2020 Chateau Tour Saint Christophe Saint Emilion Grand Cru

​​On the eastern side of Saint-Emilion, in the commune of Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Château Tour Saint Christophe crafts wines that are increasingly catching the attention of critics and Bordeaux lovers alike. 

In 2012, Peter Kwok (of Chateau Bellefont Belcier, Enclos Tourmaline, Haut-Brisson, and La Patache) and his daughter Karen bought the Château, restoring the vineyards and operations. Their restoration efforts and the increased quality of the wines they’re producing have earned them high praise from Jeb Dunnuck: Don’t miss a chance to try these wines. Dollar for dollar, they’re some of the best buys out there.

Here's the team behind the successful Tour Saint Christophe: 

General Manager Jean-Christophe Meyrou, with a career that started in 1997.He orchestrated the remarkable success of Alta Vista Winery in Argentina, turning it into a 2-million-bottle-per-year powerhouse. In 2005, he took the helm at Vignobles Pere-Verge,lifting Chateau Le Gay and Chateau La Violette into Pomerol's top 10.

 Winemaker Emmanuelle Fuchi, a stalwart at Chateau Angelus for 25 years. She began as an Oenologist and rose to become the Technical Director, leaving an indelible mark on the world of wine.

Consultant Thomas Duclos, a trusted expert who also advisesprestigious Chateaux like Canon and Troplong Mondot.

The Chateau Tour Saint Christophe Saint-Emilion Grand Cru is the flagship of these high-quality, best-buy wines that come from grapes grown in a vineyard that overlooks beautiful centuries-old dry stone terraces on clay-limestone terroir. The vineyard, with vines of an average age of thirty years, is orientated South-Southwest and benefits from ideal exposure to sun and perfect natural drainage conditions. It is this secret alchemy that contributes to the quality of the terroir. 

Aging: 15 months in 40% new barrels; 40% 1 time used barrels, 20% 2 time used barrels

80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Aromas of Cassis and spice. Flavors of currant and hints of coca plus apparent but balanced minerality. Structured with juicy acidity and a beautiful texture.

The 2020 Château Tour Saint Christophe showed spectacularly well, and based off past vintages, this shouldn't surprise anyone. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised in 40% new barrels (the balance is in second- and third-fill oak), it offers a full-bodied, incredibly pure, balanced style revealing subtle oak, terrific darker, almost blue fruits, lots of chocolate, leafy herb and mineral nuances, and gorgeous tannins. It's worth pointing out that this will be the last vintage made by the talented Jérôme Aguirre. This terrific Saint-Emilion will evolve for two decades. ~96 Jeb Dunnuck

So much black fruit, black walnuts, blueberries, wet earth, black truffles, and some graphite. Medium to full body with lots of tension and focus. It runs very long with a salty undertone and some bitter, burnt lemon. Yet ever so subtle and refined. ~96 James Suckling

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Tour Saint Christophe has a fabulously spicy nose of cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and powdered cloves, giving way to a core of juicy black and red plums, fresh blueberries, and fragrant earth, plus a waft of cedar. The full-bodied palate is fruity and beautifully poised, offering soft, elegantly played tannins, and finishing with bags of persistent, bright, pure berry layers. ~95 The Wine Independent

The 2020 Tour Saint Christophe opens in the glass with aromas of sweet cherries, raspberries and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively and pure palate that's rich and fleshy, with generously extracted tannins asserting themselves on the finish. It's a modern, crowd-pleasing wine from clay-rich soils opposite Troplong Mondot in the commune Saint Christophe des Bardes ~93 Wine Advocate

The 2020 Tour Saint Christophe has grown into an elegant, sophisticated Saint-Émilion. Red/purplish berry fruit, hard candy, mint, blood orange, pomegranate and spice all run through the 2020. Medium in body and polished, the 2020 has maybe a bit less explosive intensity than recent previous years, but plenty of class. Today, I find Tour Saint Christophe a bit subdued. ~93 Vinous Media