Château du Tertre 2015

Noticeably bitter, but not angular, with distinctive character and great class: that’s exactly why we like it.

Gorgeous sandalwood, rooibos tea and warm raspberry aromas lead off, with silky and refined waves of cassis, blackberry preserves and black currant paste flowing through. The long, silky finish is laden with melted licorice, mesquite and iron notes. Best from 2022 through 2035. 13,333 cases made.

This sister property to Château Giscours is firing on all cylinders with this wine. Rich, full of black-currant fruit and dark tannins, it is dense while also supple. It has excellent aging potential and should not be drunk before 2024.

Full of a late summer evening feel, where the sense of exuberance fits the sheer languid sexiness of the thing. This has smoky oak, rich blueberries and charcoal. The ripe fruit is not precise so much as enticing; it's an unhurried and extremely beguiling wine.

A rich and layered red with dark-berry and chocolate character. Full-bodied, round and juicy with supple tannins. Delicious finish of spices and walnuts. Generous yet fresh. So approachable now but better in 2021.

The 2015 du Tertre is a firm, potent wine with plenty of energy and overall drive. As it did from barrel, the bottled 2015 comes across as lacking a bit of mid-palate depth, which makes the wine its rather compact feel. There is good nuance to the savory, earthy flavors, but I would like to see a little more fruit and overall depth. Even so, the 2015 is an attractive wine with plenty of character. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot.

Juicy, sweet, and most important, round and silky, the wine feels as good as it tastes. With its satin characteristics, here, there is a charm, and even sexiness you have no trouble spotting all the way through to the spicy red fruits in the finish.

Deep ruby with purple reflections and subtle rim brightening. Fine nuances of ripe cherry, delicate oak savouriness and a hint of orange zest, an inviting bouquet. Juicy and well balanced, fine red berry nuances, silky tannins, good freshness, remains lasting, mineral and freshly structured, a multifaceted, delicate food companion.

Extremely dark purple with lilac and violet highlights. The darkest color since I started tasting du Tertre. A finely layered bouquet with lots of red berries and a hint of cassis. Sublimely sweet on the second pass. On the palate, a velvety texture; in terms of fruit, a brimming basket of berries; a regal finish. This is a sensational Margaux delicacy. Best du Tertre ever! Proof of the exceptionally high level of this appellation. The Grand Cru sensation of this vintage. Anyone who doesn’t buy should stop reading my further tasting notes.

Extremely dark purple with lilac and violet highlights. The darkest color since I’ve tasted du Tertre. A finely layered bouquet showing plenty of red berries and also a hint of blackcurrant. Sublimely sweet on the second pass. On the palate, a velvety texture—truly a basket of berries in terms of fruit expression, finishing royally. This is a sensational Margaux delicacy. Best du Tertre ever! Proof of the absolutely high level of this appellation. The Grand Cru sensation of this vintage. Anyone who doesn’t buy should stop reading my further tasting notes. (19/20). 18: Clear wine-red, brightening, with a fine rim. A wonderful fruity bouquet, a touch of grenadine, raspberries and redcurrants. It feels fresh and almost perfumed. On the palate it takes on Burgundian contours: fine substance, well-supporting acidity, intact, well-matched tannins. A wine that is not yet fully approachable and pulls back toward the middle. Still, I believe it won’t take all that long before it reaches its first maturity. (18/20).

Reserved, herbaceous bouquet with red and blue berries, tobacco and vanilla. Silky, well-balanced palate with delicate fruit, good tannins, an elegant structure, a powerful, sweet aromatic profile, and a long, refined finish. Can still improve. 17/20 2022 - 2038

The 2015 du Tertre is medium to deep garnet colored. It flies from the glass with energetic redcurrant jelly and kirsch scents, leading to hints of dried roses, sauteed herbs, and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is elegant and refreshing, with delicate red berry layers on the finish.

The nose is refined, generous, and beautifully fruity. This lovely expression carries through on the palate. The saline finish is mouthwatering, lifted by a hint of toast.

Deep colour. Lovely blackberry nose of great purity. The wine is supple, light, elegant and persistent, with a fine, long finish. A great success.

Ruby red with garnet highlights. A bouquet that truly expresses its terroir, with a touch of freshness and spice. I pick up a hint of graphite, dark berries and dried herbs. The attack mirrors the aromatic profile well. The palate is balanced, juicy and already very approachable. Rounded tannins that integrate nicely with the structure. A very successful wine to enjoy in its youth, with real potential. A persistent finish.

Deep, intense color. Moderately aromatic nose, fruity and slightly reductive. Decant it. Supple on the attack, juicy on the mid-palate, flavorful; the wine settles in the middle of the palate before stretching out into the finish, with no harsh tannic edge, refined and full of flavor. It’s very good.