# Château La Tour de By (2020)

- **Producer:** Château La Tour de By
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
- **Region:** Bordeaux, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €22
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry, plum, mint, herbaceous, cedar, smoke, vanilla

## About this wine

Château La Tour de By is a respected estate in the northern Médoc region of Bordeaux, situated on gravel ridges near the Gironde Estuary in Bégadan. Vineyards have existed on this historic site since the 16th century, when the land was acquired by Pierre Tizon, Lord of By. The iconic tower depicted on the label was constructed in 1825 as a lighthouse to guide ships navigating the estuary on foggy nights. Modern estate operations began in 1965 under Marc Pagès, who revitalized the vineyard with guidance from renowned oenologist Émile Peynaud. Today, his descendants continue to maintain the estate's tradition of classical left-bank winemaking.

## Interesting facts

- The iconic tower on the label was built in 1825 as a lighthouse to help guide sailors navigating the Gironde Estuary.
- During the Hundred Years' War in the 15th century, English troops were garrisoned on the current vineyard grounds.
- Famed oenologist Émile Peynaud personally advised the estate in the 1960s to establish its modern quality benchmark.

## Food pairing

Structured Left Bank Bordeaux relies on proteins and fats to soften firm Cabernet-dominant tannins. Rich meats like lamb, duck, and ribeye coat the palate, allowing the vibrant dark fruit and herbal notes of the wine to shine.

## Wine making process

Grapes for the 2020 vintage were harvested mechanically from 80 hectares of vineyards featuring deep Pyrenean gravel topsoils over an iron-rich subsoil. Vines average 40 to 45 years of age. Fermentation took place under controlled temperatures in stainless steel tanks and large wooden vats, with malolactic fermentation completed in vats. The wine aged for 12 months in French oak barriques, using 25% to 30% new oak with the remainder in two-year-old barrels.