Bellevue - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2016

Vinous

91

byNeal Martinthe8/13/2020

The 2016 Bellevue has a medicinal nose of precocious black cherry fruit infused with touches of camphor and star anise. The medium-bodied palate offers succulent tannins, fine delineation and black pepper and sage toward the quite stocky finish. It needs time to soften but should be worth the wait. Again, I suspect this has just closed up, explaining my slightly lower score. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 91+

Jancis Robinson

16

byJancis Robinsonthe2/5/2020

Wine Advocate

94

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe3/29/2019

Made of 100% Merlot on clay and limestone soils, the 2016 Bellevue is medium to deep garnet-purple colored and charges out of the glass with enthusiastic notions of crushed red and black plums, kirsch, ripe blackberries and rose petals plus touches of yeast extract, black olives, aniseed and cinnamon toast. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house with a solid frame of ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness lifting the densely packed, multilayered fruit to a good, long finish.

Yvesbeck.wine

94

byYves Beckthe3/20/2019

Rouge grenat dense. Nez de caractère et de bonne intensité, marqué par les sols argilo- calcaires avec des notes de craie ainsi qu'une touche florale. Caractère fruité et compacte en bouche. Ce Bellevue a du corps, de la race et des tannins soyeux et puissants. Ils sont parfaitement intégrés et en symbiose avec la structure. Cette dernière soutient idéalement l'intensité aromatique du palais, jusqu'en fin de bouche. Encore une fois une très belle réussite à Bellevue ! Bravo 2024-2046 94/100

Jeb DUNNUCK

94

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/1/2019

Made from 100% Merlot and cooler limestone and clay soils, the 2016 Château Bellevue shows a beautiful minerality and freshness in its black raspberry, crushed rocks, graphite, and dried flower aromas and flavors. It's medium-bodied, focused, and precise on the palate, with fine yet certainly present tannins. Give this beauty 3-5 years and it will cruise for two decades.

Wine Spectator

93

byJames Molesworththe2/5/2019

Lush and inviting, with warm cassis and plum sauce flavors that glide through, laced with anise and rooibos tea hints while sweet toast and wood spice notes stays nicely buried through the finish. A delicious, fruit-driven example. Drink now through 2035. 1,667 cases made.  –JM

Jamessuckling.com

97

byJames Sucklingthe2/4/2019

A dense and layered red with ripe plums and blueberries, as well as hints of wet earth and moss. Full-bodied, velvety and layered with fantastic fruit and creamy, velvety tannins. Plush and deep. Great wine. Try from 2023.

Vinous

93

byNeal Martinthe1/24/2019

The 2016 Bellevue has retained the attractive bouquet evident when in barrel: quite rich in style but well defined, offering ample, luscious red cherry, mulberry and pressed iris aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with lush tannin, impressive depth and freshness and just the right amount of salinity toward the finish. This has gained a little panache during its élevage, and it comes highly recommended. Excellent.

Vinous

93

byAntonio Gallonithe1/21/2019

The 2016 Bellevue is dense and powerful, but also quite reticent following its bottling this past June. Dark and virile, the 2016 is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. The intensity and volume the wine showed en primeur are very much in evidence, but also presently enshrouded by a wall of potent tannins. Gravel, smoke, game, leather and tobacco give the 2016 much of its savory character. I loved Bellevue from barrel, but it is far less showy from bottle. 93+

Wine Spectator

93

byJames Molesworththe1/16/2019

Lush and inviting, with warm cassis and plum sauce flavors that glide through, laced with anise and rooibos tea hints while sweet toast and wood spice notes stays nicely buried through the finish. A delicious, fruit-driven example. Drink now through 2035.—J.M.

Decanter.com

93

byJane Ansonthe11/1/2018