As ever an outlier - with the highest pH among reds tasted in Bordeaux this vintage (3.9!), according to Henri Mitjavile, who drew a sample from a new oak barrel in the dark cellar - this 14.5% alcohol red is a winner! Savoury aromas include violet, aniseed, black cherry skin, and freshness in the form of eucalyptus. 'We harvested late so a bit of a Mediterranean style', he said. But the difference with 2022 is superior freshness, as the ripe and vivid dark and red fruit, delivered in velvety tannins, also comes with quite a bit of energy. Grapes in 2022 had lost 20% of their weight so you felt concentration that was very ripe, but in this vintage, a more even ripening over a longer period of time conveys more balance for this richer style of St-Emilion. Long finish. (PK)

The 2023 Château Tertre Roteboeuf certainly shines in the vintage, offering a textbook perfume of sweet cassis, vanilla bean, toasted spice, tobacco, and lead pencil nuances. Beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated, with ripe yet present tannins, it shines for its purity and elegance just as much as its concentration. As always, the Mitjavile team has produced a beautiful, singular wine.

The 2023 Tertre Rôteboeuf was picked from September 26 with a normal duration of picking. It has a typical bouquet for this Saint-Émilion that plays by its own rules: black cherries, dark chocolate, a touch of melted tar and licorice, well-defined and actually gaining precision as it opens in the glass. The palate is very smooth and a little savory in style, displaying hints of meat juices and white pepper, almost garrigue-like toward the finish. There's an appealing dash of black pepper on the aftertaste that seems to linger temptingly. Those who love this Chateau will love the 2023. (NM)