Beauséjour Bécot

History of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot

The history of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot dates back to the Gallo-Roman era, a period when vines were already cultivated on these lands, a testament to the viticultural vocation of this exceptional terroir. In the Middle Ages, it was the monks of the Saint-Martin de Mazerat church in Saint-Émilion who took over the production of wine. The estate thus traversed the centuries, changing hands and names, but always maintaining a deep connection with the vine.

In 1787, Jacques de Carles, owner of the estate, gave it the name "Beau-Séjour" after falling in love with the landscape. At the end of the 19th century, the estate was divided in two, giving birth to two properties: Château Beau-Séjour Bécot and Château Beau-Séjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse.

The modern history of the Château truly begins in 1969 when Michel Bécot, from a family of winemakers established in Saint-Émilion since the 18th century, acquires the estate and adds his name to it. Michel Bécot then develops the vineyard, merges with the neighbouring plots of Château La Carte and brings Beau-Séjour Bécot into a new era of modernisation and excellence.

After Michel's retirement in 1985, his sons Gérard and Dominique take over the management of the estate. Juliette Bécot, Gérard's daughter, joins the team in 2001, marking the entry of the third generation of the family at the helm of the Château. Since 2014, Juliette and her husband Julien Barthe have been jointly managing this exceptional vineyard, perpetuating traditions while integrating modern oenological innovations.

Terroirs and Vines of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot benefits from an exceptional terroir, located in the heart of the limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion, which gives its wines incomparable finesse and depth. The estate spans 22 hectares, of which 17 hectares are dedicated to vines. The terroir, mainly composed of clay and limestone, is renowned for offering ideal conditions for growing Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Beneath the soils, a vast network of limestone quarries helps maintain natural water regulation, essential for quality grapes.

The vineyard is mainly planted with Merlot (65%), which expresses all its roundness and elegance here. Cabernet Franc (35%) completes the blend, bringing structure and freshness to the wine. With vines averaging 45 years old, some even exceeding 70 years, Château Beau-Séjour Bécot benefits from a maturity that translates into low yields but remarkably concentrated grapes.

The harvest, exclusively manual, is carried out with meticulous sorting on three successive sorting tables, ensuring that only the most perfect grapes are kept for vinification. This care given to the vine continues in every step of the production of the estate's wines.

Vinification at Château Beau-Séjour Bécot

Vinification at Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is a subtle blend of traditional techniques and modern innovations. The carefully sorted grapes undergo cold maceration for four days before moving on to fermentation in stainless steel vats. Part of the grapes is vinified in whole bunches, a method that preserves great freshness and beautiful tension in the wines.

The estate has chosen to evolve towards less interventionist practices. Thus, micro-oxygenation is no longer used and extractions are measured to not overload the wines. After fermentation, the majority of the wines undergo ageing in French oak barrels, with about 55% new wood, while part of the production is aged in clay amphorae, allowing to preserve the purity of the fruit. Ageing lasts an average of 18 months before bottling, with particular attention to each step of the process to ensure a perfect balance between power, finesse and longevity.

Since 2017, Thomas Duclos, a renowned oenologist consultant, has succeeded Michel Rolland and has allowed to further refine the style of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot wines, favouring more freshness and precision. Yields are controlled and the harvest is carried out slightly earlier to preserve the natural acidity of the grapes and ensure balanced wines, suitable for ageing.

The cuvées of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot produces several cuvées that illustrate the diversity and quality of its vineyard.

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot

This flagship cuvée of the estate is a Premier Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Émilion. Composed mainly of Merlot, with varying proportions of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it is distinguished by its elegance, depth and ageing capacity. On the palate, one finds a beautiful concentration of black fruits, spicy notes and a mineral touch that perfectly reflects the limestone terroir of the estate. This wine is tailored for long ageing, with a potential to age for several decades.

Petit Bécot

Formerly known as Tournelle de Beau-Séjour Bécot, the estate's second wine, Petit Bécot, is made from the estate's young vines. It presents a more accessible and fruity style, while maintaining a beautiful complexity. With supple tannins and a generous expression of fruit, it is ideal for earlier tasting, while having the potential to age for several years.

Instant Bécot

This generic wine, produced outside the Saint-Émilion appellation, is designed for immediate pleasure. Made from vines located outside the prestigious appellation, "Instant Bécot" is a wine that is both fresh and generous, perfect for more casual tasting, while benefiting from the Bécot family's know-how.

Each cuvée of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is a reflection of unique know-how, combining respect for traditions and innovation, to offer exceptional wines capable of delighting the most demanding wine lovers.

Saint-Émilion, a jewel of the Bordeaux wine region, has produced vintages of exceptional quality over the years, delighting connoisseurs of fine wines. Among the legendary vintages, one can cite 1947, 1959, and 1961, true icons that have marked the history of Bordeaux wines. The famous 1982 remains an undisputable reference. The following decades were equally impressive, with remarkable vintages such as 1990, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2005, all acclaimed for their richness and ageing potential. More recently, the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020 vintages have shone through their balance and depth, reaffirming Saint-Émilion's reputation as one of Bordeaux's most sought-after appellations, where each new year continues to captivate fine wine enthusiasts with its consistent quality and elegance.

The classification of Saint-Émilion's Premiers Grands Crus Classés B, reviewed every 10 years, highlights exceptional châteaux from the Right Bank vineyard. Among those that continue to feature in this prestigious category are emblematic names such as Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, Château Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau Lagarrosse, Château Bélair-Monange, Château Canon, Château Pavie-Macquin, Château Troplong-Mondot, Château Trottevieille, and Clos Fourtet. Others, promoted in 2012, such as Château Canon-La-Gaffelière, Château Larcis-Ducasse, Château La Mondotte, and Château Valandraud, also illustrate the ever-increasing quality of the region's growths. However, some châteaux are no longer classified, such as La Gaffelière (since 2022) and Magdelaine (since 2006). This constant renewal ensures the excellence and evolution of the Saint-Émilion vineyard, where tradition and innovation blend harmoniously.

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is much more than just a wine estate, it is a true family heritage, where the love of land and vine is passed down from generation to generation. With its unique terroir, rigorous winemaking practices and cuvées of rare elegance, this Premier Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Émilion continues to establish itself as an essential reference in the world of great Bordeaux wines.