Chateau Tour Saint Christophe is a Bordeaux wine estate located in the Saint Emilion Grand Cru appellation at the border between the villages of Saint-Emilion and Saint Christophe des Bardes. The property overlooks beautiful centuries-old dry stone terraces on a clay-limestone subsoil. The shape of the property is a unique feature among the vineyards of Saint-Emilion, partly planted on narrow terraces where the vineyard is tended in tight five-row groups. This micro-landscape extends onto the slope overlooking the St Laurent valley.

In order to preserve the estate’s rich heritage, owner Peter Kwok undertook a recent restoration of the Chateau and revived the vineyard terraces with the reconstruction of dry stone walls as it had been built in the 18th century. About 1.5 km of dry-stone terraces have been repaired by hand, a two-year process, preserving their unique appearance.

The vineyard has an ideal south-southwest exposure and perfect natural drainage conditions. It is this secret alchemy which contributes to the quality of their terroir. The vines, 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, have an average age of thirty years.

When Peter Kwok purchased Chateau Tourans in 2015, its vines were added to Chateau Tour Saint Christophe, bringing the estate’s vineyard surface up to 20 hectares.

Chateau Tour Saint Christophe is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc grown on clay and limestone soil. The sorted grapes are put directly into concrete tanks or Bordeaux barrels (about 25% of the harvest). This follows the method of Vinification Intégrale, particularly well-suited for the Chateau Tour Saint Christophe terroir.

The wine is aged in the same barrels for 15-18 months at constant temperature in the underground cellar. Depending on the vintage, the proportion of new oak varies from 30% to 40% with the balance using 1- and 2-year old barrels.

The 2020 Tour Saint Christophe is a Bordeaux Blend from the Saint Emilion sub-region of Bordeaux, France. Produced by Tour Saint Christophe, this red wine is sealed with a cork and has an alcohol content of 15.0%. The blend predominantly consists of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, aged in 40% new oak barrels, with the balance in second- and third-fill oak.

Critically acclaimed, the 2020 vintage has garnered excellent reviews across the board. James Suckling awarded it an impressive 96 points, describing it as having "so much black fruit, black walnuts, blueberries, wet earth, black truffles and some graphite." He emphasizes its "medium to full body with lots of tension and focus" and advises to "drink after 2027."

Jeb Dunnuck also rated it 96 points, highlighting its "full-bodied, incredibly pure, balanced style revealing subtle oak, terrific darker, almost blue fruits, lots of chocolate, leafy herb and mineral nuances, and gorgeous tannins." He notes that this will be the last vintage made by the talented Jérôme Aguirre and predicts it will evolve well for two decades.

Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com gave it 95 points, praising its "dark black fruit, licorice, chocolate, espresso, smoke, and wet earth nuances" that create complex aromatics. On the palate, Leve finds it "lush, fresh, fruity, and layered with black, red, and blue fruits," with chocolate and spice nuances showing up in the finish. He suggests it will be best enjoyed from 2025 to 2045.

Decanter's review, which scored it 93 points, noted its "clean and precisely-spliced black fruits, austerity in the tannins, and a mocha, grilled coffee bean edging through the finish." Decanter considers it "good quality and well balanced," albeit with a slightly bitter finish.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate also rated it 93 points, with William Kelley describing it as "sweet cherries, raspberries and petals," and noting its "medium to full-bodied, lively and pure palate" with "generously extracted tannins asserting themselves on the finish." Kelley characterizes it as a "modern, crowd-pleasing wine."

Jane Anson and Vinous both awarded the wine 93 points. Anson highlighted its "powerful blue and black fruits, layers of cocoa bean, espresso, smoked almond and mocha," while Antonio Galloni from Vinous appreciated its "elegant, sophisticated" nature with "red/purplish berry fruit, hard candy, mint, blood orange, pomegranate and spice."

Overall, the 2020 Tour Saint Christophe is a well-regarded Bordeaux Blend that promises complexity, depth, and longevity, making it a noteworthy addition to any wine collection.