Château Tertre-Roteboeuf: Tasting & Drinking
The wines of Château Tertre-Roteboeuf are exciting, there is no doubt about that. I have not tasted a grand procession of the wines through the vintages, and thus cannot see first-hand how the estate and the man behind it have developed over the years. But tasting the most recent vintages, as well as more mature wines from ‘lesser’ vintages, I see an exquisite quality in the wines. This is a very different style of St Emilion. The fruit character is different, and the texture is different, hardly surprising when taking into account François’ dislike of the prevailing style in St Emilion today.
But there is more to it that that; the wines have an energy and definition that is hard to find in any but the very best wines. They are supple, elegant, yet clean-lined and poised. They are also, naturally, expensive. When, a few days after my visit, I described François to one Bordeaux château-proprietor as a “something of a philosopher“, the reply was “ah well, of course, he can afford to be“. Looking at the prices of his wines at retail, I see that indeed he can. (28/8/12)
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