Chateau Tour Bayard Montagne-Saint-Emilion 2021

On pouring, the 2021 shows medium ruby color with just a touch of violet at the edge. The nose opens with ripe dark fruits: blackcurrant, blackberry, and plum, mingled with wild strawberry and a whisper of floral tones. Underneath are layers of spice — star anise, subtle tobacco, a smoky hint, and a trace of clove. On the palate it is juicy, with good acidity giving energy, and silky, velvety tannins smoothing the finish. You’ll find juicy black fruits up front, then savory earth, a hint of minerality, and a polished finish where fruit, oak, and spice converge. Drinkability is strong now, but the wine is clearly built for development over the next few years. It should gain complexity into 2025-2032 as those herbal, spice, and oak-touched layers settle in.

This wine pairs beautifully with hearty, savory dishes. Think roast lamb or beef with herbs such as thyme and rosemary; grilled pork with char; or slow-braised duck with a fruit glaze or reduction. Mushroom risotto or dishes with earthy components like wild mushrooms, roasted root vegetables or braised greens also echo the wine’s earthy and spicy undertones. For cheese, opt for aged, nutty cheeses such as aged Gouda, Comté or a mature Gruyère. Even richer dark chicken dishes — chicken thighs with skin, perhaps roasted or pan-seared — will match nicely. Serve around 15.5 °C (≈ 60-61 °F) to let the aromatics and tannin structure show at their best.

Château Tour Bayard is a family estate situated in the Montagne-Saint-Émilion appellation, a Satellite of the greater Saint-Émilion area on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. The land is owned by the Richard family since 1956 — later brought into the Milhade family through marriage. Julien Richard now oversees much of the work, building upon a tradition of clay-limestone terroir, southward slopes, and vineyards averaging around 40 years of age. The property has been certified High Environmental Value (HVE Level III) since 2018 and is in conversion toward organic farming.

Terroir is important here: soils of clay and limestone marl, with gravel elements in places, combined with favorable exposure and careful viticultural practices. The vintage 2021 saw a mix of challenging spring (cool, perhaps inconsistent flowering), followed by warm, dry summer weather tempered by overnight cooling and occasional rain in August to maintain freshness. This balance has contributed to a wine with both ripe fruit and retained acidity.

Winemaking for the 2021 period: grapes are destemmed, crushed, and vinified parcel by parcel. Then aged about 12 months, split between cement tanks (roughly 60%) and new & second fill French oak barrels (the remainder). The influence of Cabernet Franc adds aromatic lift, while Merlot (the predominant grape) gives body, plum and softness. Alcohol sits around 14-14.5% in most reports. Château Tour Bayard 2021 shows a modern sensibility in style — ripe fruit, good ripeness, accessible tannins — while retaining enough structure and freshness that it should age gracefully.