2024 Château Bélair-Monange, St-Emilion

The 2024 Bélair-Monange was picked between 23 and 28 September and aged in 50% new oak. This offers raspberry and wild strawberry scents on the nose that is defined but clearly not as complex as the bravura aromatics of the 2022. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant, juicy tannins and attractive blackberry and boysenberry scents with a little fig and allspice mixed in toward the harmonious finish. There's good concentration here. This does not possess the complexity of a great Belair-Monange, but it should give up to 20 years of drinking pleasure.

The 2024 Bélair-Monange is all sensuality. Soft and racy, with lovely forward fruit, the 2024 is impeccably balanced from start to finish. Espresso, dried herbs, rose petal, blood orange and pomegranate confer an exotic flair. The 2024 is an especially mid-weight Bélair-Monange. I won't be at all surprised if it grows with élevage.

Limestone grip, terroir definitely playing its part, succulent, and well balanced, has precision, fragrant peony and lilac, density through the palate with a wave of juice on the finish. Think cherry pit, tobacco leaf, pumice stone. Currently the blend has no press wine, they will decide whether to add it over ageing, 50% new oak, harvest September 23 to 28, 3.8ph. No plans to have a 2nd wine (Annonce de Belair) in the vintage.

Notes of sweet cherries, berries, crushed mint and potpourri introduce the 2024 Belair Monange, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and suave wine that's pure, precise and harmonious, with lively acids and creditable persistence on the finish.