Château Beyzac, Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois, 2020

A beautiful Bordeaux, worthy of its Cru status, this wine manages to perfectly capture the essence of the Médoc with astonishing value and ease. 

Dark and almost opaque, the wine has refined Médoc aromas of berry fruit, spice and some development. The palate is medium-full bodied, brilliantly balanced, with fine tannins and a food-ready structure. Excellent length of finish with no sense that this it drying or aggressive: it really is remarkably smooth. What I really love is the slightly tart brightness on the palate that comes in the dual form of (classic) Médoc iron and really tasty mirabelle plums, all before the return to the promise from the nose of sweet fruit, spice and smoothness.

The vineyard of Château Beyzac, is situated in the townland of Vertheuil, west of Saint Estèphe, north-west of Pauillac, and is the the property of the Amaudristan "family", a concoction of the owners Amaury, Aude, and Tristan... In 2008, Château Beyzac was officially promoted to Cru Bourgeois level, following a blind tasting and their meeting minimum harvest and winemaking quality criteria, the level they have maintained ever since.

It is planted on 19 hectares of clay-limestone and gravel-rich soils with vineyard proportions of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc

This 2020 vintage won Gilbert & Gaillard double gold medals, with this review:

"A dense, slightly evolved red colour. Full, expressive nose, combining very ripe fruits and a discreet touch of undergrowth. On the palate, a full attack, velvety tannins and an aromatic palette that imposes itself. Finish of jammy fruits and liquorice."

Château Beyzac holds the HVE3 certification, qualifying the wine as coming from a farm certified as having a level 3 grade of "high environmental value", in line with French department of Agriculture legislation. It might be something that all properties seek to achieve, or perhaps not, but the certification signifies their intent and this is certainly in keeping with The Allotment's desire for environmental decency.