Château Beychevelle Saint-Julien 2020 - 4ème Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

This magnificent estate, boasting some of the most elegant architecture in the Médoc, has long been nicknamed “Little Versailles.” It bears the name of Admiral de Beychevelle, governor of Guyenne under Henry III. Owned by the family of Aymar-Achille Fould, a minister under General de Gaulle, it was subsequently acquired in the late 2000s by the Castel and Suntory groups. The new winery and the resources provided to the excellent director Philippe Blanc have enabled this château—famous in Asia and around the world, which explains its high prices—to fully express one of the Médoc’s finest terroirs. Aristocratic aromas and texture, lovely suppleness characteristic of the appellation’s finest Merlots, yet with the freshness and distinct cedar notes of the region’s Cabernets. The 2016 vintage will go down in history.

Decanter

About the wine:

Fragrant with violets, almost a hint of fruit liqueur on the nose, aromatic with notes of dark chocolate. Bright and vibrant, this wine is elegant and delicately textured, yet it offers layers of savory elements—licorice, clove, and tobacco—alongside lively red fruits and dark blackberries. Clean and compelling. Well-crafted and full of confidence. So complete, juicy, and seductive, this wine is deeply fragrant, powerful, and dark, yet perfectly balanced to avoid heaviness. Refreshing yet devilishly charming, it leaves a sensation of freshness on the palate that makes you want to taste it again. 2026–2046

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

The “Versailles of Bordeaux.” Beychevelle is a little gem of classical architecture. Its prestige also stems from the powerful families who once owned it. Its name is said to derive from a Grand Admiral of France, the Duke of Épernon under Henry III, who demanded that ships passing in front of his château “lower their sails” as a sign of allegiance. Established in the 17th century and expanded in the 18th, its vineyard (90 hectares) has evolved significantly, which explains its current dispersion across the entire AOC. In 2017, it acquired a new winery designed by Arnaud Boulain. Owned since 2011 by the Suntory and Castel groups, it is managed by Philippe Blanc.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

This vintage produces a wine with a beautiful brilliance, featuring generous fruit and a delicate body. The wine is well-rounded, balanced, and very classically “Saint-Julien.” Its silky texture leads to an admirable finish that lingers with a refreshing freshness.

About the estate:

Since 2011, this iconic Saint-Julien estate has been owned equally by Pierre Castel and the Japanese group Suntory. It enjoys an excellent reputation, consistently producing elegant and always easy-drinking wines. While not the most flamboyant, they also age very well. Like many Médoc estates, the château has brought its winemaking facilities up to date and appears to be making further strides in the precision of its wines.

Wine Enthusiast

Vinous

About the wine:

Beychevelle 2020 possesses a wild and exotic beauty. Blackberry jam, gravel, crushed stone, menthol, and ristretto espresso lend Beychevelle its flamboyant personality. All the elements are so well balanced in this spirited and extremely enjoyable Saint-Julien. The 2020 is breathtaking. 2030–2055

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

Château Beychevelle 2020 is a very limited release, accounting for just 55% of the estate’s total production. The blend consists of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot. It was aged for 18 months in 70% new French oak, reaching a natural alcohol content of 13.5%. Surpassing the 2016 and 2018 vintages, this ink-colored Saint-Julien offers a round, opulent, and full-bodied style, along with magnificent aromas of black cherry, blueberry, loamy earth, chocolate, and spring flowers. This vintage could not be more appealing: delicate tannins, an opulent palate, and fascinating purity and finesse. Although it is already very enjoyable, it will improve with 4 to 6 years of bottle aging and will age gracefully for over 25 years. 2027–2052

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

On the nose, the purity typical of Beychevelle, with beautiful aromas of fresh blueberries, heady wildflowers, and hay, all imbued with a spring-like delicacy. On the palate, power, intensity, and complexity unfold in concentric circles, like when you throw a stone into a pond: blackberries, oriental spices, mocha, without any heaviness, with a texture that asserts itself with lightness. 2031–2051

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

An expressive nose of violets and wild blackberries, showing lovely overall balance with a robust character. The palate is straightforward and taut, marked by meticulously defined tannins and, above all, highlighted by a lovely, mouth-watering vibrancy. A lovely, refined wine—very much in the Beychevelle style—from a vintage that’s not easy to handle.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

The nose opens with a magnificent array of flowers, chocolate, tobacco, blackcurrant, blackberries, licorice, damp forest floor, and espresso. As lovely as the aroma is, the wine stands out for its layers of ripe, creamy, fresh, and sweet red fruit on the palate. The wine is full-bodied, elegant, and refined, with length and purity to top it all off. This wine should age effortlessly for three decades, while drinking well relatively early on. 2025–2060