Château Bellevue de Tayac: Tasting & Drinking
I first encountered the wines of Château Bellevue de Tayac during the tenure of Jean-Luc Thunevin, when the wine displayed an overtly modern style. Presented in a heavyweight bottle, with rich fruit and a layer of toasted oak, they were intriguing wines although not necessarily in the style a long-term lover of Margaux might be looking for.
Fast forward to the wines made by Vincent Fabre and the style has certainly been toned down to some extent, although the blend naturally remains dominated by Merlot, and there is still a rather ambitious use of new oak here, comparable to that seen at many high-flying cru classé châteaux. They are wines of confident character, and while they certainly have some appeal I am quite certain it is not a universal appeal.
In recent vintages the 2016 has shown well, and although I initially also rather liked the 2018 vintage I found on revisiting it late in 2021 I was a little less convinced. Interestingly, the restraint of the 2014 vintage accentuated its more fragrant and silky side, lending it more Margaux typicity than I am used to finding here. How would it taste now, more than a few years on?
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