In 1869 a single Saint-Émilion estate called Beauséjour was divided between two heirs. One half eventually became Beau-Séjour Bécot; the other passed to the Duffau-Lagarrosse family, who then held it for more than a century and a half. This bottle is from that second half — around seven hectares on the limestone slope just west of the town, one of the smallest Premier Grand Cru Classé holdings in the appellation.
The wine is Merlot-dominant with a substantial share of Cabernet Franc, grown on shallow soil over rock and aged in cellars cut into the same limestone. It has always been a wine of scent and length rather than bulk.
1981 was a good, rain-touched Right Bank year. At forty-five, a wine of this scale is mature and fragile in the way old Saint-Émilion becomes: stood upright, decanted carefully, drunk the same evening.
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Producer: Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse
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Vintage: 1981
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Appellation: Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC
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Format: 75cl
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Region: Bordeaux, France
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Style: Red
Where it is likely to be now. Small-scale, perfumed Saint-Émilion of this age is genuinely fragile — it can be lovely for an hour and then fade in the glass, so it wants opening on the day it is served.
Who it suits. Suits a 45th birthday or a sapphire wedding anniversary in 2026, and particularly a recipient who prefers a small, obscure Premier Grand Cru to a large famous one.
Condition. There is very slight cellar staining on the label, and the fill is right at the bottom of the neck — close to the best you will see on a 1981.
Provenance. Bought to order from a professional European merchant. We check fill, label and capsule when the bottle reaches us and photograph it before it ships.
Delivered in 7 to 10 working days, tracked. Transit cover can be added at checkout.
Sold as a collectible item, as seen. No guarantee is given on drinkability.
