CHATEAU ENCLOS TOURMALINE Pomerol 2021 Bottle
Red Still Wine | France | Bordeaux | Pomerol | 75cl
£99.95
ABV: 13.5%
Size: 75cl
Closure Type: Cork
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Sub-Region: Pomerol
Grape: Merlot
Description
Château Enclos Tourmaline, a tiny, revered micro-estate in Pomerol, is celebrated for its exquisite, pure Merlot expressions. The 2021 vintage was a challenging but ultimately rewarding year in Bordeaux, delivering wines with notable freshness, aromatic precision, and elegant structures, thanks to meticulous vineyard work.
Comprising 100% Merlot, this rare Pomerol offers a beautifully fragrant aroma of fresh black plum, crushed violets, and subtle truffle notes. On the palate, it delivers a masterclass in finesse and purity. Silky, perfectly integrated tannins cradle vibrant red berry flavours, seamlessly lifted by a bright, refreshing acidity that defines the vintage. The finish is remarkably long, pure, and energetic, showcasing profound terroir expression and promising graceful evolution.
A Deeper Dive;
Chateau Enclos Tourmaline
Château Enclos Tourmaline, while a relatively recent addition to Pomerol's storied landscape, has swiftly carved out a formidable reputation, earning the moniker of a "garage wine" due to its incredibly limited production and an almost obsessive focus on quality. This micro-estate is propelled by a dream team, a consortium featuring the influential Jean-Luc Thunevin, alongside the highly respected consulting enologist Jean-Philippe Fort and technical director Michel Mallard – the very luminaries behind the acclaimed Château Coraline. Nestled on the famed Pomerol plateau, its minuscule 0.65-hectare vineyard is a treasure trove of classic clay and gravel soils, a terroir perfectly suited to coaxing the finest expressions from Merlot grapes.
Though its first vintage emerged in 2008, it was from 2009 that the wine proudly bore the Château Enclos Tourmaline name, quickly establishing itself as a beacon of modern Pomerol. The winemaking philosophy here is a meticulous blend of high-end techniques and profound respect for the land, employing practices like small fermentation tanks and extensive new French oak. This approach is not merely about facts and figures, but about crafting pure, unadulterated Merlot; wines that are celebrated for their exquisite intensity, displaying remarkable concentration, velvety texture, and an aromatic complexity that speaks volumes of their unique origin. Consequently, these wines are produced in such extraordinarily limited quantities that they remain highly sought-after, rare jewels in the crown of Pomerol.
DECANTER - 93 Points
Tasted by: Georgina Hindle (at Bordeaux, 01 Apr 2022)
Drinking Window: 2026 - 2049
"Some blueberries, pomegranate and black cherry aromas on the nose, with hints of vanilla alongside some beautiful perfumed notes. Succulent and mouthfilling with a bright juiciness that hits the tongue and sides of the mouth. The fruit is a little high toned, with some spiked edges from the wood spice - toast and clove. Really quite tightly knitted at the moment, such tension - you can feel the Pomerol glamour with the intensity of flavour and aroma but it's direct at the moment with lashings of austerity from the acidity and mineral tones at the end. Structured and characterful - one to watch with lots of promise. First vintage 2012, then new plots were added 2014 to total 1.2ha with vines near Clinet on on the plateau near La Fleur-Pétrus and one between Le Pin and Trotanoy. Less than 2,000 bottles produced in 2021, down by almost two-thirds."
You may also be interested in
JAMES SUCKLING - 95 Points
"Iron, warm-stone minerals with blood oranges, plums and thyme. A fuller expression from the vintage, showing fine minerals and a tight-grained finish. Vertical and extensive, with lots of polish. Excellent concentration. Drinkable now, but much better from 2026."