October 17th: Château Beau-Séjour Bécot with Julien Barthe
At Vinonueva | 5145 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL, 33137 | 7:00 pm-8:30 pm
Click HERE to get tickets
In partnership with SommSelection
Julien Barthe will be visiting Vinonueva for a Walktrhough tasting. Manager and Co-Owner of Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, a Premier Grand Cru Classé estate in the heart of Saint-Émilion. Alongside his wife, Juliette Bécot, Julien is helping shape a new chapter for this historic château—crafting wines defined by precision, aromatic clarity, and a deep respect for their terroir.
Beau-Séjour Bécot is a 22-hectare single-vineyard plateau with an extraordinary limestone soil. This unique terroir is the source of wines that embody a true sense of place: unmistakably Bordeaux, unmistakably Right Bank, and unmistakably Saint-Émilion.
Julien will be sharing not only the wines but also his vision of producing fine wines with authenticity and origin.
Photo: Julien Barthe and Juliette Bécot
BACKGROUND
A Legacy of Saint-Émilion
On the limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion, Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is one of the appellation's most storied names—a property with a history that spans from Roman vines to modern innovation.
The origins of Beau-Séjour Bécot date back over 2,000 years, to when the Romans first cultivated vines in this area. Centuries later, the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Martin tended these same vineyards, laying the groundwork for the estate we know today. The name "Beau-Séjour" was given in 1787, when General Jacques de Carles of the Figeac family remarked on the beauty of the site.
Over time, the estate was divided. One half became Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse, while the other passed through several hands until 1969, when the Bécot family, longtime vignerons of Saint-Émilion, purchased the property and gave it the name we know today.
The modern chapter of Beau-Séjour Bécot began under Michel Bécot, later joined by his sons Gérard and Dominique, who at this point started making improvements at the property, lowering yields and producing better wine.
Today, Juliette Bécot, the daughter of Gérard, guides the estate alongside her husband, Julien Barthe, representing a dynamic new generation. Julien, who arrived at Beau-Séjour Bécot in 2016 as General Manager, describes his vision clearly: 'We have a unique and outstanding soil and I want to offer to our clients 100% of our terroir into the bottle, a wine with a true identity, a true origin, a unique wine.' Cru World Wine, May 2023.
Under their leadership, the estate has undergone significant transformations in its vineyard and cellar. A broad vineyard restructuring was undertaken, including massal selections of Merlot and the planting of 4 hectares of Cabernet Franc—fruit that entered the grand vin for the first time in the 2022 vintage. In the cellar, the team has shifted toward lighter extractions using an infusion process, while ageing now relies less on new oak (53% in 2022), complemented by large oak casks and amphoras. These changes reflect a clear goal: to craft wines that transparently convey the character of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau with greater finesse and authenticity.
Terroir & Winemaking
Château Beau-Séjour Bécot spans 22 hectares on Saint-Émilion's prized limestone plateau, with soils of clay over deep limestone crisscrossed by ancient quarries. The vineyard is primarily planted with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. Vines average 45 years of age, with some Merlot over 70 years old.
As a Premier Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Émilion, Château Beau-Séjour Bécot produces a grand vin that is typically 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is aged for 16 months in French oak barrels. It shows depth and refinement—silky yet powerful—balanced by the freshness and minerality, with the structure to age gracefully for decades. Production averages about 7,500 cases per year.
The estate also crafts a second wine, first known as La Tournelle de Beau-Séjour Bécot and renamed in 2012 as Petit Bécot, which offers earlier approachability while preserving the same care and precision as the grand vin.
In addition, the family produces Instant Bécot, an AOC Bordeaux made from vines outside the Saint-Émilion appellation, designed for immediate, easy drinking pleasure.
The Style
Beau-Séjour Bécot is celebrated for wines that marry richness and elegance, characterized by dark fruit and spice carried by the hallmark minerality of Saint-Émilion's limestone soils. They are wines that evolve beautifully in the bottle, yet increasingly show a clarity and lift that make them captivating even in youth.
Check out the lineup for this tasting:
- Joanin Bécot 2018
- Petit Bécot 2019
- Château Beau-Séjour Bécot - Saint Émilion Grannd Cru 2019
- Château Beau-Séjour Bécot - Saint Émilion Grannd Cru 2016
- Château Beau-Séjour Bécot - Saint Émilion Grannd Cru 2010
- Château Beau-Séjour Bécot - Saint Émilion Grannd Cru 1986 (Magnum)
Photo credits: Château Beau-Séjour Bécot