Beckmen, Cuvee Le Bec, Santa Ynez Valley

Beckmen · California › Santa Ynez Valley › United States of America

Red · Red Rhone Blend
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LWIN 1693858
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
88 /100
Reviews
49
professional

Vintages

No vintages

No vintage-specific entries have been added for this wine.

NV

Community Reviews

50
50
Reviews
88.2
Avg Score
92
Highest
Taster #9384 · Feb 15, 2019
90/100
This lost nothing by sitting for seven years in our cellar, which included a move. Mild in the nose, with a bit of strawberry. Lots of blackberry on the palate, with some leather, and a nice spicy finish. I really expected this to be vinegar when I opened it, but it was still solid and very enjoyable. We ate a beef skillet meal, but this would also have gone well with pork or even BBQ chicken.
2010 vintage
Taster #9062 · Dec 3, 2018
90/100
Very good. Surprisingly drinkable still. Opened 1 hour prior to dinner and decanted. Good nose and good finish. Nice balance of tannins.
2005 vintage
Taster #7781 · Apr 20, 2015
88/100
I think the last three reviews summarize it perfectly. I liked it; however, I don't know that it's worth almost $20/bottle.
2010 vintage
Taster #1486 · Oct 27, 2014
89/100
Very easy drinking crowd pleaser.
2010 vintage
Taster #7714 · Jun 21, 2014
86/100
fruit forward, light pepper, smooth and clean wine.
2010 vintage
Taster #9315 · May 26, 2014
88/100
Very smooth, beautiful deep fruit, very easy to drink a definite palate pleaser!
2010 vintage
Taster #8055 · Jan 28, 2014
89/100
seems to be drinking better than the last time. Let it open for a little bit and ready to go. I ran through the vinturi which did not hurt.
2010 vintage
Taster #6013 · Nov 2, 2013
89/100
Great QPR.
2010 vintage
Taster #4702 · Oct 26, 2013
89/100
PnP. Didn't need any air time at all. Nose was a little muted but palate was very generous. This had the delicious factor going for it. Easily 90+ if there was bit more acidity. Even though this held up over 2 nights I would drink now rather than hold. Would buy again.
2010 vintage
Taster #3727 · Oct 15, 2013
88/100
Solid Rhone Ranger blend. Not dynamic, but very balanced. Enjoyed over 3 nights.
2010 vintage
Taster #8055 · Jul 25, 2013
87/100
completely shut when open. Needs at least 30 to open a bit. solid everyday wine and decent QPR.
2010 vintage
Taster #4942 · May 23, 2013
88/100
Nice everyday red wine...not real complex, but pleasantly fruit forward with earthy components, typical of a Rhone wine
2010 vintage
Taster #8055 · Apr 21, 2013
89/100
Nice. easy drinking.
2010 vintage
Taster #4157 · Feb 22, 2013
85/100
Nice fruit on the front, spicy Syrah in the middle, not sure of the finish. Could be smoother on the tail end.
2010 vintage
Taster #7741 · Feb 16, 2013
Dark, ruby red color Still some light tannins in base, some green pepper, some leather, medium big fruit
2010 vintage
Taster #8055 · Jan 27, 2013
87/100
Solid everyday wine. Not sure if the QPR is there.
2010 vintage
Taster #8744 · Jan 3, 2013
87/100
Good weeknight wine. Needed a little time to open up.
2010 vintage
Taster #6459 · Dec 30, 2012
87/100
This was nice, but nothing special. Probably a little heavier on Syrah, and the ripest Syrah at that--just kind of jammy. There is no real backbone to this wine, it's more a friendly Cotes du Rhone than a Gigondas, Vacqueyras, or CdP. But good CdR can be had for very little, and can be more interesting than this wine. For that matter, you can get Fess Parker's Frontier Red and it serves much the same purpose. Better examples of this …
2010 vintage
Taster #0523 · Dec 27, 2012
89/100
A great example of the Rhone Ranger style of central California blends. Big, lush, fruity, easy drinking. Not designed to blow your socks off, but to drink well with that Christmas ham.
2010 vintage
Taster #8010 · Nov 23, 2012
87/100
good QPR. Solid wine but without much complexity. It's been a staple for awhile but starting to think there are better cali-rhones out there.
2010 vintage
Taster #0968 · Sep 7, 2012
85/100
Juicy, sweet, red fruit Rhone style blend. A little over its price point. Should be under $10. Easy drinking and somewhat forgettable.
2010 vintage
Taster #1486 · Sep 4, 2012
89/100
Really nice while eating burgers poolside. Enjoyed by all as it has some complexity but is smooth and fresh at the same time. Great QPR.
2010 vintage
Taster #1095 · Aug 13, 2012
92/100
"Classic rhone-clone from California...Beckmen is notorious for creating structured, fruit-driven, lengthy wines with this blend. TOP blended wine in my opinion coming out of the new world!
2010 vintage
Taster #0767 · Jul 19, 2012
90/100
A huge difference after it sat for a day - smooth and fruity instead of the tartness when first opened.
2010 vintage
Taster #1486 · Jul 13, 2012
88/100
Tasted at winery. A red my wife enjoys, which is rare. Well balanced for this price point.
2010 vintage
Taster #8744 · May 26, 2012
89/100
Kind of a fruit bomb, but still a good patio wine.
2010 vintage
Taster #8012 · Jun 18, 2011
90/100
A little hot on opening, this wine evened out very quickly in the glass. Great fruit, velvety texture. A great treat from an inexpensive wine. Sorry it's my last bottle!
2005 vintage
Taster #0783 · Mar 20, 2010
90/100
med purple color. nose: sweet cherries, cola, a bit of alcohol. wow, this is still big on the palate. holding up very well. this is big, with sturdy tannins and a ripe, chewy mouthfeel. lots of black cherries and vanilla coke but there's also some really nice spicy, kind of grilled herb notes and a dead ringer for teriyaki beef jerky, seriously. a really delicious and unique flavor. a hint of dark coffee on the finish. i also like that …
2005 vintage
Taster #7398 · Jan 18, 2010
89/100
Agree with other postings.
2005 vintage
Taster #8689 · Oct 12, 2009
88/100
Popped the 2007 version of this wine last weekend so I thought I'd open my last bottle of the 2005 for comparison. Cherry and a bit of alcohol on the nose. On the palate, nice Rhone flavors with the bright red fruit from the Grenache being primary and some nice secondary dark fruit flavors and some noticeable, but not overpowering, oak. Full mid-palate with smooth mouthfeel but the finish is somewhat hot which prevents this wine from scoring a 90 …
2005 vintage
Taster #5792 · Dec 9, 2008
87/100
On the nose, good fruit, maybe a touch of some smoked pork products. Nice berry fruit on the palate. Solid, if a little simple. It's tough, because there are so many CDR's I'd rather drink for less money. The mouthfeel on this is a little light for the rest of the body of this wine. But solidly made. 86-87
2005 vintage
Taster #7082 · Nov 23, 2008
80/100
Smells like baby poop, with a flavor that, thankfully, doesn't quite match the nose. Still, it's a funky flavor with too much wood trying to cover up the vegetal and astringent notes. Poured 90% of the bottle down the sink.
2005 vintage
Taster #3727 · Aug 31, 2008
89/100
Juicy and delicious. Not complex, but great QPR
2005 vintage
Taster #5534 · May 30, 2008
89/100
Solid...
2005 vintage
Taster #2622 · Apr 2, 2008
89/100
Nice. Don't think this is a 90 pt wine though.
2005 vintage
Taster #1899 · Mar 30, 2008
86/100
Good, simple berry and leathery spice. Med-weight, dry and a nice quaffer. Lacks power or complexity but should be a decent workhorse red for many people,
2005 vintage
Taster #7499 · Mar 22, 2008
90/100
Lovely wine---I was pleased, I think that it's worth the $13 that I paid. Lots of fruit on the palate, nice body, good acidity, but not too much for sipping--a solid value wine.
2005 vintage
Taster #4947 · Mar 16, 2008
84/100
Drinkable, everyday wine. Some fruit, a little tar, some oak, vanilla,and pepper. Won't buy again but if served would drink again and enjoy.
2005 vintage
Taster #4824 · Mar 16, 2008
90/100
nice grenache heavy wine
2005 vintage
Taster #8338 · Mar 12, 2008
87/100
Decent non-descript blend. Enjoyed it, but wouldn't go out of my way to find it again.
2005 vintage
Taster #4316 · Feb 22, 2008
88/100
Nice table wine...but far from being great.
2005 vintage
Taster #3805 · Feb 8, 2008
90/100
Garnet color going to pink, medium weight in the glass. Aromas of ripe plum, cherries. On the palate there is lots of bright red fruit immediately, esp cherries and cola, followed by some earth and licorice. Nicely integrated, medium mouthfeel. Overall a really well put together wine. Buy more if you can find it!
2005 vintage
Taster #1248 · Jan 14, 2008
90/100
Good nose, little on the mild side.
2005 vintage
Taster #0044 · Jan 5, 2008
91/100
Excellent. Although more Cali-style Rhone ranger forward fruit style, that characteristic is nicely balanced by the interplay of red furit Grenache, the earthy/smoky Mourvedre, and the gamey/peppery Syrah. Great QPR. Not sure how it will develop with intermediate cellaring, but don't see how it could improve much over where it is now.
2005 vintage
Taster #5340 · Dec 26, 2007
83/100
Easy drinking, fun blend. People pleasing and easy on the palate for unsophisticated drinkers. Drink now.
2005 vintage
Taster #4316 · Dec 1, 2007
89/100
Great table wine. For the price, Beckmen continues to impress.
2005 vintage
Taster #0635 · Nov 15, 2007
89/100
Had this over a 2-3 day period - the nose was good from the start and the wine smoothed out over the time open - very nice QPR.
2005 vintage
Taster #5381 · Nov 8, 2007
89/100
Nice spicy, dark fruit bouquet. Rhone (not Cali) style, complex with nice vegetal component- best with food. Big wine, nice QPR.
2005 vintage
Taster #2379 · Nov 4, 2007
89/100
Wine went very very well with braised lamb shanks. I had to look twice to make sure it was from California--the wine definitely has Rhone down pat. I didn't think it was as "big" as some have said--quite smooth and flavorful, but it definitely held up to a very strong dish.
2005 vintage
Taster #5952 · Oct 21, 2007
89/100
Good solid rhone blend, new world style, nice cherry and spice flavors, nice finish. Solid food wine, went well with ravioli. Wine reccomended by Santi Restaurant in Geyserville, CA, nice place, great food.
2005 vintage