PV Tasting Notes
This is the kind of Bordeaux wine I am more than happy to drink on a regular basis, Belle-Vue has been a terrific over-achiever for some time, located just on the outer edge of the Margaux appellation, it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and a touch of Carmenere. A really BIG little wine with spicy aromas of cedar, sweet currants, black fruit, new oak and underbrush emerge from this dense ruby/purple-tinged effort. Medium-bodied, elegant, highly nuanced, deep, chewy, and moderately tannic, it is still a little young and could benefit from one more years of bottle age, and should drink very well for 7-8 years.
Independent Review88 points Robert Parker, April 2008
One of the few Bordeaux wines to include Carmenere in the blend, Belle-Vue’s final blend in 2005 is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 20% Petit Verdot, and 3% Carmenere. It reveals more tannin than most of the “big little wines” in this report, along with great fruit, medium body, and plenty of character. Give it another six months of bottle age, and enjoy it over the following 7-8.
This beautiful Cabernet blend is best with Rack or Saddle of Lamb, will also suit very well Roast Leg of Lamb, Shoulder or Fillet of Beef, Sautéed calf’s liver, Partridge or Grouse, fried sweetbreads or Kidneys with a rich sauce e.g. béarnaise, will also suit roast ribs of Beef or grilled Rump.
Château BELLE-VUE results from a terroir whose history merges with that of the finest wines of Bordeaux. Located on the commune typically “médocaine” of Macau, during the 18th century it was the seat of an active shipping industry, now the area is famous for its vineyards alone, this particular vineyard has undergone a true rebirth over the past decade. Château BELLE-VUE was a consistent performer more than 100 years ago and enjoyed a very good reputation from the 19th century taking many awards: including Gold medals in Amsterdam in (1895), Paris (1900) and Bordeaux (1907). Over the last dozen or so vintages, notably since 1999, the wines of Château BELLE-VUE have been regularly distinguished with honours and medals in wine competitions and in the international wine press. The 10 hectare vineyard is located on a plateau with deep gravely soil (7-10 metres deep) adjacent to Château Giscours (Margaux AOC). The soil is naturally well drained, enabling the grapes to ripen early.
The fruit is all handpicked, destemmed and hand sorted, spends between 4 to 6 weeks in contact with the skins and Malolactic fermentation takes place in select ultrafine Hungarian and French oak barrel, the wine then spends approximately 16 months barrel maturation period of which 40% is new. Bottled unfiltered.