Wine Advisor
La Tour de By 2005
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This beautiful blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot is a definite sleeper of the vintage. Dense purple in color, it offers sweet blackcurrant fruit along with notes of licorice, incense and a touch of earth. Medium to full-bodied, and bigger and richer than in most vintages, this is a big-time winner that sold for a song. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Space limitations did not allow complete tasting notes for this Cru Bourgeois, but 2005 is the finest vintage for these wines since 1982. The range of scores for these wines should give readers an idea of just how consistent this vintage is at this level. Given the style of the vintage, most of these wines should be accessible young yet evolve for a decade or more because of their concentration and tannic structure.
About the Producer
The Chateau La Tour de By is a 94-hectare family wine estate present on a ridge in Girondines, between the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. The winery has a long history in Medoc that goes back to almost the 16th century and is one of the oldest properties of the region. The estate is named so because the vineyards are placed in the de By appellation. The first name tells about the large tower on their property that is also pictured on the wine labels. The chateau in its current form was constructed in 1876. The Pages family purchased the property in 1965, and in 1999, Marc Pages became the sole owner of the wine estate. It is now managed by Marc Pagès’ grandsons: Frédéric Le Clerc as Managing Director and Benjamin Richer de Forges as Commercial Director. Their vineyards are around 40 years old, and some also date back to a hundred years old. The terroir features gravel soils which along with a unique microclimate makes the region perfect for cultivating vines. The main grapes grown in their vineyards are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The best grapes are processed to make their famous red and white wines. Harvesting takes place through machines, and the wines are fermented under controlled temperatures for 3 to 5 weeks. The wines are allowed to age in half-buried French oak barrels. Since the 80s, ecological and sustainable methods are being used to preserve the vines, to prevent diseases, and to minimize the use of chemicals.
