The 2020 Beau-Séjour Bécot is a Bordeaux Blend red wine from the Saint-Émilion sub-region in Bordeaux, France. This wine is produced by Beau-Séjour-Bécot and is composed of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has an alcohol content of 14.0% and is sealed with a cork.
James Suckling awarded this vintage a high score of 97 points, describing it as having a “fantastic finish with crushed blackberries and raspberries and salt undertones.” He noted its full-bodied nature, racy and polished profile, and “fine, intense tannins” that contribute to its distinguished and energetic character (jamessuckling.com, 5/11/2021).
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate also praised the wine, giving it 95 points and highlighting its “deep bouquet of cherries and blackberries mingled with violets and spices.” The review emphasized the wine’s purity, layers, and vibrant core of fruit, polished tannins, and long finish. The 2020 vintage was matured in a mix of new oak, tanks, amphorae, and foudres, demonstrating a careful approach to aging (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 4/6/2023).
Decanter rated the wine 95 points, appreciating its “velvety rich deep blue fruits” and describing it as powerful, yet measured. The review mentions layers of blueberry and raspberry with smoked almonds and mocha on the finish, noting the wine’s sleek and finessed fruit flavors. The review also provides context on the vineyard’s ongoing efforts to study terroir and prepare for a new cellar in 2023 (Decanter, 5/1/2021).
Jeff Leve, who also awarded the wine 97 points, highlighted the wine’s bouquet of flowers, red, black, and blue fruits, and complex palate with crushed stones and velvet-tannins. He noted that the 2020 vintage represents a new level of quality at Beau-Séjour Bécot (TheWineCellarInsider.com, 3/21/2023).
Jeb Dunnuck, who rated the wine 95 points, praised its “vivid purple hue” and “gorgeous nose of black raspberries, cassis, violets, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality.” He recommended giving the wine 4-5 years of bottle age and projected it would evolve gracefully over the next two decades (jebdunnuck.com, 3/29/2023).
Vinous also rated the wine 97 points, describing it as “dense, powerful” with a rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice, and sweet oak. The review noted its intensity and overall volume, attributing much of its character to the clay in the soils (Vinous, 2/23/2023).
Wine Enthusiast gave the wine a score of 96, noting its structure, vibrant fruit, and impressive acidity. The review highlighted the wine’s floral character in the aftertaste (Wine Enthusiast).
Finally, Wine Spectator rated the wine 94 points, commending its expressiveness and energy. The review highlighted notes of cassis, cherry puree, and plum pâte de fruit, with additional details of violet, red tea, savory, and sanguine through the stylish finish (Wine Spectator, 11/30/2022).