Annonce de Bélair-Monange Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2020

Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Bélair-Monange sits on a commanding site, high on the Saint Emilion plateau, alongside Ausone, and is home to Edouard Moueix and his family. Formerly known as Château Bélair, the Monange addition honours Edouard’s great grandmother – Adèle Monange – mother of Jean-Pierre Moueix who was, of course, famous for his ownership of the great Château Pétrus and for founding the eponymous Libourne-based négociant business. Annonce de Bélair is the second wine of the estate, its first vintage was 2014 and it enjoys the same attention as the grand vin in both vineyard and cellar.

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, with a year in oak, of which 30% is new. Deep red black to the rim with a gorgeously familiar nose, feels like coming home – warm red and black fruits, some capsicum notes too, racy and fresh with bags of fruit behind and a distant note of spice, really inviting. On the palate richer red and black fruits, smooth and supple with ripe tannins behind, really creamed and alluring, nicely structured and balanced with a good layer of acidity behind and a vibrant fresh finish. 2024 – 2032+