Xavier Milhade Wines
Château Tour Bayard 2018
Montagne-Saint-Émilion
Château Tour Bayard is a recent addition to the Milhade portfolio, coming into the family through marriage. This 25 acre property in the St.-Émilion Satellite Montagne-St.-Émilion has been run by the Richard family since 1956, and is now regarded as one of the top estates in the appellation.
VINEYARD
The soils here are a mix of clay and limestone marl, and the vineyard is planted in a beautifully situated natural amphitheater with an ideal southerly exposure. Merlot is the predominant variety, accounting for 80% of the vignoble, complemented by Cabernet Franc and Malbec; the vines are about 40 years old on average. The Richard family works the soils organically, eschewing pesticides and other chemical treatments. The Malbec is generally bottled as a separate cuvée.
WINEMAKING
At harvest, the grapes are 100% destemmed and crushed before being placed in temperature controlled vats. Each parcel on the estate is vinified separately, and the wine is raised for 12 months in a combination of cement tanks (60%) and new and second fill barrels (20% each). The finished wine is supple and full-bodied, with excellent ripeness, and refined aromatics from the Cabernet Franc. The wine is then aged in a combination of cement vats and first and second use barriques for 12 months.
VINTAGE
2018 presented serious challenges for the vintner, with strong disease-pressure (mildew) in the Spring followed by drought conditions the rest of the year. Happily, the water-retentive clay and limestone marls of Montagne-Saint-Émilion helped the vines tolerate the drought, and harvest took place under ideal conditions in September. Yields were exceptionally low and the grapes were concentrated with thick skins, so extraction needed to be carefully judged. The 2018 Tour Bayard is dense, and full-bodied, with refined tannins, perfectly judged oak, and plenty of forward fruit – a real success, and possibly the best wine produced at the estate to date. As always, this wine represents exceptional value.
TASTING NOTE
Tour Bayard is relatively modern in style, with refined tannins, punchy fruit, and seductive aromas enhanced by malolactic fermentation in barrique.
Color
Red
Grape Varieties
Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot
Appellation
Montagne-Saint-Émilion
Alcohol
14.5%
Reviews
"Expressive right out of the gate"
Vinous - April 2, 2021 “The 2018 Tour Bayard is so expressive right out of the gate. Freshly cut flowers, lavender and spice add lovely aromatic lift to a core of red/purplish berry fruit. This stylish, mid-weight Montagne Saint-Émilion has a lot to offer. Drink it over the next decade or so."
"Ripe, pure, elegant"
Jeb Dunnuck - April 2, 2021 “A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, all from the Montagne region of Saint-Emilion, the 2018 Château Tour Bayard has a classy nose of redcurrants, ripe cherries, green tobacco, spring flowers, and sandalwood. This carries to a ripe, pure, elegant, and medium to full-bodied 2018 with ripe tannins, a big mid-palate, and lots of character."
"Fresh and structured"
James Suckling - April 2, 2021 “This has a rich nose of dried blueberry, sandalwood, bitter chocolate and walnut. Dried violets, too. It’s medium-bodied with firm, sleek tannins. Fresh and structured. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc."
"Rich, plush and seductive"
Wine Advocate - April 26, 2021 "The 2018 Tour Bayard is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, weighing in with 15% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the glass with ready-to-go notes of plum preserves, boysenberries and chocolate-covered cherries, plus touches of dried Provence herbs, pencil shavings and dusty soil. The full-bodied palate is rich, plush and seductive, delivering lovely freshness and a spicy kick on the finish. Tour Bayard is a small, family-owned winery, and the third generation is now looking after the property - Richard, Nelly and Julien, who is the winemaker. Grapes are grown on limestone soils with a southeast exposure, and no weed killers have ever been used here." - L.B.
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Château des Ormeaux Lalande-de-Pomerol
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Nestled under the stewardship of Julien Richard, a dedicated third-generation winemaker and the husband of Elodie Milhade (also the proprietor of Château Tour Bayard), this estate flourishes with a commitment to sustainability.
Château Recougne
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Chateau Recougne has produced wine for more than 400 years,and has been recognized for nearly as long for producing outstanding wine - its name is said to have come from King Henri IV in the early 17th century, in “recognition” of the quality of its wine. This wine offers pure Bordeaux unadulterated and pure.
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Château Boutisse
Purchased in 1996, the Milhade family have invested enormously in the vineyards and facilities at Boutisse and, above all, with their energy. Today Boutisse is no longer a surprise - dynamic young winemaker Marc Milhade has transformed this estate into an outstanding Saint-Emilion, with ripe, structured and engaging character.
Château Montcabrier
Château Montcabrier is a selection parcèllaire from the Milhade family’s estate, Château Recougne. This property has produced wine for more than 400 years, and has been recognized for nearly as long for producing outstanding wine - its name is said to have come from King Henri IV in the early 17th century, in “recognition” of the quality of its wine. The Milhade family purchased the property in the early 1950s, and Recougne has become their flagship estate, producing quintessential pure Bordeaux each vintage – classic “claret” in the best sense of the word. Montcabrier is a produced in the same manner as Recougne, but from younger vines and parcels giving more forward, fruity wines
