Tertre Rôteboeuf 2015

The heat of the year is certainly apparent here - as is the alcohol on the finish - but this is awine that has plenty of structure and aromatic complexity too. It’s somewhere between a redBurgundy and a McLaren Vale Grenache in style. A total one-off. Drink: 2020-28

This is the fourth wine from the estate which I tasted (see L’Aurage, Domaine de Cambes and Roc de Cambes q.v.)and they all share fruit density and glossiness which must be the envy of the entire region’s wine wizards. That this isachieved with such sensuality and poise is completely beyond me. This wine is divisible into a million different elements and a large quantity of these err on the dark fruit side of the kaleidoscope (like many Saint-Emilions in 2015). But the range and incidence of other elements in this wine is what makes it such a compelling proposition. To name but a fraction of these sensations is foolish, but I am up for it, so here we go. Each of these is starkly obvious for a moment and then it’s gone into the swirling vortex and every time I go back to the glass I find more. Soft liquorice, hoisin, black Kiwi parade boot polish, homemade cranberry sauce, cinnamon sticks, freshly-sawn wood, barely ripe tiny red plums, William Curley’s raspberry & toscano chocolates and on and on. The vast majority of these flavours come and go so quickly I cannot stand a chance of pinning them down. Many other great wines from this part of the world have three or four standout flavours - this wine has thousands. With stupendously fit tannins and racy acidity allowing this wine to stand proud it is one of the most memorable wines of the vintage.

The 2015 Le Tertre Roteboeuf delivered the goods in barrel and now in bottle it knocks you sideways with a deliriously gorgeous bouquet that is so pure and refined: macerated small black cherries, violets and iris all with a mineral-driven undertow. The palate is medium-bodied with a beautiful, svelte texture that belies the backbone of this Tertre Roteboeuf. There is enormous density and volume here, but it is barely noticeable due to the exquisite balance and the freshness that pours out on the finish. What an outstanding wine from François Mitjavile. Brilliant. Anticipated maturity: 2023 - 2050.

The 2015 Le Tertre Roteboeuf was picked between 8 and 12 October, François Mitjavile alternating his pickers between here and Roc de Cambes. Like his other 2015s, there is a nascent Burgundy-like allure on the nose that is beguiling in purity and beautifully defined, with scents of small dark cherries, Indian ink and a touch of cassis, an undertow of minerals that will surely become more perceptible as the wine ages in bottle. The palate is harmonious and animated. You are immediately taken by the fineness of the tannin and its velvety smooth texture. It just glides effortlessly along, extremely persistent and tensile on the finish. This will be irresistible once in bottle, and yet there is the substance to see it age for many years. Yes - it's just a little bit magical. Drink 2020-2045

The 2015 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is deep garnet-purple in color with a gorgeous nose of baked cherries, warm plums, crème de cassis and mulberries with touches of rare beef, violets, mocha, Chinese five spice and fertile loam. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and with firm, grainy tannins, it has seamless freshness and a very long, spicy finish. This is wonderfully seamless and harmonious.

More nerve on the nose than the other wines in this stable. Very rich and round but with a structure. Very sweet but the tannins are much suppler. Spice and roundness on the palate. Something slightly brûlée but still very fresh. What fun!Drink 2023-2038