Château du Tertre 2022 en Primeur

This is really clear and bright. Medium- to full-bodied with a solid tannin structure. Tight layers of phenolics to this. Racy and long finish. Firm and focused. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 23% cabernet franc, 15% merlot and 5% petit verdot.

Bright and vibrant, lightly textured, more streamlined and linear than plush but the fruit has concentration and this has lovely freshness from start to finish. Some tension gives it the strictness but also the definition and detail. Well made but the softer acidity means it's missing a little persistence, there's no faulting the precision and focus throughout however. Harvest 8 September - 19 October. 3.6pH. Ageing in French oak, 60% new, 40% one year old. 5% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

The 2022 du Tertre unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, licorice, vine smoke and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate of uncommon depth and concentration that nevertheless retains all the estate's signature elegance. Polished and supple, it's a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, which more or less represents this estate's varietal breakdown after its extensive replanting program is complete. This looks likely to emerge as the finest du Tertre in several decades, and it is sure to be one of the better values of the en primeur campaign.