2010 Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse, St Emilion, Bordeaux

The 2010 is a more structured, masculine and steely version of the utterly compelling 2009. Tasting like black raspberry confiture with subtle notes of graphite and crushed chalk along with enormous floral notes, the wine displays a slightly smoky character but a voluptuous attack, mid-palate and finish. It is full-bodied and massively endowed, with every component perfectly etched in this extraordinary wine, which should be drinkable after 7-8 years of bottle age and last for a half-century or more. This is brilliant stuff. Composed of 73% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon from yields of 21 hectoliters per hectare, the alcohol is the highest ever registered at Beausejour-Duffau, coming in at 15%, but remarkably, the pH is modest and the acids relatively elevated, giving the wine an astonishing freshness and precision that is hard to believe in view of its power, density and length.

Anyone who has...visited St.-Emilion knows that this is a magical terroir capable of great things. It was only fully exploited in the past in the 1990 vintage, but has reached more consistently great heights over the last three or four years. Kudos to the duo of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt for what they have achieved over the last few years at Beausejour-Duffau.
Since the wunderkind team of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt assumed responsibility for this extraordinary vineyard planted on the clay and limestone southern slopes of St.-Emilion, quality has soared. The 2009 rated 96-98) was the greatest vintage since the estate’s prodigious 1990 and the 2010 looks to be its equal.

Composed of 73% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon made from tiny yields of 21 hectoliters per hectare, the 2010 achieved a remarkably high 15% natural alcohol. However, the high alcohol is completely hidden by the wine’s freshness, high acids and modest pH.

A remarkable nose of blueberries, blackberries, crushed chalk, acacia flowers, licorice and truffles is accompanied by an unbelievable minerality on the palate, full-bodied power, amazing texture, a multidimensional personality and a 50 second finish. One of the most profound wines of the vintage, this 2010 should drink well for 30-35 years or more.

Derenoncourt from 2009. Very dark crimson. Much lighter than the Villemaurine 2010 I have just tasted. Easy with much less of the exaggerated framework that characterises most of Stéphane Derenoncourt’s 2010s though it is a relatively tough wine.