Winemaker Notes
Blend: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
Complex aromas burst through, refined sleek oak overlaying herbaceous dark fruits and a savoury iron background. Black plums and cherries dominate the spicy cocoa palate, with crystalline minerality and a long, confident, peppery, finish.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
My passion for Bordeaux began as a young wine guy. I was in my early 20s. I had just got indoctrinated with some of California's finest 1973 Cabernet Sauvignons—I will never forget the magical Caymus Vineyard that I first retailed for $5.00 a bottle (it was on an introductory post-off). As the years went on, I just fell in love with the wines from both the Médoc and the Right Bank. As I grew up, I ended more and more in the Saint-Émilion camp. The 2014 Les Terrasses de Saint Christophe is a damn fine wine. The wine is smooth, satiny, revels with delectable red currants. The wine's crisp finish pairs it well with a piping hot, lightly-seasoned rotisserie chicken. I encourage all of you to imbibe the Grand Crus of Saint-Émilion. (Tasted: November 9, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
-
James Suckling
I like the aromas of blackberries, mushrooms and bark that flow through to a palate with a medium body, fine-grained tannins and a fresh finish. A thoroughly delicious wine from Château Tour Saint Christophe.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.