Margaux Fifth Growth Château du Tertre back to 1998 – Tuesday 3rd November

While most Médoc crus classés have bought and sold various plots of land over the years, Château du Tertre is one of the few to still farm the exact same, contiguous vineyard that saw it classified as a fifth growth back in 1855. Originally created by an Irishman in 1736, du Tertre’s recent fortunes underwent a dramatic uptick after its 1997 integration into the same ownership as near-neighbouring Margaux third growth Château Giscours. Major investment in the vineyard and winery under Giscours director Alexander van Beek (including, from 2009, a transition towards biodynamic viticulture) saw the estate’s reputation evolve from that of a rather anonymous classed growth to an elegant, relatively classical Margaux – if somewhat in the shadow of Giscours. That changed again in 2021, when the Helfrich family took over, with a brief to pursue an even more defined identity. An emphasis on precision, terroir and quality rather than quantity has seen increased harnessing of du Tertre’s relatively high proportion of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot for wines which tend towards freshness, floral character and longevity rather than sheer weight. We’re delighted to welcome estate director Cynthia Capalaere to the Club to outline this continued evolution through five vintages of the grand vin along with the second wine and the intriguing, unothordox white (a category-defying blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay and Gros Manseng). The wines we’ll be tasting: 2025 Tertre Blanc, Vin de France 2023 Les Hauts du Tertre, Margaux 2023 Château du Tertre, 5ème Grand Cru Classé, Margaux 2016 Château du Tertre, 5ème Grand Cru Classé, Margaux 2010 Château du Tertre, 5ème Grand Cru Classé, Margaux 2006 Château du Tertre, 5ème Grand Cru Classé, Margaux 1998 Château du Tertre, 5ème Grand Cru Classé, Margaux