2013 Chateau Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse Premier Grand Cru Classe B, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

(88% merlot and 12% cabernet franc): Bright ruby-red. Pure minty blackcurrant, ink and violet on the perfumed nose. Minerally and vibrant on the palate, with steely, fresh blackcurrant and gunflint flavors complicated by aromatic herbs. Finishes long, pure and juicy, with ripe if youthfully chewy tannins that coat the palate at the back. Though this vintage of BDL sports its proverbial elegance and refinement, it strikes me as slightly less successful than its stablemate Pavie-Macquin (both properties are managed by Nicholas Thienpont and his team) due to slightly tougher tannins. Still, this is a potentially outstanding wine.

Tasted blind. Deep garnet. Restrained, dusty, slightly leafy nose with much darker fruit than the two wines I have just tasted (Quintus and Beau-Séjour Bécot). Dry finesse, not a lot of weight but elegant overall. Very fresh and lively but a bit tart on the finish. (JH)