CHÂTEAU BELLEFONT-BELCIER
2020 Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion
Fascinating aromas of plums, peaches, lavender, violets, and other flowers. Hints of fresh herbs, too. So complex. Full-bodied yet so elegant and polished with a curated and focused palate. Hints of chocolate at the end. It’s so subtle and complex. Weightless on the palate. About 30% was aged in 30 hectoliter casks. 72% merlot, 18% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon. Rating: 97 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2020 Bellefont-Belcier signals a major move away from the potent, brooding style of years past towards an expression of this site that seeks greater finesse. That is immediately apparent in the wine's feel and tannin profile. Dark plum, lavender, espresso, menthol, licorice and spice are all laced together. I would give the 2020 a few years to soften. It is super-promising, that much is clear. Drinking range: 2026 - 2040 Rating: 94 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
The steady restoration of Bellefont-Belcier to a classified St Emilion worth following continues with this vintage, and it is packed with dark cherry fruits, pomegranate, crayon, tobacco and saffron. Jean-Christophe Meyrou director, Jerome Aguirre as winemaker. 37hl/h yield. Upscore from En Primeur. 3.65ph, 30% new oak, 20% large oak casks with the rest in neutral barrels, with no added suplhur during fermentaition, vinificaiton in concrete tanks, harvest Spemteber 15 to October 9. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (Feb 2023)
The 2020 Bellefont-Belcier has quite a backward nose, rather introspective with black fruit, cedar and cigar box aromas. It's more dark than light. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannins, fleshy yet with well-judged acidity and pure, lightly spiced black fruit towards the harmonious finish. This conveys a sense of flow that I appreciate. One to watch. Drinking range: 2027 - 2050 Rating: 92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
Bellefont-Belcier is deliciously suave in 2020 with remarkably controlled, sotto voce fruit and a terrifically long and even finish. The oak is virtually imperceptible here given that it is perfectly balanced by the bright mulberry and plum fruit and also the mouth-watering freshness of acidity on the finish. The tannins are ultra-fine and they will make this a longlived wine but there is ample fresh fruit on the palate, too, which will make this a wine that could be approached early if you are particularly keen to take a peek. Rating: 18+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Jun 2021)
The 2020 Bellefont-Belcier is a dark, brooding beauty. Intense red-toned fruit graphite, leather, cedar and incense give the 2020 layers of aromatic dimension. More than anything else I am impressed by how well the potent tannins are integrated. Bellefont-Belcier is still a powerful wine, but not the behemoth of years past. Sweet floral notes and red toned fruit perk up the mineral-laced persistent finish. The 2020 is bit tight, but also super-promising. Drinking range: 2028 - 2040 Rating: 93-95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)
The 2020 Bellefont-Belcier was picked from September 15 to October 9 at 37hl/ha and matured in 30% new oak, 20% oval foudres. It has a ripe bouquet of blackberry and raspberry fruit, plus touches of plum jam and subtle undergrowth, almost mulch-like scents. The palate is fleshy and open on the entry, framed by distinctly malleable tannins and a plush yet controlled finish with a dash of white pepper and sage. I suspect that this Saint-Émilion will drink earlier than its peers, yet it has the substance to give up to 15, possibly 20 years of drinking pleasure. Drinking range: 2027 - 2050 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)
A rocking wine based on 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 Château Bellefont-Belcier sports a dense purple color as well as gorgeous black cherry and currant fruits, classic chalky Saint-Emilion minerality, violets, and camphor notes. A rich, medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion, it's concentrated, with ripe tannins and a great finish. This ripe, sexy, yet still classic Saint-Emilion will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and have 20-25 years of longevity. Rating: 93-95 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)
The 2020 Bellefont Belcier displays a deep purple black color, opening with fragrant notions of chocolate-covered cherries, red roses and menthol, giving way to a core of stewed plums, blackberry pie and hoisin, with a waft of anise. The medium to full-bodied palate has a solid backbone of finely grained tannins and bold freshness supporting the intense, tightly wound black fruit and earthy layers, finishing long and spicy. The blend this year is 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon with an alcohol of 14.5% and a pH of 3.65. The wine is aging in French oak barriques, 30% new. Drinking range: 2024 - 2039 Rating: 91-93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (May 2021)
Sappy, deeply fruited, blackberry and bilberry with subtle juice and smoke running through it. Very much back on the right road for this estate under the Peter Kwok team, with Jean-Christophe Meyrou director and the excellent Jerome Aguirre as winemaker. The toasted black coffee finish is well judged, adding to the savoury and enjoyable feel. 30% new oak. A yield of 37hl/ha, 3.65pH. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)
A very sophisticated, layered red with dark-plum, chocolate and walnut character. It’s full and flavorful with a cashmere-like texture. Flavorful at the end. Rating: 96-97 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2021)
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2022 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2025. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2025. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.