2011 Fleur de Bouard, Oliviers, Beychevelle

3 May 2012

Beychevelle is the only big news today. Do I mean "big"?

'The Beychevelle 2011 is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that was picked between 14th and 29th September, with twelve days of picking between those dates. The yield is one of Beychevelle's lowest at 39.5hl/ha with 13.2% alcohol and an IPT of 78. It has decent concentration on the nose, red rather than black fruit: raspberry, cranberry and a touch of pomegranate struck through with graphite and tobacco. It is medium-bodied with chalky tannins on the entry that is showing a little grittiness and chalkiness to its texture. It has crisp acidity and firm backbone with a grainy, masculine, tobacco tinged, tapered finish that is a little raw at present. 89-91 points.' - Neal Martin, erobertparker.com/winejournal

/AR

Halves & magnums £10 extra per 9 litre case; other formats on request

View all 2011 Bordeaux en primeur