CHATEAU TOUR SAINT CHRISTOPHE Rouge Grand Cru Classe Saint-Emilion 2023 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Château Tour Saint Christophe 2023 opens with presence: dark plum, black cherry and damson with violet and rose petal, while graphite, warm cedar and toasted spice provide a savoury underpinning. Aeration reveals crushed bay, dried herbs and a hint of cured meat. Medium–full-bodied, it offers a plush entry, bright acidity and finely grained tannins that support without drying. Concentrated glossy dark fruit is framed by black olive and discreet liquorice thread; the mid-palate shows dark chocolate, mocha and baking spice, while a chalky mineral seam and saline thread drive a precise finish. Drink with decanting or cellar ten–fifteen years. Critics: James Suckling 95–96 (“salty undertones…very fine, velvety tannins”); Decanter 94 (“vivid floral notes, bright cherry, plum and wet stone”). Recommended.

ABOUT THIS WINE
Château Tour Saint Christophe Rouge Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Émilion 2023 opens with immediate presence, a ripe, polished right-bank expression that balances Merlot generosity with Cabernet Franc lift. The bouquet offers dark plum, black cherry and damson, threaded with ripe blackberry and a fresh floral note of violet and rose petal, while graphite, warm cedar and a faint toasted spice provide a savoury underpinning. With gentle aeration, crushed bay, dried herbs and a subtle undercurrent of cured meat emerge, adding complexity and a clear sense of terroir.

On the palate the 2023 is medium to full bodied, delivering a plush entry and bright natural acidity that keeps the profile lively. Primary fruit is concentrated and pure, glossy dark berry and plum framed by black olive and a discreet liquorice twist. The mid-palate unfolds in layered fashion, showing dark chocolate, mocha and a warm baking spice from measured oak élevage, while a chalky mineral seam and saline thread give drive and precision to the finish. Tannins are finely grained and well judged, providing structure without drying, the overall texture combining density with tensile energy.

Viticulture and vinification in 2023 emphasised selective parcel picking and small-lot fermentations to preserve aromatic lift in a vintage that combined warm ripening with intermittent cooler spells. At Tour Saint Christophe the team applied gentle extraction, cool to moderate fermentation temperatures and a conservative proportion of new oak during élevage to support rather than overshadow varietal clarity and ageing potential.

The finish is long and resonant, returning to black fruit, bittersweet cocoa and a subtle mineral echo that invites another sip. Drink now with light decanting to reveal layered aromatics, or cellar for ten to fifteen years to allow tertiary notes of truffle, cedar chest and forest floor to integrate. Serve at 16 to 18°C with roast lamb, duck, mushroom risotto or mature cheeses. Château Tour Saint Christophe 2023 is expressive, refined and ageworthy, a Saint-Émilion that marries ripe fruit generosity with classical structure.

JAMES SUCKLING 95-96 points
7 Apr, 2024 – The quality of fruit and salty undertones from the limestone soil are really delicious and exciting. Medium to full body and very fine, velvety tannins that spread across the palate. Bright and crunchy at the end. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc.

DECANTER 94 points
Tasted by: Panos Kakaviatos (at Bordeaux, 20 Apr 2024)
Drinking Window: 2026 - 2045
Named Grand Cru Classé in the most recent ranking of the classification, this estate under the Vignobles K stable rivals the more established Château Bellefont-Belcier in 2023, with vivid floral notes and bright cherry, plum and wet stone. The tannins fine and sap driven, leave the impression of a wine fresh and concentrated: 'We had to be extra soft in extractions because the substance was already there,' remarked estate director Jean-Christophe Meyrou. The harvest took place from 18 September to 7 October. The wine is ageing in 25% new oak with an ultra low pH of 3.35.

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ABOUT CHATEAU TOUR SAINT CHRISTOPHE
Château Tour Saint Christophe is a Right Bank estate near Saint-Émilion that has built a reputation for producing balanced, terroir expressive wines that combine ripe Merlot character with structural depth. Set on limestone and clay soils typical of the area, the vineyards are managed with careful parcel by parcel attention, respect for vine age and thoughtful rootstock and clonal selection, yields are controlled to concentrate flavour and sustainable practices guide long term soil health and vine vigour.

In the cellar traditional craftsmanship is combined with modern precision, grapes undergoing meticulous sorting and gentle handling before fermentation in temperature controlled vats, where extraction regimes are adapted to the character of each parcel to preserve aromatic clarity and achieve harmonious tannic balance. Élevage is carried out in French oak, a considered proportion of which is renewed according to vintage needs, adding structure and subtle spice while maintaining varietal purity and a clear sense of place. Investment in sorting facilities and cellar equipment supports consistent quality and careful maturation.

The wines of Château Tour Saint Christophe typically display ripe red and black fruit, plum and bramble, complemented by floral perfume, spice and a mineral thread that reflects the limestone terroir. On the palate they combine plush fruit with a measured tannic framework and bright acidity, offering both early appeal and the capacity to develop greater complexity with cellaring. Second and estate cuvées provide earlier accessibility while retaining the domaine’s focus on balance and typicity.

Through attentive vineyard stewardship, parcel selection and a restrained winemaking approach, Château Tour Saint Christophe articulates Right Bank character with clarity and finesse, producing wines that are approachable yet ageworthy, and that speak to the nuances of their site and vintage.