The 2023 Beychevelle is a Bordeaux blend from the St Julien sub-region of Bordeaux, France. This vintage is composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, marking the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever used in Beychevelle's blend. The wine is aged for 18 months in 70% new French oak, with 50% of this year's crop making it into the Grand Vin. The alcohol content is 13.3%, and the pH level is 3.67.
Professional reviewers have praised the 2023 Beychevelle for its balanced structure and vibrant profile. James Suckling awarded it 95 points, describing it as having "pure fruit" with flavors of blueberries, hazelnuts, walnuts, and blackcurrants. He noted its "full body, juicy tannins, and a savory finish," highlighting the wine's vivid and energetic character ("jamessuckling.com").
Antonio Galloni from Vinous gave the wine an impressive 96 points, emphasizing its "inky dark fruit, crème de cassis, mocha, licorice, and lavender." He praised the wine for its "fruit intensity, acid, and supporting structure," calling it "showy but not at all overdone" and one of the most distinctive wines in Bordeaux ("Vinous").
Jeff Leve also offered a glowing review with a score of 96 points. He noted the "black, red, and blue fruit, with a hint of chocolate, flowers, and espresso," and emphasized the wine's "energetic, medium-bodied, long, and intense" profile. Leve highlighted that the key to this vintage was patience in harvesting, which took place from September 13 to October 6, the longest on record for Beychevelle ("TheWineCellarInsider.com").
Jeb Dunnuck rated the wine 96 points as well, describing it as "deep, rich, medium to full-bodied" with "ripe red and blue fruits, leafy herbs, truffle, iron, and spring flowers." He noted its "remarkable sense of freshness and purity, velvety tannins, and outstanding length" ("jebdunnuck.com").
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Decanter both awarded the wine 94 points, with the former highlighting its "integrated, seductive style" and aromas of "cassis and plums mingled with pen ink, violets, and pencil shavings" ("Robert Parker's Wine Advocate"). Decanter praised its "fragrant and floral note" with "strawberries and red cherries," calling it "juicy, almost fleshy" with a "lovely weight in the mouth" ("Decanter").
Overall, the 2023 Beychevelle has received excellent reviews for its well-managed tannins, vibrant fruit profile, and balanced structure, making it a standout in this vintage.
