Croix de Beauséjour 2022 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Full-bodied dry red wine, crafted in the classic Right Bank Bordeaux style emphasizing approachability combined with structural integrity. · J. Duffau-Lagarrosse (Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse), a prestigious historical estate in Saint-Émilion with a long lineage of family ownership, classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé in the Saint-Émilion classification. Croix de Beauséjour serves as the estate's second wine, benefiting from the same meticulous terroir management and winemaking expertise as the grand vin.
Vintage: 2022, a hot and exceptionally dry growing season across Bordeaux that produced intensely concentrated, powerful red wines with ripe tannins and rich fruit profiles, balanced by remarkable freshness in select Right Bank limestone parcels.
Type
Full-bodied dry red wine, crafted in the classic Right Bank Bordeaux style emphasizing approachability combined with structural integrity.
Producer
J. Duffau-Lagarrosse (Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse), a prestigious historical estate in Saint-Émilion with a long lineage of family ownership, classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé in the Saint-Émilion classification. Croix de Beauséjour serves as the estate's second wine, benefiting from the same meticulous terroir management and winemaking expertise as the grand vin.
Country
France, the benchmark for fine wine production globally, known for its strict appellation laws (AOC system), diverse regional terroirs, and the historic categorization of Old World wine traditions.
Vintage
2022, a hot and exceptionally dry growing season across Bordeaux that produced intensely concentrated, powerful red wines with ripe tannins and rich fruit profiles, balanced by remarkable freshness in select Right Bank limestone parcels.
Region & Appellation
Bordeaux, Right Bank, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC
Grape Varieties
Predominantly Merlot blended with Cabernet Franc and a small touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, bringing plush plum fruit, floral aromatics, and structural backbone.
Color & Appearance
Deep, opaque ruby-purple core with a youthful violet rim, exhibiting high viscosity and slow-moving legs that signal rich extract and concentration.
Aroma Profile
A complex bouquet featuring primary notes of ripe black cherry, blackberry, and crushed violet blossoms, complemented by secondary hints of sweet vanilla, cocoa, and subtle toast from oak aging.
Tasting Notes
A plush initial palate attack featuring velvety layers of dark fruit that develop into a mid-palate rich with mocha and graphite nuances. The finish is long, warming, and harmonious, leaving a lingering impression of fruit purity and fine-grained structure.
Flavor Profile
Concentrated flavors of black plum, ripe blackberry, and black raspberry, layered with non-fruit notes of wet limestone, cedar, licorice, and a touch of sweet baking spice.
Body & Texture
Full-bodied with a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel, polished tannins, and a dense core of fruit extract that coats the palate gracefully.
Acidity & Tannins
Medium-plus acidity providing refreshing lift to the rich fruit, supported by fine-grained, ripe, and supple tannins that impart a polished structural frame.
Sweetness Level
Bone dry with zero residual sugar, balanced naturally by lush fruit ripeness and integrated alcohol.
Alcohol Content
14.5% ABV, typical for a warm vintage on the Right Bank, providing warmth and enhanced body without feeling heavy or unbalanced.
Aging & Oak
Aged in a combination of French oak barrels (a mix of new and seasoned wood) for approximately 12 to 14 months, imparting subtle spice, toast, and tannin integration without masking the pure fruit.
Food Pairings
Ideal with roasted prime rib, pan-seared duck breast with cherry reduction, grilled lamb chops, or aged hard cheeses like Comté. The rich fruit and supple tannins effortlessly cut through proteins and fat.
Serving Suggestions
Serve at 16-18°C (60-64°F) in a large Bordeaux glass. Decanting for 1 to 2 hours is highly recommended to allow the aromatics to open and the tannins to soften.
Price Range
Estimated retail price range of $35 to $55 USD, offering exceptional value and access to the prestigious terroir of Beauséjour at a more approachable price point.
Quality Assessment
Scored around 90-93 points by leading critics, representing a super-premium quality tier that delivers impressive pedigree, complexity, and classic Right Bank character.
Production Methods
Hand-harvested with rigorous sorting in the vineyard and cellar, traditional temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel and concrete tanks, gentle pump-overs, and careful barrel aging before bottling.
Terroir
Dominated by clay-limestone soils over the famous Saint-Émilion limestone plateau and slopes, offering exceptional water regulation, excellent drainage, and mineral complexity that translates into the wine's elegance and freshness.
History & Heritage
The Duffau-Lagarrosse family has deep historical roots in Saint-Émilion winemaking, with centuries of heritage tied to the legendary Beauséjour estate, known for producing age-worthy wines of profound depth.
Interesting Facts
Second wines like Croix de Beauséjour offer wine lovers a rare window into premier cru-level winemaking and terroir expression at a fraction of the cost of the estate's flagship bottling.
Cellaring Potential
Approachable in its youth thanks to the generous 2022 vintage fruit, but possesses sufficient structure to evolve gracefully in a proper cellar over the next 8 to 12 years, peaking around 2028-2034.
Similar Wines
Château Canon La Gaffelière second wines, Clos Fourtet's second label, and other high-end Saint-Émilion Grand Cru bottles such as Château Villemaurine or Château Soutard.