Château Tertre Roteboeuf 2019

The 2019 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is a terrific success from the Mitjaville family. This amphitheatrical vineyard on the clay-limestone slopes of Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, planted with low, cordon-trained vines, has delivered a striking wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of cassis, blackberries and cherries mingled with notions of violets, cigar box, sweet spices and loamy soil. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, velvety tannins and lively acids, it will richly reward a decade and more of bottle age. Interestingly, proprietor François Mitjaville contended that 2019's distribution of rainfall had tended to invert the usual stylistic distinction between Tertre Roteboeuf and Roc de Cambes, his wine from the Côtes de Bourg; yet, on the day of our tasting, geology trumped weather, because as usual the former was more sensual, the latter blockier and more structured.

The 2019 Tertre-Rôteboeuf has an intriguing bouquet that requires some time to open in the glass, revealing a mixture of red and black fruit, enticing scents of melted tar and black truffle, and a touch of licorice, the latter becoming more and more noticeable with aeration. The medium-bodied palate delivers pliant tannins, sensual, slightly savory red fruit mixed with white pepper, sage and red peppercorns, and a touch of tobacco on the finish. This fans out wonderfully, lingering long in the mouth. Superb.

A big blast of black raspberries, truffle, black plums, black cherries, chocolate, licorice, earth, and spice on the nose and on the lusciously textured, powerful, full, rich palate. Long, expansive, mouth-filling, and packed with earthy, sweet black raspberries with concentration, length, complexity, and a unique character that makes you want to learn more about the wine, prompting sip after sip. Drink from 2025-2049.

Purple with ruby highlights. A beguiling start with fresh Alpine blueberries, chocolate pastilles and exotic woods. On the second approach, fresh raspberry jam and damson liqueur. On the powerful palate, this charmer explodes with silky texture, plenty of elegance and incredible fruit concentration. In the catapult-like finish, Darjeeling notes, freshly cooked plums and Tahitian vanilla. With François Mitjavile you must always be prepared for anything, but with this vintage he has created a monument to himself. It reminds me of the 2010 vintage with an extra touch of elegance. For François, the onset of rain in September (a total of 69 mm) was responsible for this aromatic expression, the polyphenols were literally soaked and the structure graceful yet dense. Only the highest score is possible here. World class!

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Tertre Roteboeuf slowly unfurls to offer profound scents of stewed black plums, boysenberry preserves, and fruit cake, followed by suggestions of Indian spices, Ceylon tea, and fallen leaves with a touch of iron ore. The full-bodied palate is simply magic, featuring a beautiful core of black fruit preserves accented by loads of mineral and earthy sparks and framed by velvety tannins, finishing very long and fragrant. Stunning. “We have wines of a certain opulence in this 2019,” said owner Francois Mitjavile of the vintage. “It is quite like a type of exotic cake. We want to express the full vintage; this is why we don't make second wines. I think these express the vintage well.”

Beautiful vitality in the hedonistically velvety tannins of this 2019. Obvious nobility of bouquet and taste. A vintage that fits the cru like a glove.

The still-imperious oak masks the deeper dimension of this cru, with its dense, unbridled black fruit. Still marked by the particular vinification, the wine hasn’t quite broken free of its corset; it will need time to evolve.

The nose is elegant, harmonious and fresh, with juicy fruit, lovely expressive fruit, depth, and an elegant toasted edge. It reveals notes of fleshy/juicy blackberry (pushing the limit of overripeness), raspberry, and, more subtly, crushed red berries/currants, joined by fine hints of damson plum, cocoa, camphor, a subtle touch of pepper, a discreet hint of roasted oak, and a subtle note of sweet blond tobacco and licorice (in the background). The palate is fruity, balanced and elegant, offering juiciness, fleshiness, gourmandise, fullness, a zesty backbone, refined fleshiness, and carefully controlled richness (meticulously rendered). Plenty of gourmandise and a lovely, seductive side. A charming profile, ample and voluminous yet full of grace.