Château Balestard La Tonnelle: Tasting & Drinking
As I hint in my introduction, Château Balestard La Tonnelle has certainly had its admirers over the years. Writing in Bordeaux (Faber & Faber, 1991), David Peppercorn opined that Balestard as was one of a number of crus which were “consistently successful and achieving high standards“, before later going on to state that the estate yields an “attractive and enjoyable wine, with charm and breed“. And writing in Bordeaux: A Comprehensive Guide (Dorling Kindersley, third edition, 1998) Robert Parker clearly wasn’t interested in sitting on the fence when he described Balestard La Tonnelle as a “perennial overachiever” that was “capable of producing fine wines“.
Looking at recent vintages, usually assessed during the primeur tastings, the wines of Château Balestard La Tonnelle certainly have a distinctive style, one that can be traced rather like the Capdemourlin line of inheritance, a style passed from one vintage to the next.
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