Chateau Tour Saint Christophe St-Emilion Grand Cru 2020 (3pk)

The vineyard's terraced arrangement is highly unusual for Bordeaux, where most estates feature flat or gently rolling terrain. These narrow terraces overlook the Saint Laurent Valley and provide exceptional drainage through their southwest-facing clay and limestone soils. This distinctive topography, combined with the estate's location entirely within the prestigious Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation, creates a microclimate that enhances grape concentration and complexity.

This blend exemplifies the Right Bank Bordeaux style, where merlot dominates to provide lush fruit and approachable tannins, while cabernet franc adds structure and spice. The high proportion of merlot thrives in Saint-Emilion's clay soils, developing the wine's signature blackberry and plum characteristics. The cabernet franc component contributes the peppery notes and helps create the wine's lengthy finish, demonstrating how traditional Bordeaux blending enhances both immediate appeal and ageing potential.

The moderate use of new oak allows the wine's terroir and fruit character to shine while adding subtle complexity through cedar and spice notes. This restrained approach is typical of quality Saint-Emilion producers who prioritise elegance over power. The combination of concrete tanks and Bordeaux barrels during fermentation, followed by careful oak integration, creates the wine's textured, savoury profile while maintaining the fresh acidity that makes it food-friendly.

The 2020 Bordeaux vintage is considered exceptional due to ideal weather conditions that produced concentrated, well-balanced wines with excellent ageing potential. Critics like James Suckling and Jeb Dunnuck both awarded 96 points, recognising the wine's perfect harmony between power and finesse. The vintage's success, combined with Chateau Tour Saint Christophe's unique terraced vineyard and skilled winemaking, has created a wine that showcases both the estate's distinctive character and the vintage's outstanding quality.

Serve at 16-18°C after decanting for 30-60 minutes to allow the wine's complex aromatics of black cherry, tar, and leather to fully develop. The wine's full body and ripe tannins make it perfect for rich dishes like roasted lamb, aged beef, or game meats where the blackberry and pepper flavours can complement savoury preparations. Its textured, savoury style also pairs beautifully with mature cheeses and mushroom-based dishes that echo the wine's earthy complexity.