2010 Château Teyssier

Château Teyssier in St.-Emilion has a history in wine production that dates from the 18th century. But since 1994 it has been owned and operated by wine entrepreneur Jonathan Maltus and his wife Lyn Maltus. Jonathan Maltus is an Englishman who took up the wine business in mid-life as a second career. Since the early 1990s he has been shaking up Bordeaux’s right bank making garagiste wines that earn raves from reviewers. His 2010 Le Dome won a perfect 100-pt score from Robert M. Parker Jr. Teyssier has 130 acres of vineyards in St.-Emilion. Robert M. Parker Jr. says the estate consistently “over achieves” by making excellent wines that fly under the radar of many wine buyers.

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.