Château Tertre Roteboeuf 1994

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château Tertre Roteboeuf 1994

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a deep ruby hue with damson highlights.

Nose

The bouquet unfolds gradually, revealing aromas of toasted herbs interwoven with notes of black cherry, plum, fig and blackcurrant. Touches of chocolate and earthy nuances add further complexity to the whole.

Palate

On the palate, this wine is medium-bodied with ripe yet perceptible tannins. The structure stands out for its excellent definition and fine purity, leading into a long, lingering finish with mineral accents.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with roasted or braised red meats, game birds, and dishes featuring wild mushrooms. It also matches very well with aged hard cheeses.

Service and storage

Château Tertre Roteboeuf 1994 is best served at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. About one hour of aeration allows the wine to fully express its aromatic complexity.

A full-bodied, aromatic Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

The estate

Located in Saint-Laurent-des-Combes in the Saint-Émilion appellation, Château Tertre Roteboeuf spans 6 hectares of hillside vineyards on south/south-east-facing clay-limestone soils. Taken over in the late 1970s by François Mitjavile, who now runs the estate with his wife Émilie, the property produces around 27,000 bottles per year. The distinctive character of this Bordeaux wine lies in its artisanal approach to viticulture: very low-trained vines, cover cropping, late hand-harvesting, fermentation without added yeasts and extended aging in new oak barrels, revealing the most accomplished expression of the wines from Bordeaux’s hillsides.

The vineyard

The Château Tertre Roteboeuf vineyard covers around 6 hectares of clay-limestone hillsides arranged like an amphitheater in Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, at the heart of the Saint-Émilion appellation. This distinctive setting provides optimal exposure and an exceptional terroir. The vines, farmed using sustainable practices with permanent cover cropping, are pruned very low to benefit from the warmth of the soil. Deliberately limited yields produce grapes of remarkable concentration.

The vintage

The year 1994 in Bordeaux proved challenging for winegrowers. After a promising start to the season with an early spring and a hot, dry summer, heavy rains arrived in September during harvest. Fortunately, temperatures remained cool, limiting the risk of rot. Right Bank estates, whose Merlot ripens earlier, were able to harvest before the most significant rainfall, resulting in wines of fine quality despite the difficult conditions.

Winemaking and aging

Château Tertre Roteboeuf 1994 was crafted using the traditional methods dear to François Mitjavile. Fermentation took place under rigorous temperature control, maintained at around 35°C. Aging then continued for 18 to 22 months in French oak barrels, with regular rackings to refine the tannic structure and develop the wine’s aromatic complexity.

Grape varieties

Merlot (85%)
Cabernet franc (15%)