Visitors, filing in like pilgrims, are left in no doubt as to what drives François Mitjavile. Incredibly well read, he has an opinion on almost every subject one should avoid at dinner and we have often burned the midnight oil over some contentious issue or other… never concerning wine. Conforming plays no part in his incredibly rich vocabulary.

Vineyard

Tertre Roteboeuf is an incredible property, lying 2km south-east of Saint-Emilion, in a natural amphitheatre, with slopes facing due south towards the rising sun, on soils of clay-limestone, argilo-calcaire. Varying levels of clay, altitude, vine orientation and aspect make for a tremendously diverse palette of potential flavours and aromas, producing wines which combine warm fruit with controlled opulence, and a powerful, high-toned structure. From the outset, François Mitjavile sought to differentiate Tertre Roteboeuf through its quality and aimed to achieve this quality by concentrating on the vineyard. Happily he had a trump card in Tertre Roteboeuf itself, a jewel of a property. The exposition has the potential for optimum ripeness and considerable power yet as we have said, the soil is very rich clay over limestone and it is slow to warm up in spring, requiring an extended growing period. On the one hand, the aspect of the vineyard allied to continental climatic influence, makes for tremendous opulence, yet the gradual warming of naturally cool soil and some Atlantic traits acts as a counterbalance. The great paradox of the property is the preservation of power and elegance in perfect equilibrium. This is the hallmark of Tertre Roteboeuf, borne out in the glass. Decadence, verging on the cusp of over-ripeness, sits happily with a medley of vibrant primary fruit – revealing effortless finesse.

Tertre Roteboeuf is planted with 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc (with an average age of forty years), and this tends to be reflected in the blend. Both varieties are picked when super-ripe where possible. With a reputation as a late harvest man, François Mitjavile likens perfection to that state of maturity when fruit is so ripe as almost to be on the turn – a goal which it takes nerve to achieve.

Density of planting sits around 6,000 to 7,000 vines per hectare, which François deems optimal for his soils. He agrees that high density planting, combined with low training works brilliantly on the gravel soils of the Left Bank but believes that it would be detrimental on his cool, clay-limestone slopes.

Cellar

If time is short, it is better not to ask François Mitjavile about winemaking. He will totally renounce the title of winemaker, at some length, seeing such a conceit as pure arrogance. He does however concede that he has the power to destroy something potentially good. With a humility common amongst so many of our Principals, he sees himself as a translator of terroir, rather than some omnipotent being on which his wines depend.

His remarks on vinification are spartan and always hark back to the quality of the grapes, which are not de-stemmed. Fermentation, in concrete, is a powerful process, lasting three to four weeks, attaining temperatures of around 35ºC for fruit maceration and optimum fruit expression. Elevage takes place in a temperate, non air-conditioned cellar, where the wine is oxygenated via barrels and numerous rackings. François views the importance of oxygen as both dramatic and risky. Exposure to oxygen is not the goal and is in itself dangerous but the reaction of oxygen on constituent molecules allows for the development of aromas and flavours. François’ super-ripe fruit responds well to this treatment, perfectly articulating terroir and vintage. There is no second wine, a Mitjavile idiosyncrasy which, he believes, produces a more honest and true rendition of each year.

The wines are then matured for 22 to 24 months in very fine-grained new French oak barrels, with a long, medium toast. Fining and filtration depend on the vintage.

François aims to make emotive, affecting wines which stir the soul, focusing on complex aromatics, rather than power.

Despite, or perhaps because of, an individuality bordering on eccentricity, his modus operandi has become a benchmark for others. The truth is however that no model can be made to emulate style Mitjavile. He has amassed all of the perceived wisdom but has chosen his own sweet way – inimitable.