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Chateau Bel-Air Lussac Saint-Emilion 2020 750ml
🇫🇷 Dark spices, blackberries, warm stones and hints of black vanilla, walnut...
Château Bel-Air Lussac Saint-Émilion 2020 — Bordeaux, France
Château Bel-Air is a benchmark estate in Lussac Saint-Émilion, the satellite appellation just north of Saint-Émilion proper, where clay-limestone soils and a cooler microclimate produce Merlot and Cabernet Franc of remarkable depth and elegance. The 2020 Cuvée Jean & Gabriel — equal parts Merlot and Cab...Show More >
Château Bel-Air Lussac Saint-Émilion 2020 — Bordeaux, France
Château Bel-Air is a benchmark estate in Lussac Saint-Émilion, the satellite appellation just north of Saint-Émilion proper, where clay-limestone soils and a cooler microclimate produce Merlot and Cabernet Franc of remarkable depth and elegance. The 2020 Cuvée Jean & Gabriel — equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, raised in one-third new French oak — is a standout achievement in an exceptional vintage. James Suckling awarded it 92 points; the Wine Advocate 91; Jeb Dunnuck 90 — calling it “well worth seeking out” with 8–10 years of prime drinking ahead.
The nose is complex and inviting: crushed raspberries and blackberries, kirsch, lavender, dark spices, and a whisper of wild mushroom and damp earth. On the palate it is medium- to full-bodied, with savory layers of red and black fruit, soft tannins, and a seamless, balanced finish of outstanding length.
James Suckling 92 • Wine Advocate 91 • Jeb Dunnuck 90 — “Seamless, balanced mouthfeel and outstanding length.”
- Producer: Château Bel-Air, Lussac Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France
- Vintage: 2020
- Appellation: Lussac Saint-Émilion AOC
- Blend: 50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Franc
- Aging: One-third new French oak
- Format: 750ml
- Tasting Notes: Blackberry, raspberry, kirsch, lavender, dark spice, earthy, seamless finish
- Cellar Potential: Drink now or cellar 8–10 years
- Best Paired With: Roast lamb, duck confit, beef bourguignon, aged Comté, mushroom risotto
A 92-point Right Bank Bordeaux at an honest price — Château Bel-Air is the benchmark for what Lussac Saint-Émilion can be.
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Wine Information:
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Sub-Region:
Appellation: Lussac Saint-Emilion
Variety: Red Bordeaux Blend
Type: Reds
Size: 750ml
Choose when time is of the essence
Expert Review - Prior Vintage 2019
Georgina Hindle of Decanter writes 93 Points | A nuanced nose, lots going on, sweet spice, perfume and bramble fruits. Chewy, this is round and plump - opulent but then so precise on the palate with real tension. Cooling blue fruits and liquorice, it's the cool freshness that really gives this life. Yes, the tannins are abundant and mouth coating but they're soft and fine and this has great execution. You can feel the intensity but it's carried very well. A blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. Drinking 2023 - 2035. (2019).
Antonio Galloni of Vinous writes 90 Points | The 2019 Bel-Air Jean & Gabriel is impeccable. Soft, creamy and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2019 is especially fine for Lussac, where the wines are rarely this polished. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice and dark spice build over time. There is a bit of grip on the finish, but also more than enough fruit to make it all work. (2019).
Jane Anson writes: Firm berry fruits, clear austerity on the tannins, set against highly charged smoked oak notes. An enjoyable wine from Lussac, well made and carefully handled. Drinking 2022 - 2032 ;- Decanter (2019).
