2012 Bellevue (Saint Emilion)

Now owned by a partnership of the Boüard and Lavaux families, this famous estate, sitting on the limestone outcrops of St.-Emilion, has produced a dense ruby/purple wine with unmistakable minerality and a medium to full body. It has a nice attractive, juicy, concentrated palate, with a certain tightness and austerity from the minerality and high tannins, but overall it is very impressively made and built for long-term cellaring. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following two decades. The final blend, tipping the scales at 13.8%, was 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

Inky with black core. Deep cassis fruit overlaid with strong savoury oak char. Dense and dark, with dark chocolate finish. Powerful but not a lot of charm, though the fruit fills the structure. Just a bit tough on the finish. (JH)