Updated: Apr 18
Château La Couspaude is a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe that has been part of the Aubert family's heritage since 1750. For this 2002 vintage, the fruit was suppressed, as it was using new oak and extended oak fermentation. The wine has a light and soft texture with ripe orangey, red, and black fruits and an herbal finish on the palate. While it lacks complexity, it still pleases the senses. It exhibits a well-integrated grip with a medium mineral finish. If you aim for stylistics long gone, why not this 2002 vintage?
RP did not score it, but older vintages typically score in the high 80s and low 90s, while current vintages score in the mid-90s, such as the 2018 vintage, which is an RP94. The new wine blends Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes grown on a 7-hectare vineyard with vines averaging 50 years old. Current vintages use aged oak to surface fruit. Regardless of vintages, the grapes are hand-harvested in small crates and chosen by plot. They undergo a meticulous pre-fermentation maceration at low temperatures, with the cap manually punched. The wine then goes through a malolactic fermentation journey in barrels, followed by an 18-month ageing period. This meticulous process ensures a wine of exceptional quality and character, which reflects the winery's unwavering commitment to quality.
Many thanks to OLivier SUblett of CHateau De Roque. If not for Oliver Sublett's introduction to the Auberts, I would not have been able to taste La Couspaude vintages to that extent.
Critics have consistently recognized the dimensions of d'Issan 2012 for its exceptional characteristics that have remained stable and balanced throughout the ageing process. Parker has highly acclaimed its concentration, while Neal Martin has praised its distinct Margaux aroma and taste. Decanter has emphasized its complexity and structure, and Wine Enthusiast unequivocally states its fruity flavour.
So, d'Issan 2012's being awarded 95RP indicates that it is an outstanding wine: this 2012 Château d'Issan stands out in the vintage, one of the superstars. It boasts an inky purple colour and a stunning nose of spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry fruit, with hints of incense and graphite. The medium to full-bodied and stunningly concentrated wine offers a unique tasting experience. It has some potential, like 5 to 10 years.
Drumming on the Margaux classicism, a term used to describe the wine's adherence to the traditional style of the Margaux region, Neal Martin at Vinous says 2012 d'Issan has an aromatic and expressive bouquet with cheerful blackberry, iodine and cedar scents. It is very focused and classy, with seamlessly integrated new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and perfect acidity. It is compact at the moment but brimming over with mineralité and tension.
Decanter awarded it 94 points for its impressive complexity. It has high acidity, a characteristic well-balanced with cassis and bilberry fruits, slate, cigar, and pencil lead. The tannins are still firm but were successful in 2011 and 2012, which we tasted recently, proving Issan's consistency. It has been aged in 50% new oak.
Wine Enthusiast emphasized its fruit quality and awarded it 93. it opined that this is a ripe, fruity wine with some chocolate extract and black-currant fruitiness. It is a soft wine with attractive final acidity. The note is old, though.
Updated: Apr 17
Beau-Séjour Bécot, a single plot all on limestone, has been expertly run by her father, Gérard, and uncle Dominique for 35 years, with the esteemed Michel Rolland as a friendly advisor. Beausejour Becot used to be dense. The transition to a lighter touch in the vineyard and cellar, led by Juliette Bécote and her husband Julien, has brought a delightful energy to the current vintages, infusing them with a plummy Merlot bounce and immediacy. The high scores like WS99, 97JD, 97RP, 97V, and 96JS are a testament to their expertise. A St Emilion GCC B.
This wine is a fascinating blend of contrasting fruit profiles, resulting from mixed oak ageing with aromatic and stylistic influences from limestone topsoil. Merlot's early picking and Cabernets' late picking add to its unique character. It's a must-try for any wine enthusiast.
Other tastings are as follows:
WS99. This wine is a sensory delight, with a juicy and forward feel that is complemented by fresh plum, blackberry, and anise notes. Despite its density, it retains a silky and refined feel, with a long mineral echo that lingers on the palate. The purity of this wine is such that it almost seems too easy to drink, until you realize its astonishing length. Barrel Tasting (JM) (3/2019). Edited.
97 Jeb Dunnuck. Tasted on two separate occasions, the 2018 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is a brilliant wine based on 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, ageing in 65% new oak (there's some in amphorae ageing as well) that comes from a magical terroir on the upper plateau, just outside of Saint-Émilion. This is pure limestone soil; the wine shows it with its fresh, vibrant style and incredible minerality. Vivid cassis, graphite, white flowers, and spice characteristics all flow to a medium to full-bodied, pure, exquisite wine that shows the new style of this estate beautifully. It's not for those sIt'sng overt power and luxury, but it builds incrementally on the palate with ultra-fine tannins and an excellent finish. It's as classy as it is. Give bottles 4-6 years of bottle age, lasting 2-3 decades. (5/2019). Edited.
97RP. The 2018 Beau-Sejour Becot is composed of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot was harvested on September 12-25, and the Cabernet varieties were harvested on October 4, 5 and 10. Yields were 46 hectoliters per hectare, and the wine is anticipated to age for 16 months. Sixty-five per cent of the wine will be matured in new barriques, while 35% will be aged in vats, amphorae and large oak casks of 20-hectoliter capacity. Deep garnet-purple coloured, it leaps from the glass with bold, expressive notions of stewed plums, blackberry pie and Black Forest cake with nuances of menthol, mocha, molten liquorice and wild sage, plus a waft of lavender. Full-bodied, the palate is laden with latent energy, offering slow-releasing glimpses at dark, seductive berry preserves layers and vibrant earthy accents, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral-laced. (LPB) (4/2019). Edited.
97 Vinous. The 2018 Beau-Séjour Bécot is fabulous. Dense, rich and explosive, the 2018 has it all. Soaring aromatics and a massive spine of tannin give 2018 its regal contours. The 2018 was barreled down late and is still coming together, especially in its aromatics, but its potential is evident. A wine of tremendous character and personality, Beau-Séjour Bécot dazzles in 2018. It is an utterly captivating Saint-Émilion from Juliette Bécot, Julien Barthe, and their consulting winemaker, Thomas Duclos. (AG) (4/2019). Edited.
96 JS. The 2018 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is a beautiful, fresh wine with excellent tannins that meld nicely into the pure fruit. It's a medium to fulIt'sdied wine that's crisp and verthat'sty. The finish is a beautiful experience that lasts for minutes, and the wine grows in stature at the end, leaving a lasting impression. This wine is a testament to the quality and craftsmanship of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot. (4/2019). Edited.
