Château Tertre Roteboeuf 2003

The heady, open-knit, expansive, dark ruby/purple-tinged 2003 reveals notes of sweet chocolate and black cherry liqueur, along with low acidity, elevated alcohol and glycerin, and a loosely knit, nearly flabby style. It is a charming, sensual St.-Emilion to enjoy over the next 8–10 years.

Intense aromas of Indian spices, vanilla and chocolate with lots of berry. Full-bodied, round and silky with a long, gorgeous finish. Seductive. Best after 2009. 2,080 cases made.

One of the most distinctive wines made in 2003, although there is a relationship between its soft-edged style and that of Cheval Blanc this year. The rim looks remarkably evolved and the nose suggests great pruney ripeness and some evolution too. This particular wine was surely picked very late and has a quite different spectrum of superripe fruit flavours and (ripe) tannin quality from the rest of the St-Emilion pack. Yet it also has remarkable freshness. I found it was one of the very few St-Emilions I was tempted to swallow even at this early stage. (JR)

Good bright, dark red. Roasted aromas of dark berries, musky espresso and coffee. Dense and rich but sappy, with a chewy, tactile quality rare for a 2003 from the right bank. There's a roasted character to the exotic, sweet flavors of red fruits and tobacco, but also plenty of energy for the vintage. Boasts a voluptuous thickness of texture and finishes extremely long, with sweet tannins. The fruit became even more explosive as the wine opened in the glass. Still, I'd opt for enjoying this wine over the next decade.

Silky, ripe wild strawberries, cherry and raspberry sensations with sensuous textures and just a hint of dryness on the finish. This is still showing well, but there is no reason to hold it any longer as the fruit is only going to fade from here.

Matt, dark ruby, with a clearly brightening rim. Heavy-sweet, plummy bouquet with fig tones, malt, coffee roast notes, hints of Port. On the palate, too, heavy and thick: dark caramel, malt notes outweighing the wine’s typical aromas, cold tea, Bounty notes; at the core, the extract shows finely bitter, robust notes that ultimately contribute to a certain breed. A polarizing wine with addictive potential.

04: 32 barriques. Brightening garnet. Open, heavy bouquet with coffee aromas, plum tones and a hint of curry, notes of game and olive. On the palate soft, velvety, showing very deep acidity; malty finish that feels somewhat one‑dimensional; cold coffee on the finish. A thick wine that somehow makes you tired. Already enjoyable as a barrel sample. 04: During my visit for the en primeur tasting, I counted only 35 barriques in the cellar, where more than 100 small oak casks are usually stacked. Luminous garnet; showing medium depth. Nutty, chocolaty bouquet with pronounced malt notes, cooked plums and an underlying, discreet, almost heavy sweetness; also a hint of volatile acidity. On the palate again these very warm, opulent malt notes, but also an illogical, almost sharp acidity; praline aroma, hefty tannins, reductive note and a tendency to mature quickly. The power potential is great, but the acid profile seems a bit too low. A wine that is hard to assess and above all lacks freshness. (16/20). 07: Dull, dark wine red with a clearly brightening rim. Heavy‑sweet, plummy bouquet, fig notes, malt, coffee‑roast tones, Port nuances. Also heavy and thick on the palate, dark caramel; the malt notes outweigh the actual wine aromas; cold tea, Bounty notes; at the core the extract shows finely bitter, hearty notes that ultimately contribute to a certain verve. A polarizing wine that could also be suitable for the drug trade – due to its addictive potential.

Dense, sweet, warm, deep bouquet with herbs, hay, dried fruits, dried plums, eucalyptus, vanilla. Sweet, velvety, rich, dense, opulent, sweet palate with generous fruit, a dense, broad structure, plenty of fine tannins, Amarone. Very long, dense, sweet finish. 19/20 drink - 2020

The colour on this 2003 remains a vibrant ruby red, with the smoky swirl of grilled sandalwood and incense that you always find in Tertre Roteboeuf fully on display in the aromatics. Baked plum and sweetened strawberry fruits with cocoa bean, saffron and cloves are set against the freshness of pomegranate, orange peel, smoked earth, and creamy cappuccino. The low 14 hl/ha yield is a sign of the hot conditions of the vintage, and although this is at a beautiful moment to drink, it shows no sign of dropping, instead feeling like it is just settling in. 100% new oak. François Mitjavile, owner.

In a very hot year, the cooler, later-ripening terroir of Tertre made it possible to produce a giant—yet a civilized giant—with an aristocratic bearing and a regal texture.