The 2014 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is a Merlot-dominant Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé from Bordeaux’s Right Bank, produced from the estate’s plateau vineyards and associated with the Bécot family. Some sources cite it as “Premier Grand Cru Classé B,” though that detail isn’t consistently corroborated in the material provided. What is clear is that this is a classically built Saint-Émilion with modern polish and a track record of strong critical attention.
Winemaking details reported by a retailer point to an intentionally structured style: whole-berry fermentation in cement tanks, followed by 16 months of élevage with “65% new oak,” and “25% of production” aged in clay amphora. Harvest is said to have run from October 8–20 at “35 hl/ha,” a low yield that typically supports concentration. The exact blend varies by source—either around 80–87% Merlot, with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon making up the balance—so the safest conclusion is simply that Merlot leads.
Critics largely underscore the wine’s fruit depth and balance. Wine Spectator’s 93 is an excellent review, highlighting “vibrant raspberry and boysenberry preserves” layered with “mint, savory and tobacco,” and suggesting a drinking window “from 2022 through 2032.” Decanter (91) frames it as aromatic and poised, noting “fragrant, floral, dark fruit,” “tender tannins,” “freshness,” and a “long, clean finish.” Wine Enthusiast’s 94 (barrel sample) is another standout score, pointing to “swathes of ripe berry fruits” and enough richness “to harmonize with time,” even while flagging “considerable over-extraction” at the sample stage.
The lone more reserved view comes from Antonio Galloni for Wine Advocate (89), who finds it “medium-bodied” with “smooth tannins,” but argues it “lacks complexity,” with a more “monotone finish,” and raises the possibility of some decline since 2018. Overall, the weight of the commentary still places this 2014 in the ripe-fruited, tobacco-tinged, carefully structured Saint-Émilion camp, with several critics expecting it to reward mid-term cellaring.
