Tertre Roteboeuf

William Kelley 94-96:"The 2021 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is extremely promising, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries, mulberries and plums mingled with subtle hints of spices, raw cocoa, espresso roast and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless, it's deep and concentrated, with a layered, sensual mid-palate that's supple and lively, concluding with a long, expansive finish. This is just the sort of vintage that François Mitjaville excels in, and it is worth a special effort to seek out. François Mitjaville characterizes the 2021 vintage, with its poor flowering—and correspondingly heterogenous maturity—and cold, humid summer, as the vintage he has found most difficult to understand in his entire career as a winemaker. "Two weeks ago, I still didn't know what to make of them," he confided, "but I am coming to see that the wines are rather supple and gourmand, almost Burgundian, and the bright red fruit we saw during the vinification is modulating to richer, darker red-black fruit flavors." Bordeaux as a whole, he observes—and I can't resist quoting an observation that so succinctly characterizes the region today—is becoming more courageous (willing to wait to harvest ripe grapes) but also more restrained (with regards to extraction). I have to admit that I thought Mitjaville would excel in 2021; indeed, he's often at his best in years other growers find challenging. And his 2021s didn't disappoint. Supple, sensual and incipiently complex, these are gourmand, fleshy wines with an almost Burgundian profile, with melting tannins and rather high pHs around 3.65. Mitjaville himself, who aspires—in his own words—"to make expressive, not impressive wines," should be very pleased with what he has achieved."robertparker.com 04.2022