Tertre Roteboeuf

Tertre Rôteboeuf

Classification: Grand Cru
Tertre Rôteboeuf lies in the commune St.Laurent-des-Combes, south east of the town of Saint Émilion and is a small vigneron's house built in the 18^th century. The property is situated on a steep slope on the edge of a limestone plateau. The name of the vineyard refers to the time many centuries ago before grapes were grown on the land and cattle grazed on the hillside. Tertre Rôteboeuf has a cult following and there is an enormous demand for its wines. The superb wines are typical of a small production Vins de Garage.

Francois Mitjavile took over Tertre Roteboeuf in 1978 having come late in life to wine making. He worked for 2 years at Château Figeac learning his trade and is also the owner of Roc de Cambes. His breakthrough on the wine scene was 1985 vintage. A new cult-wine was born, and since then the quality has kept on improving. Tertre Roteboeuf can easily compete with Premiers Grand Cru Classés in Saint-Émilion . Mitjavile dropped the appendage “Château” from his wines in 1994 preferring to opt for a more simplistic and modern approach.

The vineyards of Tertre Rôteboeuf cover 14 acres and lie on remarkable soils. Over the limestone bedrock there are layered 4 – 5 different kinds of clay, including a green/blue clay deposit. The grapes grown are 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. The vines are on average 50 years old. This combination of subsoil is described as “cold soil”, because clay needs a long time to be warmed up which means that the grapes take the maximum advantage of the sun and reach perfect maturity very late in the season. Yields are kept very low and consequently this is one of the most concentrated wines to be found in Bordeaux. This “extra-maturity” is vital for the acidity and tannin to soften without losing structure. The extraordinary results taste every bit as good from the barrel as they do from the bottle after a decade or more.

Wine Style
The wines of Tertre Rôteboeuf are richly aromatic and are crammed with blackcurrants, caramel, black cherries, liquorice and vanilla. They are complex, well balanced, silky, sophisticated and sensual.

Owner: Francois Mitjavile
Chateau Website: www.tertre-roteboeuf.com
Oenologist: Francois Mitjavile