The first vintage produced in ChâteauBeauséjour’s new vat room, 2024appears as the most precise in theestate’s history. Winemaker, JoséphineDuffau-Lagarrosse, summarises it inthree words: “precision, quality,singularity”.Requiring constant attention from budbreak to vinification, 2024 pushed thelimits of Joséphine’s expertise. She wasultimately able to gain a deeperunderstanding of the vines and see theminute impact of every decision made,proving that perfection lies in the detail.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
To tackle the challenges of the vintage -including unusually high rainfall andsubsequent disease pressure -additional labour was brought inthroughout the year. With extra handson deck, the vineyard could be closelymonitored during the growing season,with a focus on canopy management.The aim was to ensure aeration of thegrape clusters, with leaf thinning andshoot positioning more instrumentalthan ever. The fruit for 2024 waspainstakingly chosen before evenentering the winery: during harvest, theworkforce was doubled – fruit waspicked every half-day to ensure onlygrapes at peak maturity were chosen, tothen be rigorously sorted.
A MAIDEN VOYAGE
Having started on 8th January 2024,construction of the new winery wascompleted in just six months. The sixteennew vats – 14 cement vats of 30-60hl andtwo stainless steel vats – were installed inthe winery’s historic vat room, chosen tofacilitate ultra-refined intraparcellairevinification. On 23rd, 24th, 25th, 27th September and2nd October the Merlot was brought intothe new winery, followed by the CabernetFranc on 7th October. This new, highernumber of small tanks (the smallest inSaint-Émilion) allowed for even stricterselection, enhancing the precision alreadyapplied in the vineyard.
BUILDING THE BEAUSÉJOUR OF TOMORROW
With these new tools at Joséphine’sdisposal and the ability to isolate evensmaller lots, the new winery has resultedin the estate’s most precise vintage inhistory, defining a new era for theproperty. Joséphine and her team havereaped the rewards of theirintraparcellaire approach, leading the wayfor this Premier Grand Cru Classé ofSaint-Émilion and realising a vision ofwinemaking that epitomises hergoldsmith-like approach.