Chateau Tour St Bonnet, 2016

A great value wine that punches well above its weight.

Blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 5% Malbec. Intense blackberry fruits alongside forest floor and cedar notes. Medium bodied with concentrated flavours.

• Cru Bourgeois

Food Pairing: Beef Wellington, Roast Beef, Roast Lamb

Cellaring: Now to 2026

STORY BEHIND THIS WINE

Based in Saint-Christoly in the north of the Médoc region, the cru bourgeois property, Château Tour Saint Bonnet, is the largest in the village, and has been in the hands of the Lafon family since 1903. There are 40 hectares under vine, with an average age of 35 years, which lie on the best gravel soils. The plantings comprise 45% each of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, 5% petit verdot and 5% malbec. The wines are fermented in traditional cement tanks. Winemaker Jacques Merlet bucks the trend of ageing wine in small oak barriques, and opts instead to age the wine for 18 months in larger oak foudres, which impart more subtle oak character to the wine. This is an archetypal Médoc with plenty of firm flavour and a crispness that can almost be called refreshing. It has consistently represented good value for money, and will age well for between four to 10 years.