Château Beauséjour

Château Beauséjour (formerly Château Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse), one of only 14 Premier Grand Cru Classé B estates in Saint-Émilion, has been under the ownership of the same family since 1847. The property has entered a more modern era guided by Nicolas Thienpont of Château Pavie Macquin and acclaimed consultants Michel Rolland and Stéphane Derenoncourt, focusing on Merlot with balanced ripeness and a generous style. The wines have consistently garnered high praise from critics, with Robert Parker awarding the 1990, 2009, and 2010 vintages perfect 100-point scores, and Lisa Perrotti-Brown upgrading her score in April 2024 for the 2000 Château Beausejour to 97 points, noting an attractive aromatic profile with "fragrant notes of sandalwood, cigar box, and potpourri, giving way to a core of dried cherries, prunes, and Chinese five spice…finishing with a refreshing mineral lift.

Château Beauséjour Journey

In the heart of the Saint-Émilion appellation, on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, lies the prestigious Château Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse. This storied estate holds a Premier Grand Cru Classé B classification and multiple perfect scores, a testament to its consistent production of world-class red wines. Château Beauséjour's journey through time with its illustrious history, is as intriguing as its exceptional wines.

Beauséjour Wines: 1990 Vintage, A Spectacular Rise

Château Beauséjour's reputation soared in the 1990s when renowned wine critic Robert Parker awarded the 1990 vintage a perfect score of 100 points. This recognition catapulted the estate into the global spotlight, and its wines became highly sought after by collectors and connoisseurs alike.

RP100 on the 1990 “I have had the 1990 Beausejour-Duffau a half-dozen times since the in-the-bottle report in Issue #85 (2-28-93). I believe this wine may, in 15-20 years, be considered to be one of the greatest wines made this century. It is in a league with such legends as the 1961 Latour a Pomerol. Beausejour-Duffau's 1990 has always been the most concentrated wine of the 1990 vintage. The color remains an opaque murky purple. The nose offers up fabulously intense aromas of black fruits (plums, cherries, and currants), along with smoke, a roasted herb/nut component, and a compelling minerality. The wine is fabulously concentrated, with outstanding purity, and a nearly unprecedented combination of richness, complexity, and overall balance and harmony. What makes this effort so intriguing is that as good as Beausejour-Duffau can be, I know of no vintage of this estate's wine that has come remotely close to this level of quality. In several blind tastings, I have mistaken this wine for either the 1989 or 1990 Petrus! However, the 1990 Beausejour-Duffau is even more concentrated than those two prodigious efforts. It should be at its best between 2000-2030.” Robert M. Parker Jr. Feb 1997

Parker hasn’t changed his mind on this masterpiece of a wine, re-awarding it with 100 points years later:

RP100 on the 1990 "One of the most singular Bordeaux I have ever tasted, it verges on being port-like, but it pulls back because of the extraordinary minerality and laser-like focus. The wine is massively concentrated, still black/purple-hued to the rim, and offers a nose of incense, blackberries, blueberry liqueur, acacia flowers, and forest floor. It reveals low acidity and high tannins, which are largely concealed by the sheer concentration and lavish glycerin the wine possesses. Aging at a glacial pace, it is approachable, but it will not hit its peak until 2020; it should last for twenty years thereafter." Robert M. Parker, Jr. Jun 2009

"This profound St.-Emilion is a must buy, but move quickly as the production of 3,000 cases is among the smallest of the St.-Emilion premiers and grands crus." Robert Parker Oct 1994

Château Beauséjour History

Château Beauséjour's story begins with its division in 1869 when Pierre-Paulin Ducarpe's estate was split between his two children. His daughter, who married into the Duffau-Lagarrosse family, inherited the château and half of the vineyards. The remaining half of the property went to Ducarpe's son, eventually becoming the modern estate known as Château Beau-Séjour Bécot.

Duffau-Lagarrosse became an integral part of the estate's identity, and to this day, Château Beauséjour carries the full name "Château Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse" or, colloquially, "Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse."

The Beauséjour Legacy Carries On

For over a century, Château Beauséjour has remained under family ownership, passed down through nine generations. The estate has seen its share of complex ownership transitions, including potential takeovers by neighboring château owners. In early 2021, ownership ultimately shifted to the Courtin-Clarins family, known for their renowned beauty product company, Clarins. Despite the change in ownership, the estate's management remained in the capable hands of Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse, ensuring a continuation of the family's winemaking heritage.

Beauséjour: Right Bank Terroir & Vineyards

Château Beauséjour boasts 6.75 hectares (16.5 acres) of vineyards, predominantly planted with Merlot grapes, a classic choice for Saint-Émilion and Right Bank Bordeaux wines. A smaller portion is dedicated to Cabernet Franc, while any Cabernet Sauvignon previously cultivated has been replaced with Cabernet Franc.

 The excellence of Château Beauséjour’s wines can be attributed in no small part to the unique characteristics of itsSaint-Émilion terroir. The commune of Saint-Émilion enjoys a moderately oceanic climate, benefiting from its strategic location between the Isle and Dordogne rivers. This geographical advantage helps to moderate the harshness of winter and the intensity of summer heat, resulting in a relatively mild annual temperature, averaging around 12.8°C.

The region boasts a diverse range of soil types, including limestone, clay-sandy, gravel, and clay-limestone soils, among others. It is these distinct soil compositions and climatic features that provide the winemakers ofBeauséjour with the ideal conditions to craft wines of great complexity and iconic character.

St-Émilion Classification: Premier Grand Cru Classé B

While not initially featured in the 1955 classification, Château Beauséjour secured its place as a Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the 1969 iteration. This prestigious status has been retained ever since, solidifying the estate's reputation as a premier producer in the Saint-Émilion appellation.

New Era for Château Beauséjour: Thriving Through Modernization

In 2009, the estate enlisted the expertise of Nicolas Thienpont from Château Pavie Macquin, along with renowned consultants Michel Rolland and Stéphane Derenoncourt. Their collaborative efforts brought modern winemaking techniques to Château Beauséjour, such as fermenting whole grapes and using open fermentation tanks. These changes, implemented starting with the 2009 vintage, resulted in a remarkable transformation in the quality of the wines. The 2009 and 2010 vintages earned perfect scores of 100 points from Robert Parker, further cementing Château Beauséjour's position among Bordeaux's elite producers.

RP100 on the 2009 “As I wrote after I tasted this cuvee from barrel, it is clearly the greatest Beausejour-Duffau since the immortal 1990. Under new management, the brilliant duo of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt is in the process of developing what is one of the great hillside terroirs of Bordeaux and St.-Emilion.” RP Dec. 2011

RP100 on the 2010 “It was only fully exploited in the past in the 1990 vintage, but has reached more consistently great heights over the last three or four years. Kudos to the duo of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt for what they have achieved over the last few years at Beausejour-Duffau.” RP Feb. 2013

Drink Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse

Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse stands as a shining beacon to Bordeaux's rich winemaking tradition and the enduring legacy of the Duffau-Lagarrosse family. Its exceptional wines, extraordinary history, and the recent ownership transition to the Courtin-Clarins family make it a must-drink experience for those seeking to explore the world of Bordeaux's Premier Grand Cru Classé estates. A simple sip of the Château Beauséjour is not just a journey through time but an encounter with the artistry and dedication that produce some of Bordeaux's most celebrated wines.