Château Tour des Termes

2020 Saint-Julien AOC Cru Bourgeois Supérieur

Saint-Estèphe is not for the faint of heart. Of the four major Haut-Médoc crus, it always struck me as the wine-for-people-who-like-wine, often supplying the most brooding flavours, demanding the most attentiveness, and paying the biggest dividends for patience. 2020 was a wonderful vintage to break that mould a touch and let in a sliver of light for the uninitiated, and doesn't Tour des Termes break it well! This is the ideal entry point for the drinker looking for Saint-Estèphe typicity and age-worthiness but wants to experience the glories of this terroir at an earlier stop in the road. The 2020 vintage is an eventful one for Château Tour des Termes as it coincides with Mssr. Anney's promotion to Cru Bourgeois Supérieur after decades of labouring to elevate this humble Château to its full potential. And the wine proves why it the promotion is so deserved. The nose has this super seductive quality: fresh blueberry, plum liqueur, peach sorbet, and sandalwood. The palate delivers as promised but also speaks to what's ahead if you can muster the willpower not to drink it all up, there's more fresh blueberry and plum but with this dense dark chocolate and cherry note with gorgeously integrated oak spice. A very well made and moreish wine from a terroir surrounded on three sides by famous neighbours but going for half the price. Drinking window: 2025-2040. Consulting enologist: Hubert de Boüard. 15 months in French oak barriques, 50% new. Terra Vitis and HVE3 certified. 92JA 92WCI 89-91WA.

Dried flowers, cedar, tobacco leaf, espresso, blackberries, and currants create the engaging perfume. The palate offers a nice blast of ripe, sweet, round, and fresh, chewy. black currants, ripe tannins, and a touch of sea salt with cocoa in the finish. This is a very nice wine that savvy Bordeaux lovers should take a serious look at. Drink from 2024-2040. 92, Jeff Leve, thewinecellarinsider.com

"Plump, dark fruits, good St Estèphe typicity, understated at first, then opens up to show chocolate and slate, great example of the vintage in this appellation. Anney family, 23ha, Terra Vitis. Drink 2026-2036." 92 Jane Anson, janeanson.com