Francois Mitjavile
Château Le Tertre Rôteboeuf produces just over 2,000 cases a year from it's tiny 5.7-hectares, which is situated on a steep slope on the edge of a limestone plateau. The grapes are harvested by hand and are fermented in temperature-controlled concrete tanks. Le Tertre Rôteboeuf is then aged in oak barrels for 18 months. Yields are kept very low and consequently this is one of the most concentrated wines to be found in Bordeaux. One very important feature of La Tertre Rôteboeuf is that the harvest is very late, giving an almost raisin-like ripeness to the wine. This is because the soil is cold and ideally suited to Merlot. Like all the best winemakers, Francois is prepared to risk rain, and thereby the potential destruction of his crop, to achieve the result he wants. His views are summed up thus: “Let us see, what soil and weather have cooked together this year, and get the best possible out of it. The miracle comes first of all from Mother Nature”.