Chateau Bellefont Belcier 2009
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Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This is distinctive, with lots of showy pain d'épices and blackberry reduction offset by roasted apple wood notes and a strong graphite spine. Shows plenty of flesh through the finish, featuring extra linzer torte and boysenberry notes that course along, with nice buried grip. Best from 2014 through 2025.
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James Suckling
Beautiful aromas of espresso, dried fruits and hints of prunes. Full-bodied, with velvety chewy tannins and a fruity finish. Try in 2016.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is one of the finest wines I have tasted from this highly regarded terroir that has rarely been exploited to its maximum potential. Loads of chalk dust intertwined with sweet kirsch, black currants, licorice and camphor jump from the glass of this full-bodied wine, which has terrific fruit intensity, lots of glycerin, a lavish richness and a long, heady finish with light to moderate tannin. Give it 1-2 more years of bottle and drink it over the following 15.
Other Vintages
2024-
James
Suckling - Vinous
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Robert
Parker
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James
Suckling - Decanter
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Robert
Parker - Vinous
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Jeb
Dunnuck
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker - Decanter
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator - Vinous
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Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling - Decanter
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Jeb
Dunnuck - Vinous
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling - Decanter
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Robert
Parker
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James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker
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James
Suckling - Decanter
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wilfred
Wong -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
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James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast - Decanter
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Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
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Robert
Parker
Since 1994, the vineyard and its outhouses have been considerably renovated with a view to raising the property to the status of the Great Classified Vintages of Saint-Émilion.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.