Francois Mitjavile's 2024 Châteaux Le Tertre Rôteboeuf is released for sale en primeur, with excellent reviews from Vinous. Le Tertre Rôteboeuf is offered at £770 per six.
Francois and his children Nina and Henri unfailingly make remarkable wines even in the most challenging vintages. To illustrate the point, a couple of years ago when visiting Tertre Rôteboeuf, we were offered the 1992 to taste. A notoriously difficult year in Bordeaux, we didn't hold out much hope, but this '92 was exceptional, even thirty years on!
Francois, his daughter Nina and son Henri (who now look after winemaking) appear to have done it again in 2024. Galloni describes it as a 'fine edition' of this wine, scoring it 94-96 points, placing higher than his barrel score for the '23. Similarly, Roc de Cambes scores 91-93 points, a point higher than the '23 and equalling his barrel score for the '22.
Scores aside, we think these are among are the most unique and beguiling wines in the whole of Bordeaux and they easily justify their offer prices, so do consider adding them to your cellar.
Offered en primeur, landing spring 2027.
Producer Profile
Château Le Tertre Rôteboeuf
Visiting Le Tertre Rôteboeuf is like being transported to an ancient, mould-lined cellar in the Côte de Nuits. The estate has been in the Mitjavile family since the '60s but it was Francois who made its name, learning his trade at Figeac in the early '70s. His first vintage was in 1978 and by the '89 vintage the reputation of this 6 hectare estate was established alongside the best in St-Émilion.
Farmed organically, Le Tertre Rôteboeuf is geographically close to Troplong Mondot and Pavie, but a world away in style. The etymology of the name derives from the days when the land was used for cattle grazing, and broadly translates as 'the hill of the belching beef'.
The cool soils here slow the ripening process and this is routinely one of the last estates to finish harvest. Training the Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines close to the ground (see picture above) maximises the warmth radiated from the soil at the end of the ripening season. This contributes to the silky, glycerin texture on the palate and aromatic complexity, particularly from the Cabernet Franc.
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