The Mitjavile Portfolio, 2016
If there is one thing about a tasting at Château Tertre- Roteboeuf that is certain it is this; it’s very unlikely that you will be tasting alone. Even if proprietor François Mitjavile is tout seul when you arrive, you can be sure that it won’t be long before some other thirsty drinker of Bordeaux – with an appointment, naturally – pitches up. On this occasion I arrived to find François holding court on the lawn of the château, the attentive group sitting on the low wall around him a mix of visitors from Israel and France.
My appointment was to taste the 2013s, and this François and I did together after his other guests had departed. Before doing so, however, I took advantage of their presence to taste a few other bottles that had been opened to lubricate their visit, as well as a couple of 2014 barrel samples.
The Wines
Starting first with the 2014 vintage, drawn from barrel (pictured), the Château Tertre-Roteboeuf was a delight, showing lovely purity of fruit with pencil-drawn definition, but with the fine freshness that this vintage tends to display. A good alternative for those on a slightly tighter budget (like me), however, would be the 2014 Roc de Cambes, which shows slightly darker fruit and a classically firm, limestone grip. This is clearly a good vintage for François.
