The 2008 Le Tertre-Rôteboeuf, now at ten years old, still appears youthful in the glass with little sign of maturation on the rim. The bouquet is similarly surprisingly backward with tightly wound black fruit laced with Earl Grey and subtle autumn leaf aromas, all very well defined. With continued aeration it reveals iris and light peaty scents. The palate is very fresh on the entry with firm tannin. There is a mass to this Saint Émilion that fills the mouth, but there is also striking mineralité...you can feel that limestone after the wine has departed. Yes, there is sinew embroidered into this wine and therefore it will require another four to five years in bottle, but there is so much potential here, one of the best wines of the appellation. Chapeau François Mitjavile. (Tasted at the château.)

Saturated medium ruby. Exotic aromas of black raspberry, smoked meat, roast coffee and minerals; this has to be the sexiest nose of the vintage. Lush, sweet and silky, like a wave of dark berries, smoke and minerals washing over the palate. Finishes with sweet tannins and palate-staining persistence. This may not last forever (Tertre-Roteboeuf has a record for mid-term aging), but for tickling your G-spot over the next 10 or 12 years, this is pretty much of a sure thing.