CHÂTEAU LE TERTRE RÔTEBOEUF

2021 Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion

EN PRIMEUR

One of my best scoring wines En Primeur in this challeging vintage, and absolutely delivering now in bottle. Juicy damson and cassis fruits, drawn out tannins that are fine but with grip, orange peel, blueberry, cassis, smoked earth, cloves and liqourice bud. Grilled cedar swirls through the palate, adding sweetness but well matched by the fruit, and this has layers of flavour, with the acidity of the vintage turned into sappy lift. Grapes destemmed but not crushed, 16% press wine, 100% new oak and 100% 1st wine, as ever. Rating: 95 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Nov 2023)

* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.

85 Merlot, 15 Cabernet Franc | 100% new oak same style and toasting as Aurage and Roc de Cambes | 13.7% alc There is such a beguiling nose here it is extraordinary. While the wines here are always fascinating, there is a coolness and precision here that is compelling and rather than a diminution of experience, it serves to control and focus the palate to unusual results. The oak notes, in particular, are almost invisible on the nose. The fruit is so sleek and so smooth that it refuses to allow the oak to emerge from its core. The balance is remarkable, and the finish gently scours the palate, scruffing the taste buds and gently coaxing them back into action for the next sip. TR21 is a perfumer’s best friend! The fruit notes and spices are familiar if you are a fan. The rose petal, mulberry, wild cherry, hedgerow-plucked blackberries and even faint hints of peach kernel and violet details are all sensational. Rating: 18.5 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Jun 2022)

It's a brave estate that makes 100% 1st wine in the 2021 vintage, but Tertre Rotebeouf is perfectly placed on south-facing slopes, with obsessive attention to detail in the vineyard from the Mitjavile family. One to look out for, this has rich aromatics, a touch of reduction, fleshy black cherry, smoked earth, powerful liquorice bud, rose petals and clove spice, expanding through the mid palate. Works both in terms of the estate signature and in showcasing the potential of the 2021 vintage for sculpted but still concentrated wines in the right spots. Brilliant stuff. No crushing of the grapes here but full destemming, no cold soaks, 16% press wine, 100% new oak. Drinking range: 2026 - 2040 Rating: 95 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2022)

The 2021 Tertre-Rôteboeuf was tasted directly from barrel à la Bourgogne. (Why don't more châteaux do this, if logistically convenient?) It has a comparatively less explosive, gourmand bouquet compared to vintages that I have tasted at this stage in recent years, featuring dark berries, hints of blueberry, iris flower and an underlying mineralité that only surfaces after 3–4 minutes in the glass. The harmonious palate is an absolute stunner. It delivers brilliant delineation and purity, one of the most energetic Tertre-Rôtebouefs that I have encountered, and a dash of black pepper on the finish. I have to confess: I had to have a sneaky sip of this. Drinking range: 2029 - 2055 Rating: 94-96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2022)

The 2021 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is a wine very much in its style, which means deep, fleshy and unctuous. Black cherry, gravel, chocolate, cloves and menthol infuse the 2021 deep layers of intensity that build in the glass. Even in 2021, Tertre-Rôteboeuf is a wine of real texture and dynamism. As always, Tertre-Rôteboeuf is an exotic, quirky wine that exists in its own little world, and what a beautiful world that is. Drinking range: 2031 - 2061 Rating: 94-96 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2022)

The 2021 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is extremely promising, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries, mulberries and plums mingled with subtle hints of spices, raw cocoa, espresso roast and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless, it's deep and concentrated, with a layered, sensual mid-palate that's supple and lively, concluding with a long, expansive finish. This is just the sort of vintage that François Mitjaville excels in, and it is worth a special effort to seek out. Rating: 94-96 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)

The cellar at Tertre Rôteboeuf is something to behold. Dark, unpretentious with vine roots growing along the walls - it's the complete opposite of the grandeur experienced at other Right Bank Châteaux. Very refreshing indeed. It is a slice of the best sort of Burgundian charm nestled amongst the local grandees. Francois Mitjavile has the air of a chaotic creative - but this cellar is beautifully ordered and he fashions wines of stunning beauty here, aromatic and wonderfully complex. Year after year. This 6HA property remains a hard to get hold of Cult classic and a visit here is a real highlight of our annual trip to the region. In 1987 he purchased a second property in the Côtes de Bourg, Roc des Cambes. The wines here share much of the family feel and are well worth hunting out too.

Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.

Ordering

Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.

Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.

Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.

Confirmation

All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.

Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.

Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.

Delivery

  • Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
  • Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
  • Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
  • Delivery of 2022 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2025. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.

Practical notes - how it works

We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.

Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.

Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.

One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-

  • +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
  • +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
  • +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
  • +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
  • +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
  • +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.

Storage Options:

Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2025. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.