Château La Tour de By, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Médoc, Bordeaux, France, Double Magnum, 2016 

Grapes: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, 74ha vineyard on gravel soil, 45 year old vines, aged in French oak (1/3 new) for 12 to 15 months.

The Grand Vin comes from gravelly plots located 200 meters from the Gironde. It is a wine full of elegance and finesse, with lots of freshness and intense fruit. With a beautiful tannic structure, it can age for almost 20 years.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

 "Deep crimson. Plenty of dark, savoury fruit and thick chewy tannins. Really quite challenging now but there’s richness and depth of fruit to give the tannins time to soften." Drink 2022-2030

15.5/20 points, Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com, October 2018

"It's impressive how even a small percentage of Petit Verdot can bring color and spice to a wine.That's the case in this wine that is rich while also stylish, full of tannins as well as freshness. Drink from 2022."

91/100 points, Roger Voss, WINE ENTHUSIAST, April 2019

Estate: The chateau has a very long history dating back to 1599 and, four centuries later, in 1999, Marc Pagès, an agricultural engineer by training, became the sole owner of the property. Of Cru Bourgeois status since 1932, Château La Tour de By was promoted to the rank of Cru Bourgeois Supérieur in the 2003 classification. The desire to produce top-of-the-range wines was rewarded in 1977 by the entry into the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux. The chateau is now run by Marc's grandchildren.

Since 2015, Château La Tour de By has been certified "High Environmental Value" Level 4. This level, the highest in the category, guarantees the control of many environmental parameters. Alternative techniques to the use of chemicals are systematically preferred. Also in the same year it was decided to be part of the "Natura 2000" programme, thus preserving a high level of biodiversity in the area.

Food Match: This mature red Bordeaux pairs well with beef (grilled ribeye or entrecôte), roast lamb, venison or French lentil stews, mushroom dishes, hard cheeses including Cheddar and Comté