Chateau Bellefont Belcier 2022

Professional Ratings

• 96 James Suckling
  A complex and complete Bellefont-Belcier that shows a touch of pepper and mineral character to the deep flavors of dark cherries, violets and blackberries. Tense and pretty bright with lightly chewy and vibrating tannins throughout. This is more about texture, with medium to full body and a tight-grained, lengthy finish. 72% merlot, 18% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon. Drink from 2028.
• 95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

  The 2022 Bellefont Belcier, a blend of 72% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, confirms all our expectations placed on it during the en primeur tasting. Wafting from the glass with a fresh, delicate and complex bouquet of dark wild berries, flowers, iris, cassis and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, suave and seamless with a deep core of fruit and a vibrant, energetic mid-palate framed by delicate, refined tannins and culminating in a long, saline finish with chalky dry extracts.

• 95 Jeb Dunnuck

  Spicy black cherries, blue fruits, savory herbs, dried flowers, and new saddle leather notes all emerge from the 2022 Château Bellefont-Belcier, a pure, polished, incredibly elegant 2022 that has a round, layered mouthfeel, ripe yet building tannins, and outstanding length,The 2022 is 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc. Tasted multiple times with consistent results.

• 95 Decanter
  Gorgeous dark purple colour in the glass. It smells spiced and nuanced with dark bramble fruit touches. Smooth and shiny, this has a glamorous appeal with juicy, succulent fruit edged by a mineral liquorice aspect and some cool, crushed stone saltiness. I love the purity and charm here, not too tense or straight, more wide and expansive with plenty of friendliness. Totally seductive with acidity and fruit strength. Lovely. Tasted twice.
  Barrel Sample: 95
• 93 Wine Spectator
  The 2022 Bellefont-Belcier is quite dark and somber. In recent years, Bellefont is not as brooding as it once was, which is a positive, but the dark, introspective nature remains. Plum, chocolate, licorice, espresso and incense are some of the many notes that open with a bit of coaxing. There’s certainly plenty of depth, yet the 2022 is on the understated side at this stage. Tasted two times.–Antonio Galloni
  Barrel Sample: 91-93
• 92 Vinous

  The 2022 Bellefont-Belcier is more expressive on the nose than it showed at primeur, where there was some variation between bottles. This offers copious red fruit, kirsch and desiccated orange peel aromas, though it needs a little more precision and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied and quite fresh, with grainy tannins and a touch of white pepper. It tapers in slightly toward the finish.