2020

Bordeaux AOC, France Expressive nose of ripe red fruits (plums, ripe cassis …), spices and with an elegant touch of new oak.  On the palate, the wine is immediately harmonious and seductive with velvety ripe-fruit flavours wonderfully cradled by the new–oak.  Medium bodied with ripe tannins and a savoury finish. Blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Harvest is done 100% by hand. Traditional vinification in stainless steel and temperature-controlled vats.  Ageing in oak barrels for 6 to 8 months.

Its deep robe is intense ruby in color, supported by purple reflections on the fringes like a precious fabric. The jamb is generous, suggesting a good glycerol content. The vivid disc is crisp and bright. The wine has a direct, precise aromatic expression. The juice is very young, with aromas of fruits such as raspberry, blackcurrant and blackberry in jelly. It also exalts scents of black tapenade accompanied by an empyreumatic touch, signature of the great Pfersigberg terroir. This Pinot Noir terroir-climate-grape variety is proving to be a great success. The first palate is complex, balanced and harmonious with a dense and racy structure; the persistent and pleasant tannins are of high quality, for the moment still a little tight. The aristocratic breeding is of good quality. Grapes come from Eguisheim, on the Grand Cru Pfersigberg. Vines are about 35 years old. "Beautiful nose of red plum with hints of pomegranate and fresh fig, but the expansive, concentrated and refined palate is even greater than the bouquet. The substantial fine tannins are wrapped in wonderful ripeness, and the further you follow the wine at the finish the more remarkable it becomes. From vines in the Grand Cru Pfersigberg. 50% whole cluster, then maturation in 60% new oak, the rest second use. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold." - 97 points, James Suckling

The vintage A mild winter preceded a hot and humid spring, encouraging early vine budding. The hot and dry conditions recorded from mid-June were offset by salvaging rainy spells in mid-August, ensuring the berries’ proper ripening. The alternation of sunny days and cool nights in September was ideal for achieving optimal maturity. The winemaking and ageing The manually harvested grapes undergo a bespoke winemaking process in the estate’s plot-based fermenting room. Ageing is carried out in barrels (of which 40% are new). Blend The 2020 Amiral de Beychevelle is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (54%), Merlot (42%), Petit Verdot (4%) and Cabernet Franc (1%). Tasting Notes Nose: The expressive nose seduces with its floral fragrances, wherein notes of violet dominate. Palate: The beautifully fresh palate seduces with its powerful and silky tannins as well as its union of fruity (red fruits) and spicy aromas.