2020 Château du Tertre
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Both sweet (oaky) and leafy on the nose. Ripe and a bit green at the same time. Very smooth, mild tannins, especially in this vintage. And succulent on the finish. Mild-mannered, balanced, juicy though the oak comes back rather strongly on the finish. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Château du Tertre has a mellow nose that needs more vigor—it doesn't want to create too much fuss. The palate is medium-bodied with a mixture of black and blueberry fruit, crushed stone and a touch of seaweed and black pepper. The finish displays good weight and substance in contrast to the more discrete aromatics. Just a little warmth blurs the edges. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, pencil shavings, warm spices and cocoa powder, the 2020 du Tertre is medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with an elegant, suave profile that belies good depth and concentration. This terroir is never going to produce the most powerful wine in Margaux, and it's the prime example of an estate that gets lost in a mass tasting, but the restructuring of its vineyards, almost complete, is clearly quietly bearing its fruit.
About the producer
Until recently owned by the Albada Jelgersma family (along with Giscours), Ch. du Tertre is one of the oldest estates in the region – with a history stretching back 1,000 years. Classified as a Fifth Growth, its 54 hectares of vines sit on high gravel outcrops in Margaux.