Château Beau-Séjour Bécot

When General Jacques de Carles, the renowned general of the French Revolution, stayed at this estate in Saint-Émilion, he felt so at home that he wanted to honour it with the name of Beau-Séjour, French for “a lovely stay”. Lying on the limestone plateau of Saint-Martin de Mazerat, this domain, which has been dedicated to winemaking since Gallo-Roman times, is at the heart of the AOC Saint-Émilion denomination. But the great architect of this Premier grand cru classé B estate in the Saint-Émilion wine classification was Michel Bécot, who acquired the château in 1969, extended the property with neighbouring vineyards of the same quality and had a storage cellar built where thousands of bottles can rest in the best conditions. Now his children Gérard and Dominique and his granddaughter Juliette are carrying his legacy.

Their flagship wine, Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines are more than 40 years old, planted in clay-limestone soils and cultivated using responsible agriculture that preserves the natural balance of the terroir and the environment. In the winery the grapes are meticulously selected and destemmed and fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine then ages in new and one-year-old French oak barrels for 17 months.

The result is one of the denomination’s great wines; Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, a coupage full of expression and density which proves every year that is it worthy of its status as a Premier Grand Cru Classé.