Château Tertre Roteboeuf's fine reputation is relatively recent, dating from when François Mitjavile took over management in 1997.
After inheriting a small (less than 6-hectare) estate on the southern part of the St. Emilion slope, François Mitjavile perfected his winemaking skills with help from Thierry Manoncourt of Château Figeac.
Located in the south-east part of the appellation, Tertre Roteboeuf has clay-limestone soil and a fine microclimate.
Grape varieties are approximately 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Tertre Roteboeuf is the opposite of a rough wine. Its tannins are incredibly soft and the Merlot gives it an opulent side. This shows the owner's talent for obtaining healthy, ripe grapes without the need for green harvesting (bunch thinning).
François Mitjavile's winemaking approach is definitely quality oriented. He picks the grapes as late as possible and maintains low yields. The wine stays on the skins for a long time and is aged in 100% new oak barrels for 18 to 24 months. This results in a voluptuous, full-bodied, and very complex wine.
The estate does not produce a second wine.
