Chateau Tour Bayard Montagne Saint Emilion 2021 - Bordeaux, France

90/100 James Suckling
15.5/20 VertdeVin
Bronze - CellarTracker
Bronze - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
Commended - The Wine Independent
92/100 James Suckling (2020 vintage)
91/100 Wine Enthusiast (2020 vintage)
90/100 Green of Wine (2020 vintage)
90/100 The Wine Independent (2020 vintage)
Bronze - CellarTracker (2020 vintage)
Bronze - Andreas Larsson - Tasted (2020 vintage)

2 Stars - The Hachette Wine Guide (2020 vintage)

Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2020 vintage)

James Suckling "Notes of walnuts, plums, mocha and licorice. It’s medium-bodied, chewy and firm. Remains chewy at the end."

VertdeVin "The nose is elegant, revealing volume, elegance, definition, fine grain and an airiness in its power/small richness. There are notes of pulpy blackberry, pulpy raspberry and more lightly crushed berries combined with touches of fresh vanilla and a subtle hint of star anise. The palate is fruity and offers minerality, a juicy/acidic backbone, good definition, a certain gourmandize, elegance, a nice balance, freshness, a good finesse of the guideline as well as a fine stretch. On the palate this wine expresses juicy/pulpy boysenberry, pulpy/acidic raspberry and more lightly fresh/juicy cherry notes combined with touches of blueberry, nutmeg, fine hints of liquorice, vanilla, a discreet seriousness and a very discreet hint of pepper and a subtle hint of dark chocolate (in the background). Good length. The tannins are precise and mellow. Good persistence."

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider "Soft, round and plummy, with a touch minerality that adds complexity on the palate, the wine ends with red plums on the backend. "

James Suckling "Notes of ripe dark fruit, toasted walnut, chocolate and grilled herbs. Some wet earth and graphite, too. Medium- to full-bodied with chewy tannins and a plush, velvety mouth-feel. Shows depth to the fruit character. Firm finish." (2020 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "Soft, supple, creamy and sweet, with a touch of savory herbs on the back end, you also find plenty of black raspberries, olives, cherries and coffee beans to keep you busy." (2020 vintage)

Andreas Larsson - Tasted "Ripe dark fruit, wild berry notes, dense tannin, youthful and grippy, rather dense fruit as well with some herbaceous flavors, mild oak and a rather long finish." (2020 vintage)

Green of Wine "The nose is spicy and offers a certain power, intensity as well as a precise and frank grain. Currently the wine benefits from being decanted. It reveals notes of wild blackberry, cardamom and small notes of camphor associated with touches of roasted small black fruits, hints of clove as well as a subtle hint of violet and pepper. The palate is fruity and offers accuracy, a mineral frame, good definition as well as tension. On the palate this wine expresses notes of juicy/pulpy blackberry, violet and small notes of roasted small red berries associated with a touch of crushed small black fruits, zan as well as hints of chocolate, vanilla and a fine hint of sweet blond tobacco." (2020 vintage)

Chateau Tour Bayard is on two Saint-Emilion satellite appellations: 15 hectares in Montagne Saint-Emilion and 10 hectares in Puisseguin Saint-Emilion. The vineyards are planted on magnificent clay and limestone slopes planted with 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. Julien Richard took over from his mother Fanny in 2012 and has since been working to protect the estate’s biodiversity using the know-how that he inherited from his grandfather Angelo Nicoletti. Since 1956 the successive generations have made every effort to give priority to the terroir without using any herbicides. Since 2018, the vineyard is certified HEV3 (High Environmental Value), is harvested by hand and is now in conversion to organic farming.