Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, First Great Classified Growth of Saint-Emilion

Get to know the Premier Grand Cru Classé “B”, Château Beau-Séjour Bécot in the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation.

Saint-Émilion’s icon.

Beau-Séjour Bécot is located on the limestone plateau of Saint-Martin de Mazerat, west of the town of Saint-Émilion and close to the medieval village. The property was already a wine-growing estate in the Middle Ages, when the monks of the Saint-Martin de Mazerat church produced wine here. But vines in this area were also present as far back as antiquity. In the 20th century, at the time of the first edition of the ten-year classification in 1955, Beau-Séjour Bécot was classified Grand Cru Classé for the quality of its terroir and the consistency of its wines, and became Premier Grand Cru Classé B in 1996. In 1969, Michel Bécot, from a family of winegrowers established in Saint-Emilion since the mid-18th century, bought the estate. From that moment on, he set about restoring the ancient limestone quarries beneath the vineyard — 7 hectares of galleries — in order to store his bottles (one hundred vintages are kept there, protected from the light), while turning them into a promotional tool in a wine-tourism approach ahead of its time. A true revolution at the time. Then Gérard and Dominique (Michel Bécot’s sons) transformed the vineyard and winery to achieve even greater expression in the wines. Just as their father had done, this winning duo propelled Beau-Séjour Bécot wines to the top, enhancing the reputation of the estate and the brand. In 2001, Juliette Bécot (Gérard’s daughter) joined them while also running their other estate in Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux, Domaine Joanin-Bécot. In 2014, Julien Barthe succeeded Gérard Bécot as general manager of the vineyards. Each contributes to promoting the elegance and grace of this cru, along with the values of a passionate family constantly striving for perfection.