Beau-Sejour Becot has had a good last 2000 years. It was the Romans who first started cultivating vines at this spot on the limestone plateau of St-Emilion – the modern estate has cut Roman stone to prove it. In the Middle Ages, the monks of St. Martin’s Abbey in St-Emilion carried on doing the same. After the Revolution, the land moved into private hands and the estate formed here was christened Beau-Sejour. A hundred years or so later, an inheritance saw it split it two. One half became what is now Chateau Beausejour-Duffau-Lagarosse. The other half remained as Beau-Sejour, until 1969 and the arrival of new owner Michel Becot, who appended his surname and arrived at the modern Beau-Sejour Becot. (There had also been an interlude in the 1920s and 1930s when it was owned by one Dr Fagouet and was known as Beau-Sejour Fagouet). Gerald Becot took over managing the estate, and in many ways this was an era of significant improvements. But he chose to merge Beau-Sejour Becot with the adjacent Trois Moulins vineyard he had also purchased. This was done in violation of appellation rules, and in 1986 Beau-Sejour Becot was demoted from its official Premier Granc Cru Classe status. It took a decade and the help of longtime friend Michel Rolland before that status was restored. In 2014, the chateau took a new turn when Juliette Becot took over. Michel Rolland departed as consultant, to be replaced by Thomas Duclos. These days, the goal very much is elegance and recent vintages have been very fine indeed. The estate has 17 hectares of vines, planted entirely across the limestone plateau to 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc. (NT 16/05/25)