2021 Berliquet
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Tasting notes
The 2021 has a particularly perfumed nose, with notes of peonies and fresh blackberries that slowly open up the glass. There is great clarity to the blackberry and cassis fruit, with moderate concentration and great precision, making the wine both elegant and complex. The velvety tannins come across seamlessly – they are wonderfully integrated. Blend: 61% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Franc
This is a fantastic wine and a pleasant surprise, arguably the best vintage from the estate since Chanel took over the property. Everything in the wine is perfectly attuned, producing a wine of real elegance and beauty. There’s a lovely, scented perfume, while the palate is juicy and remains wonderfully fresh. The perfumed notes last right through to the finish and only then do the tannins start to become firm, on what is otherwise a very smooth wine on the palate. The high proportion (40%) of Cabernet Franc in the blend has worked wonders here. A top-value buy. 61% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Franc
Critic scores
Average Score
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Berliquet has a deep garnet-purple color. It prances out with showy notes of black and red cherries, juicy plums, and crushed violets, leading to hints of cinnamon stick and Sichuan pepper. The medium-bodied palate is plush and lively, with bags of expressive cherry flavors and a perfumed finish.
I was able to taste the 2021 Château Berliquet on multiple occasions, and it always rated between 92 and 94 points. A blend of 61% Merlot and 39% Cabernet Franc raised in 44% new oak, it's a bigger, richer wine than its neighbor Canon but also doesn't display quite the precision and purity. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful wine offering medium-bodied aromas and flavors of black cherries, smoked tobacco, damp earth, and graphite. It's balanced, has ripe, velvety tannins, and the fresher, focused style of the vintage. It's a 2021 well worth your time and money, and it's going to be a brilliant value as well. This checks in at a solid 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.41.
The 2021 Berliquet has a very attractive nose: a mélange of red and black fruit, cedar, clementine and light crushed stone scents that coheres nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and very well-judged acidity, building gently in the mouth toward an elegant finish that does not overstay its welcome. This is a case of a wine proving that less is indeed more. Drink the 2021 over the next 15 years.
About the producer
The Chanel group – owners of Ch. Rauzan-Ségla and Ch. Canon – added Berliquet to their stable of wine estates in 2017. Since then, the team – led by Nicolas Audebert – has been transforming the property, gradually revealing this special Saint-Emilion site’s potential.