2023 Château Bellefont-Belcier

This well-defined and sophisticated wine shows a gorgeous center-palate of near perfectly ripe fruit. Lots of dark berries and minerals with some pine, while the texture is full and compact with layers of well-integrated, fine tannins. The finish is seamless. Just a hint of salt at the end of the pretty fruit. 72% merlot, 18% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon. (04/2024)

The 2023 Château Bellefont-Belcier is beautiful, with a more focused, elegant, mineral-laced style. Black raspberries, chalky minerality, and spring flowers are just some of its nuances, and it's medium-bodied, with a supple, layered mouthfeel, ripe yet present tannins, and a solid spine of acidity. It's going to need some time, but it's clearly a beautiful wine. The blend is 72% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, resting in 30% new oak, with 40% in once-used barrels and 30% in foudre. (05/2024)

A blend of 72% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Bellefont-Belcier 2023 has a deep garnet-purple color. It storms out of the glass with powerful scents of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, and cedar chest, followed by hints of tar, garrigue, and iron ore. The medium-bodied palate is a little oak-dominated at this stage, with a great core of black fruits and ripe, rounded tannins, finishing earthy. (05/2024)