2018 La Tour de By
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Tasting notes
The 2018 La Tour de By showed well out of barrel. In bottle, it has maintained an attractive nose featuring blackberry, undergrowth, touches of sage and clove and a back note of graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly rough tannins on the entry, decent graphite-tinged black fruit and a rather austere finish. It should flesh out with more bottle age and is one of those Left Bank wines that has to be partnered with food to counter the dryness.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Lots of cherry and kirsch fruits and medium-bodied aromas and flavors of leafy herbs and cedar emerge from the 2018 Château La Tour De By, a charming, easygoing, enjoyable Médoc to drink over the coming 4-6 years.
The 2018 La Tour de By is a juicy, hearty Médoc. Succulent black cherry, scorched earth, gravel, chocolate, leather, licorice and spice are kicked up a few notches. The 2018 offers admirable depth, along with some more angular contours that might soften a bit over time. There is plenty of character, that much is evident. I imagine the Tour de By will really come alive at the dinner table.
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 La Tour de By opens with pronounced notes of stewed blackberries and prunes with a medicinal undercurrent and a waft of dried Mediterranean herbs and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate has a chewy texture and is a bit skinny, finishing short and rustic.
About the producer
Situated on a gravel outcrop on the banks of the Gironde, this property has 94 hectares under vine, producing reliably consistent, traditionally styled Claret that really delivers for the price.