Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot St. Emilion Bordeaux Wine

Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot St. Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classe B, Bordeaux wine producer profile, with wine tasting notes, wine ratings, a history of the property, information on wine making and terroir, along with wine tasting reviews. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

This historic vineyards of Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot has a long and interesting history.  Beau-Sejour Becot began life as an estate owned by the monks of St. Martin Abbey in St. Emilion. The monks managed the Bordeaux vineyards at what later become Chateau Canon. They also watched over the vines that were used to eventually create Beau-Sejour Becot.

Beau-Sejour Becot found its name in 1787 with the help and idea of a member from the Figeac familiy. General Jacques de Carles, who was part of the Figeac family said the estate should be called Beau-Sejour Becot. The name stuck! Skipping ahead over 100 years, Pierre-Paulin Ducarpe split the Beau-Sejour Becot vineyards between his two children, giving the chateau, plus other structures along with half his vineyards to his daughter. After she married, she took her husband’s name, Duffau-Lagarosse. That marriage gave birth to what we now know of as Chateau Beausejour-Duffau-Lagarosse.

In 1924, Chateau Beau-Sejour became the property of Doctor Jean Fagouet. Michel Becot, whose familiy lived in St. Emilion since 1760 owned Château La Carte since 1929. In 1969, the Becot’s purchased Beau-Sejour, renaming it Beau-Sejour Becot.

In 1979, the Bécot family enlarged Beau-Sejour Becot with the purchase of 11 acres of Bordeaux vineyards on the Trois Moulins plateau. Since 1985, the property has been managed by his sons, Gérard and Dominique. Gerard’s daughter, Juliette Becot is involved in running Beau Sejour-Becot, as well as the families other properties in St. Emilion and Cotes de Castillon.

Juliette Becot

The 18.5 hectare vineyard of Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot, located on the limestone plateau of St. Emilion has a terroir of clay with limestone soils. The vineyard of Beau-Sejour Becot grew in size in 2012. The increase in size was due to the inclusion of the vines previously used by their other St. Emilion estate, La Gomerie. The vineyard is planted to 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon with vines that are close to 40 years of age. The Right Bank vineyard is planted to a vine density of 6,200 vines per hectare.

To vinify the wine of Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot, the grapes are table sorted three times. A portion of the grapes are whole berry fermented. Vinification takes place in stainless steel tanks ranging in size from 80 to 100 hectoliters following a 4 day cold maceration. Microbullage is performed during fermentation. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel with the first four months spent on the post-malo lees. The wine of Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot is aged in 75% new French oak that comes from five different coopers. The wine is aged in barrel for between 18 to 20 months. Michel Rolland is the consultant.

The property produces close to 6,000 cases of Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot each year. There is a second wine, Tournelle de Beau-Sejour Becot, which was renamed in 2012 to Petit Becot by Beau-Sejour. This is a great style of St. Emilion combing richness, soft textures and minerality. 2005 and 2009 are the finest vintages yet produced by Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot.

http://www.beausejour-becot.com/