Château Tertre Roteboeuf 2022

Dense color and a nose you can dive into, fascinatingly beautiful, cool fireplace, herbs over dark fruit, dark chocolate, plums, cassis, dried violets; very concentrated on the palate, a wine of power and structure, massive, ripe tannins, a powerhouse, a solid benchmark, caramel, blackberries, blood oranges, extraordinarily long finish. A monument, an orchestra of aromas; built for eternity.

Crushed stones and sweet black fruit on the nose alongside roses, violets, bramble fruit, liquorice and dark chocolate. Creamy, rich, intense and ripe with a sweet and savoury tang to the fruit. Supple and succulent, clearly concentrated with powerful tannins that have a soft plushness and grippy aspect but not dry – more powdery and mineral like grape skins with wet stone salinity. Clean and juicy, there’s a lovely purity, not too tannic despite the power underneath. Clean and well framed, there’s an air of opulence, really perfumed and striking but there’s also a sense of direction and focus. Nice energy and bold appeal. 30hl/ha.

The 2022 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is unequivocally the most backward on the nose and, despite aeration, it gives little away. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a keen line of acidity, quite creamy and lactic in style. Dark chocolate manifests towards the finish. Lavish new oak here, plush, but this bottle is just a bit cloying, hence my question mark. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.

Flowers, black raspberries, smoke, licorice, spice, mint, cocoa, and plums open the gorgeous perfume. On the palate, the wine is opulent, sensuous, rich, deep, and full. Flamboyant and intense, the wine coats your palate, lingers, and expands seamlessly for nearly 60 seconds. The blend is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% ABV. Harvesting took place from October 5 - October 15. Drink from 2028-2050.

The 2022 Château Tertre Rôteboeuf is gorgeous, and it has more than a passing resemblance to the 2010 (or is it the 2009?). Classic notes of black raspberries, sweet cassis, white chocolate, leafy tobacco, and spicy wood all shine here, and it's full-bodied on the palate, with flawless overall balance, ultra-fine tannins, and a finish that makes you salivate and keeps you coming back to the glass. It has the fruit to offer remarkable pleasure even today yet deserves 8-10 years of bottle age and will pretty much blow you away over the following 20-30 years.

Concentrated black-berry bouquet, exotic noble woods, Dominican tobacco, Alpine blueberry, chocolate pastilles. On the multilayered palate, a silky texture, balanced verve, depth, impressive extract richness and a noble mineral core. In the cascading, long finish: wild cherry, sloe juice, profound terroir spice and sublime astringency.

The bouquet evokes both the elegance of a gentleman and the exuberance of an opera singer, with very dark fruit, a rocky, slate-like minerality, and a captivating aromatic energy. On the palate, the wine loosens up a little, gently caresses the mouth, and becomes as comforting as a lullaby, at once melting and deep, with an exceptional depth of fruity, mineral and smoky flavors.

The nose is elegant, aromatic, melodious and delicate, with harmonious, balanced power. It reveals notes of Boysenberry, small fleshy and juicy fruits, and a lighter touch of roasted cherry. These aromas are joined by hints of crushed strawberry, a touch of bright blueberry, nutmeg, a subtle nuance of velvety saffron, cornflower, and a hint of elegant roast. There are also notes of toasted seed and delicate spices. The palate is beautifully guided, fresh, elegant, mineral, supple and airy. It shows both depth and density, yet always with great finesse. A fine creaminess weaves through it, with an elegant darkness, combined with roasted touches and Mediterranean nuances. We find notes of ripe blackcurrant, roasted strawberry and pulpy/juicy blue fruits on the palate. All accompanied by a hint of vanilla, toasted seed, aromatic herbs, chocolate, a touch of balsamic, black olive and mocha. The tannins are plush and flavorful. Good length, with a subtle saline note on the finish. The nose also offers a discreet hint of delicate sage and stevia. A lovely soft, savory, gourmand and toasted persistence. The wine’s brightness and sheen almost reveal a patinated, elegant side to the fruit.