Château Tour de Capet Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2020 (37.5cl)
£13.75
The wine
Deep dark purple, with a complex bouquet of dark berries, tobacco and liquorice.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is an appellation rather than a rank: it covers the great majority of the commune and requires lower yields and longer ageing than plain Saint-Émilion, but it is not the same thing as Grand Cru Classé, which is the classification proper. Merlot leads the blend across the right bank because it ripens earlier and suits the clay. Château Tour de Capet sits at Saint-Hippolyte, at the foot of the southern end of the Saint-Émilion plateau. This is the half bottle.
The producer
Château Tour de Capet
View all Château Tour de Capet winesChâteau Tour de Capet is a small Saint-Émilion Grand Cru estate on the appellation's eastern slopes. Family-owned and carefully tended, it draws on the clay-limestone soils that give the Right Bank its finest Merlot. Quiet quality is its calling card.
Merlot leads the blend, joined here by a little Malbec for colour and spice, an unusual and characterful touch. The vines are farmed with attention to detail, yields kept modest to concentrate the fruit. Each vintage is made with care.
In the cellar, oak ageing lends structure and polish without masking the wine's generous fruit. The style is plush and welcoming, the Right Bank at its most approachable. Balance guides every decision.
Tour de Capet offers the velvety charm of Saint-Émilion Grand Cru at a friendly price. Ripe, supple and food-friendly, it drinks beautifully young yet has the structure to age.
