2022 Ch Bellefont-Belcier Grand Cru Classé, St-Émilion

Blackberry, iron, hazelnut, crushed stone, hints of salt and spice. Medium to full body. Fresh and vivid. Very sophisticated and classy. The tannins are silky and so fine, but then it opens up at the end of the palate.

97-98 points James Suckling

This estate's renaissance continues, and the 2022 Bellefont Belcier is both the finest and most elegant wine that the team has produced today. Mingling aromas of plums and sweet berries with notions of rose petals and bay leaf, it's medium to full-bodied, with a deep core of vibrant fruit, beautifully refined tannins and a suave, seamless profile. Readers will remember that this derives from a beautifully situated hillside vineyard, sandwiched between Larcis Ducasse and Tertre Roteboeuf on either side, with holdings belonging to Pavie and Troplong Mondot on the plateau above. The 2022 is a blend of 72% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

93-95 points Willian Kelley for The Wine Advocate

Tasted three times. Dense ruby. The nose is ripe fruity, expressive, lots of blackberries, ripe plums, cherries, herbs, including a mineral touch, floral notes above, very complex. Precise on the palate, powerful, with silky soft tannins, a well-packed acidity, the fruit appears ripe and harmonises with the structure. The finish is dominated by red and dark berries and leaves a clean, fresh mouthfeel. Razor-sharp mastered the balancing act between power and elegance. Excellent quality.

94-96 points Adrian van Velsen vvwine

Concentrated deep plum colour, beautifully measured capturing the power of the vintage without being overblown. Opens with a burst of fresh red roses and violets on the nose, and the black cherry and damson fruits are shot through with a ton of saffran and turmeric. Mouthwatering sapidity on the finish, this is a brilliant Bellefont Belcier and absolutely one to look out for. 40hl/h yield; 30% new oak barrels for ageing, together with 30% unusual egg-shaped wooden vats, and the rest between one and two year old barrels. Emmanuelle Fulchi d'Aligny techincal director, moving over from Château Angélus, and this is the first full vintage under her direction (just did the blend of 2021).

95 points Jane Anson

The 2022 Château Bellefont-Belcier is a lively, medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion that shines for its vibrancy and purity while still bringing beautiful depth of fruit. A blend of 72% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a terrific sense of minerality in its red and blue fruits as well as notes of graphite, woodsmoke, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, this ripe, concentrated, yet incredible elegant 2022 stays nicely focused, has fine grained tannins, and outstanding length. Tasted multiple times with consistent notes.

93-95+ points Jeb Dunnuck