These are recalled impressions, not contemporaneous notes, from two nights ago, when the family council of elders met for a steak/wine pairing event at my brother Angelo’s house.
Balanced and subtle, this developed nicely with air and was quite elegant. — a month ago
Solid. Some terroir — 3 days ago
Yup a new one to me and it’s well proportioned and lively on palate with well aged ripe fruits and earthy. Tasty! — 2 months ago
Wish I could decant this. Oak on the nose, but it hints at the fruit and tobacco/chocolate you're about to taste. Palate has noticeable but not assertive tannins and blends really nicely with the aforementioned flavors. Paired well with dinner but this feels like a pre-dinner sipper. Would buy again. — 7 days ago
White pepper, berries, just right tannins. — 4 days ago
One of my favorite roses…even in winter — a month ago
Great wine. Definitely worth trying again but I felt this was a bit one dimensional. A lot of pear, white fruit and slight apple, brioche and with slight acidity and but didn't change much after. I tried in 2025 so its 17 years old so maybe its past its peak or its waning but its my first wine of this age so maybe i need to try more. Either way, it's a delicious wine — 2 months ago
Freddy R. Troya
Château La Tour de Bessan Margaux 2022 — Margaux, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷
Overview
A classic Left Bank blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon · 30% Merlot · 5% Petit Verdot (estate typically varies slightly by vintage) delivering structure, elegance, and aromatic finesse. Great frame and graphite tension coming from the Cab Sauv., mid-palate polish thanks to Merlot, and liked how Petit Verdot brings subtle spice and color depth. A beautifully traditional, unclassified Margaux that punches above its weight.
Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, blackberry, cassis, violet, pencil shavings, cedar, light tobacco, and crushed stone. Fruit stays fresh and pure with delicate floral lift typical of the appellation.
Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with polished, fine-grained tannins. Dry, linear, and elegant rather than powerful. Balanced acidity keeps everything lifted and graceful with a clean, savory finish.
Food Pairings
Roast chicken with herbs, grilled lamb chops, duck breast, mushroom risotto, lentils, Comté or aged goat cheese. A very food-friendly claret.
Verdict
Proof that Margaux elegance doesn’t require classified growth pricing. Refined, honest, and beautifully composed. Delicious now with air, but easily cellar-worthy for 6–10 years.
🍷 Personal Pick
This is my kind of “weekday Bordeaux”, structured yet graceful, polished without heaviness. The sort of bottle that quietly disappears over dinner because everything just clicks.
Did You Know?
La Tour de Bessan is run by Marie-Laure Lurton (of the Lurton family estates) and is known for crafting textbook, terroir-driven Margaux expressions that emphasize finesse over extraction. — 3 days ago