on, Martin at Vinous (92) finds “much more freshness… than its peers,” and says it is “drinking perfectly now,” with “another 15 years of drinking pleasure.” The Wine Independent (95) likewise emphasizes “seamless freshness” and expects it to “age well for a further 18 years+.”