Château Bellevue – Château Bellevue 2019

The Château Bellevue 2019, a Grand Cru Classé from Saint-Émilion, was on the table as a benchmark wine during a blind tasting of Greek Merlots – 100% Merlot at 14.5% alcohol. The 97-98 points awarded by Lobenberg seem a touch generous even after discounting the usual merchant goodwill, but a solid 93 points is certainly fair. The wine shows plenty of red fruit and pleasant vanilla. In direct comparison with the Lacules Estate Merlot 2019, however, it clearly comes off second best – a thin, watery affair by comparison, far too harmless, more of a decent quaffing wine. The Greek counterpart, with its density, is by far the more likely candidate for serious aging potential. 93 points.