Château Bellefont-Belcier 2021

Delicate nose of grasses, sour cherries, also dark berries and mint. Elegant palate, ultra-fine tannins, crisp fruit, a lovely arc of tension, saline finish. Very successful with good ageing potential.

The 2021 Bellefont Belcier opens in the glass with aromas of dark cherries, berries, violets and licorice framed by a discreet touch of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless, it's layered and enveloping, with good depth at the core and impressive mid-palate plenitude, concluding with an expansive finish.

Blackcurrants, rose petals and cocoa powder on the nose. Fresh and slightly tart in a lively way, the fruit and acidity is at the fore giving life and energy. It's light and lean, but doesn't feel as if it's missing the mid-palate depth, it's complete in its way with redcurrants, creamy black cherries, freshly-picked strawberries and a salty, wet stone finish.

The 2021 Bellefont-Belcier has a strong licorice scent on the nose that is a little too “vocal” for my liking, though it shows decent delineation. A second bottle feels volatile and finally a third—more composed! The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, finely tuned with moderate depth. It feels a little attenuated on the finish, but given the clarity, it should drink well for up to 15 years.

Still with a touch of oak to resolve, the wine is packed with loads of soft, silky, supple red fruits, spice, flowers, freshness, mint, espresso and cocoa in every sniff and sip. Drink from 2024-2038.

Intense dark garnet, opaque core, purple rim. Delicate hints of nougat and figs, fresh plums with candied orange zest underneath; an inviting bouquet. Juicy, elegant, fresh, well-structured, red cherries, ripe, integrated tannins, refreshing acidity, a mineral-salty touch on the finish; a lively food companion.

Checking in as a blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Château Bellefont-Belcier is another pure, elegant, seamless wine in the vintage that shines for its purity. Ripe strawberries, subtle blue fruits, sappy flowers, and a beautiful sense of minerality all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a supple, layered mouthfeel, and outstanding length. Tasted multiple times with consistent results. This estate continues to produce impeccable wines in every vintage.

The great Bellefont-Belcier also shines after bottling. Deep, dense, and viscous in appearance. Sweet, fleshy, chocolatey, and caramelized, it shows a very concentrated nose with liqueur-like overtones and a cool core aroma. Very linear on the palate and not yet as open and fleshy as its sister estate Tour Saint Christophe, Bellefont-Belcier displays more distinction and finesse. Its outstanding limestone terroir comes fully to the fore with delicate, restrained fruit. 13.5% alc./vol.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34 hl/ha, 13.75% vol. alcohol, production 51,000 bottles) Velvety, dense, fresh, delicately creamy, complex bouquet, wild strawberries, raspberries, mint, flint, subtle roasted notes. Densely woven, elegant, fresh palate with a finely concentrated, delicately creamy, subtly muscular structure, diverse, powerful, sweet aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, intense, refined fruit, very long, powerful, finely creamy finish with many sweet echoes.

(70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34 hl/ha, 13.75% vol. alcohol, production 51,000 bottles) Velvety, dense, fresh, delicately creamy, complex bouquet of wild strawberries, raspberries, mint, flint, and subtle toasted notes. Tightly woven, elegant, fresh palate with a finely concentrated, delicately creamy, finely muscular structure; varied, powerful, sweet aromatics; plenty of fine tannin; vibrant, refined fruit; very long, powerful, delicately creamy finish with many sweet lingering aromas. 19/20 2028 - 2055

Juicy redcurrant and raspberry on the nose; this tasted good En Primeur and continues to be one of the most successful 2021s, not pushing too hard and capturing the elegance and juice that is possible in the vintage. Acidity is still noticeably higher than in most vintages at this property, but there is elegance and finesse here.

The 2021 Bellefont-Belcier is deep garnet-purple in color. It erupts from the glass with bold notions of stewed plums and fruit cake, plus hints of hoisin, fallen leaves, and new leather, with a waft of balsamic. Medium-bodied, the palate is chewy and a little rugged, with dried berry flavors and a rustic finish.

A sparkling, pure nose with notes of blackcurrant juice. On the palate, the wine is juicy and silky, wrapping the mouth in a gentle embrace of blue fruits, flowers (geranium) and sap. A refined wine with a deliciously chocolaty finish.

The nose is fresh, racy and offers a certain intensity/power as well as a fine grain. It reveals notes of fresh/juicy blackcurrant, pepper and, more slightly, cornflower, combined with hints of fresh raspberry, fine touches evoking a sense of place and a hint of grey pepper. The palate is fruity, racy and offers freshness, minerality, good fruit definition, a certain purity of fruit, marked freshness and a lovely racy limestone grain. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/fresh blackberry, crisp raspberry and, more slightly, peony, combined with touches of fresh lily and fresh red berries, as well as fine varietal nuances and a discreet hint of tonka bean/chocolate. Lovely freshness, roundness, refined richness, sapidity and a subtle almost iodized note in the background. The tannins are mellow, elegant and silky. Good length.

Dark, deep colour. Moderately aromatic, fruity nose. Fruity, tasty, pleasant, perfumed palate, but discreet in length. Blend: 70% merlot, 25% cabernet franc, 5% cabernet sauvignon. Alcohol: 13.75% - pH: 3.54. Yield: 34 hl/ha. Production: 51,000 bottles.

Lively from the moment it’s opened, with a pronounced aromatic brightness (between blackcurrant and cachou), this wine stands out for its verticality and camphor-like profile. Lovely texture on the palate, striking and tonic, focused on fruit that is juicy, highly sapid and mouthwatering, unfolding with real indulgence and great drinkability.