Tasting Notes
The story
Situated on the Pomerol / Lalande de Pomerol border with Château Pétrus just across the river Barbanne, Château Tournefeuille benefits from a hill-top position and the best clay and gravel soils of the region. This means its Lalande de Pomerol is powerful and its tannins soft. Run by the Petit family the Château practises sustainable agriculture including traditional ploughing and manual harvesting. The vines are c. 30 years old.
The wine
Château Tournefeuille is considered a classic wine of the Lalande de Pomerol region, a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, with red berry & cassis aromas and flavours and a floral note on the nose. If it appears a little closed on the nose at first, decant it or give the wine in your glass a good swirl. The wine feels silky smooth in the mouth, desnse and full of mature black fruit flavours plus some minerality and it is developing more savoury and coconut notes as it ages. The texture is divine, a very elegant and balanced wine.
I disagree with Wine Enthusiast's view that this should be drunk from 2022; it is drinking beautifully now in 2019, in fact it is a little too drinkable! Château Tournefeuille suggest it should be drunk from 2018 to 2025.
Food Pairing
Recommended with steak, beef casseroles, lamb, chicken, turkey and smooth enough to have with pork dishes also. Also good with cheese, tomato-based dishes, mushrooms, roast vegetables etc. At Christmas, Left bank Bordeaux can be too tannic for low fat meat but this right bank Bordeaux with softer tannins is the perfect accompaniment to turkey or roast beef and, given that it is still very fruity, would work well with goose or duck.
Awards
16 points JancisRobinson.com Apr 2016
"Very savoury and well balanced, without exaggerations. Nicely balanced for medium-term drinking. GV?.”
GV = good value
91 points Wine Enthusiast Jan 2018
"... this is a classic wine from this region of Bordeaux. It is rich, balancing the elegant blackberry fruits with acidity. A succulent texture will soften as this sophisticated wine matures, so drink from 2022."
88 points Wine Spectator 2018
"Fleshy and inviting, with warm plum and fig preserve flavors inlaid liberally with black tea and sandalwood accents. Shows subtle persistence through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc."
