Château Beausejour Duffau 2017

Nestled on both the plateau and the hillside, with a South/South-West facing exposure, in one of the most remarkable sites of the appellation, the 6.80-hectare vineyard of Beauséjour takes on the air of a garden set upon the limestone bedrock. Belonging to the Duffau-Lagarrosse family since 1847, Beauséjour changed hands in April 2021, marking the fortuitous meeting of two families. Prisca Courtin, the granddaughter of Jacques Courtin, creator of Clarins cosmetics, and Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse, the ninth generation, now helm the estate. They have assembled a new, dynamic, and talented team, including Axel Marchal and Julien Viaud, to enhance the exceptional terroir.

Château Beauséjour Duffau Lagarrosse has entered an exciting new era under the ownership of Joséphine Duffau Lagarrosse and Prisca Courtin. Since assuming control in 2021, they have implemented transformative changes that have rejuvenated the estate and redefined its winemaking philosophy.

With a fresh perspective and unwavering commitment to quality, Joséphine Duffau Lagarrosse and Prisca Courtin have assembled a talented team and established collaborations with rising oenologists. Their collective expertise and shared vision aim to unlock the most authentic and vibrant expression of the property's exceptional terroir.

Reflecting their innovative spirit, the dynamic duo decided to simplify the estate's name to Beauséjour while proudly including "J. Duffau-Lagarrosse" on the label as a nod to its esteemed co-owner and lasting legacy. This harmonious blend of tradition and modernity exemplifies the estate's evolution and commitment to upholding values.

Embracing this fresh chapter in its history, Beauséjour unveils its new visual identity, a testament to its enduring legacy and contemporary outlook. The revitalized design celebrates the estate's rich heritage while embracing the present. The visual elements that define Beauséjour remain intact, representing its recognizable DNA while embodying the team's forward-thinking vision for the estate's future.

This exciting transformation sets the stage for the release of Beauséjour's 2022 vintage, showcasing the dedication of the team and the estate's ongoing pursuit of excellence. Each bottle now offers a harmonious blend of tradition, innovation, and a bright future as Beauséjour continues to captivate palates and leave an indelible mark in the world of wine.

"The 2022 Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse is made from 69% Merlot and 31% Cabernet Franc (the highest ever proportion) with a yield of 42 hl/ha. Deep garnet-purple in color, it spills out of the glass with fantastically perfumed notes of lilacs, molten licorice, Indian spices, and cedar chest, giving way to a profound core of blueberry preserves, blackberry pie, and boysenberries with a waft of crushed rocks. The full-bodied palate is rich and opulent, delivering layer upon layer of fragrant black and blue fruit notes, supported by amazing tension and very fine-grained tannins, finishing long and beautifully perfumed. Dazzingly electric, it's pure energy in a glass! The pH, BTW, is just 3.50—gotta love limestone. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent (6/2023), Ratings: 97-99

"The 2022 Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) looks to be another brilliant wine from this incredible terroir located just outside the village of Saint-Emilion. Based on 69% Merlot and 31% Cabernet Franc resting in 68% new oak, it sports a dense purple hue as well as a floral, intense bouquet of cassis, liquid violets, black cherries, truffly earth, and graphite. Hitting 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.5, it's full-bodied and has a pure, layered, opulent mouthfeel and just about perfect tannins. There's a little bit more clay in the soils at this estate (there's still plenty of limestone) which gives the wines plenty of power and richness, and the 2022 holds onto a beautiful sense of elegance." - Jeb Dunnuck (6/2023), Ratings: 96-98+

"The 2022 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse was picked on 6-9 September for the Merlot and 23 for the Cabernet Franc, representing the highest percentage to date. It was cropped at 42hL/ha with 14.9% alcohol and a pH of 3.5. Aged in 68% new oak, it has a delicate nose that completely disguises that summer's warmth. Precise redcurrant and raspberry fruit aromas are laced with minerals. The limestone soils percolate and evince the estate's style under Joséphine Duffau Lagarrosse. It seems to deepen, to "stretch out" with aeration, manifesting more darker fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, mineral-driven and almost pastille-like in terms of purity with its mélange of red and blue fruit and granular texture. Background notes of tobacco and black truffle begin to surface with time. There's just a trace of white pepper on the finish. Precise, focused and with plenty of substance, this is a characterful and intellectually satisfying Duffau. Most importantly, not only will it be flippin' delicious, but you get the sense that Joséphine is only just getting started." - Neal Martin, Vinous (6/2023), Ratings: 95-97

"The 2022 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) promises to be the finest wine that this superb limestone terroir has produced in at least several decades. In recent years, the quality of the site always shone through, but it was sometimes obscured by an impactful vinification and élevage (plenty of creamy new oak and malolactic fermentation in barrel). Much of the estate's Cabernet Franc was frequently eliminated from the blend. Joséphine Duffau Lagarrosse has changed that, incorporating fully 31% Cabernet Franc in the blend to deliver a complex and compelling wine evocative of wild berries, plums, rose petals and violets. Medium to full-bodied, pure and vibrant, it's supple and layered, with beautifully refined tannins, terrific depth at the core and a long, chalky finish." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (6/2023), Ratings: 95-97+
 
"One of the clear standouts of the vintage! A sensual, fun, salivating and sublime wine from winemaker Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse that manages to give such generosity, power, terroir markers and overall drinkability. Aromatic, scented, open and expressive with cherries, blackcurrants, purple flowers and crushed stones. Sleek and supple, sharp, tangy acidity and concentrated ripe fruit - it’s forward and intense, direct but defined and detailed. Fine and supportive tannins have bite and a mineral tang putting you squarely in St-Emilion on limestone. Raw and wild in a way, but so expressive and open - honest and just such a captivating wine that belies the heat of the vintage with its cool menthol, blue fruits and lifted finish. Streamlined and focussed, sustained, determined and characterful - sleek in the best way, this is confident but not showy. Succulent, classy, polished. A brilliant wine. 3.5pH. A yield of 42hl/ha. Harvest 6 - 9 September for Merlot and 23 September for Cabernet Franc. Julien Viaud and Axel Marchal consultants." - Georgina Hindle, Decanter (6/2023), Ratings: 98