Beychevelle
Château Beychevelle is a stunning and imposing historic château in St. Julien. It is often referred to as the ‘Versailles of Bordeaux’ because of the beauty of its architecture and gardens. Like many Médoc estates, Beychevelle has a long and fascinating history, tracing its ownership back to the Dukes of Epernon in the c16th . The power of the dukes was such that boats passing Beychevelle on the Gironde were required to lower their sails, which is where Beychevelle gets its name. It was classified as one of ten Quatrièmes Crus (Fourth Growths) in the 1855 classification. It has real power and ages with ease. Every bottle can be checked using a new identification system to prevent forgery. The Château Beychevelle vineyard is dispersed in the St. Julien appellation. They have vines close to the river, next to Château Ducru Beaucaillou and to Château Leoville Barton. Because the boat on the label resembles a Chinese ‘dragon boat’ the wine has acquired a kind of cult status in the Far East. There is a second wine, Amiral de Beychevelle, which made its debut in the 1950s.
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