2013 Château Beychevelle in a 1.5L Magnum format (often referred to colloquially as 1500ml or 1.5L rather than 1500L, which would be a giant commercial vat!) comes from a notoriously challenging, cool Bordeaux vintage. While 2013 general bottlings can lean a bit thin, the magnum format has provided a slower, gentler oxygen exchange, helping to preserve what fruit is there while rounding out the vintage's rustic edges.
 
Wine Specifications
Producer: Château Beychevelle (4th Growth, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux)
Grape Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and 9% Petit Verdot
Alcohol (ABV): 13%
Aging: 18 months in oak barrels (60% new oak)
Drinking Window: Now to 2035 (Magnums are peaking beautifully right now, showing mature tertiary characteristics)
 
Tasting Profile
On the Nose:Opens with traditional tertiary notes of unsmoked cigars, cedar, and wet forest floor.Subtler dark fruit profiles underneath, revealing fig paste, redcurrant, dried cherry, and a hint of cooling menthol/savory rosemary.
 
On the Palate:Medium-bodied with a fresh, lighter structure compared to blockbuster years.Features savory tobacco leaf, graphite, and spice flavors. The tannins have mostly softened from their initial graininess and are now fully integrated and chewy.
 
The Finish:Clean, moderately long, and refreshing, dominated by clove, black pepper, and an energetic herbal line.
 
Key Critic Ratings
 
James Suckling: 92 pointsYves Beck: 90 points
Robert Parker / Wine Advocate: 88-90 points (Noted it as a solid, respectable effort for the vintage with a healthy color and classic floral accents)