Displaying a lovely garnet color with bright glints, the wine conveys an immediate sensation of freshness together with pretty touches of black fruits. On the palate, the characteristic verticality of the wines of Château Bellevue comes through along with savory, velvety tannins and black fruits, once again. The palate is underpinned by pleasant acidity, indicative of the wine’s good ageing potential, while the finish reveals freshness and precision.
95 James Suckling Blueberry, plum, praline, dark=chocolate and cedar aromas. Dried lavender, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, sleek and caressing tannins. Polished, seamless layers of fruit and wood with a long finish. Such polish and class. Try from 2026.
94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Made of 100% Merlot, the 2018 Bellevue is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up wonderfully expressive scents of baked black cherries, plum preserves and blueberry coulis with hints of mocha, licorice, dried spearmint and chargrill plus a waft of cardamom and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied with bags of rich, seductive fruit, it is laden with bright earthy sparks and has a soft, plush texture, finishing with fantastic freshness and energy. Barrel Sample: 92-94+
93 Decanter There is clear austerity on the approach, with the fruit pulling inwards through the mid-palate before widening out. It has an impressive texture with fleshy plum and ripe red apple fruit. You can feel the softness of the tannins, gently laying in wait, and this gets pretty big on the juicy, seductive finish, where there's a ton of liquorice to fall into. An organically-certified estate owned by the de Bouard family. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040. Barrel Sample: 93
93 Jeb Dunnuck Lots of red and blue fruits, violets, orange blossom, and more exotic notes emerge from the 2018 Château Bellevue. Medium to full-bodied, it offers beautiful purity, ripe tannins, and a good spine of acidity that keeps everything fresh and vibrant. Beautifully done, it will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for upwards of 15 years or more.
