The 2020 Bélair-Monange is tremendous. What a wine. It is easily the best effort since the Mouiex family bought the property. Rich, ample and dramatic, Bélair-Monange saturates the palate with waves of inky dark red fruit. Sweet floral, espresso and spice notes appear later, adding shades of nuance. Clean mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly. A wine of exotic beauty and allure, Bélair-Monange is a real stunner in 2020. 02/2023 The 2020 Bélair-Monange continues its impressive run of form under the JP Moueix family, having rapidly ascended to the highest rank within the Saint-Émilion appellation. This latest release is another stunning articulation of its propitious terroir, which lies adjacent to Ausone. You could lose yourself in the kaleidoscope of aromas: black cherries, Dorset plum, crushed stone, violet and background pencil box, beautifully defined and growing in intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins and quite firm (maybe a tad more than I anticipated), displaying fine grip. This is a strict yet utterly compelling Bélair-Monange with wonderful salinity coming through toward the finish. There is a lot of substance to this wine and it is perhaps less immediate than other recent vintages, indicating that it may require long-term cellaring. Outstanding.

The 2020 Belair Monange displays an opaque purple-black color, unfurling slowly to reveal a nose of blueberry preserves, stewed plums and Morello cherries, giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of Chinese five spice, incense and dried rose petals, plus hints of fallen leaves, Sichuan pepper and oolong tea. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a fantastically plush texture with mouth-coating black and blue fruits and loads of exotic spice sparks, gently lifted by soft acidity, finishing long and fragrant.

Couleur sombre, intense, vive et pourpre. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité et subtil. Moelleux à l'attaque, juteux en milieu de bouche, vivant, avec de l'éclat dans le fruit, le vin évolue savoureux, sur des nuances de fruits noirs et une finale sèveuse, à la tannicité distinguée. Assemblage : 98 % merlot, 2 % cabernet franc.

It’s full-bodied, showing loads of violets, blackberries and blueberries with salt and white-pepper character. Minerally. It’s very fine-grained with a fascinating finish. Intense and long. 98% merlot and 2% cabernet franc.