Chateau La Tour de By Medoc 1979
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The Land
The tower on this label was never a castle keep. It is a lighthouse, built in 1825 in the middle of the vines to guide ships on the Gironde Estuary through foggy nights, and it still stands over the estate at Bégadan. Bégadan sits in the northern Médoc, well past Saint-Estèphe. The estate's best ground is a gravel rise close to the estuary, laid over a hardpan subsoil rich in iron. Gravel drains fast and holds warmth, and the water moderates frost, which is why Cabernet ripens this far north. Red Bordeaux from the northern Médoc tends toward firm structure, cedar and graphite rather than plush fruit.
The Wine
La Tour de By is a Cabernet Sauvignon-led Médoc blend. Today the estate plants about 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 percent Merlot and 5 percent Petit Verdot and ages the grand vin 12 months in barrel, a quarter of it new. The 1979 Bordeaux season began with a cold, wet winter and a late April chill, and flowering came late, around June 12. August ran cool, but the summer stayed dry, which kept rot away, and a fine September carried the fruit to ripeness. Picking began around October 1, and the crop was among the largest since 1934. This bottle comes from a private cellar, and its storage history and fill are unknown. Expect a garnet-brick color, a nose of dried cherry, cedar, tobacco leaf, leather and forest floor, a light, savory body with resolved tannin, and a short to medium finish. Stand the bottle upright for a day or two and decant gently off the sediment.
The People
Records show Pierre Tizon, lord of the fief of By, acquiring the property in 1599, and vines have been grown here since the 16th century. The modern estate dates to 1965, when Marc Pagès, an agricultural engineer from Tunisia, bought La Tour de By and set about restoring it. He worked with Professor Émile Peynaud and ran the estate for about four decades. That makes this 1979 a Pagès-era wine, made in the first generation of the estate's revival. In 2005 his grandson, Frédéric Le Clerc, took over and kept the same traditional approach.
Food Pairing
An old Médoc wants food that is savory and quiet, not loud. Roast a whole chicken with thyme and serve it with pan juices and roasted mushrooms; the earthy tones in the wine find the mushrooms, and its remaining acidity lifts the chicken skin. Lamb shoulder braised slowly with garlic and white beans works because the soft protein will not fight tannin that has already resolved. A plate of aged Comté or Mimolette and walnuts suits the cedar and tobacco side of the wine. Open this bottle for a dinner where the conversation is part of the point, and taste it again every 15 minutes.
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The Bordeaux wine region, an emblem of vinicultural prestige, is bisected by the Gironde Estuary into the Left and Right Banks, each celebrated for distinct styles shaped by their unique terroirs. The Left Bank is renowned for its structured, Cabernet Sauvignon-led blends, while the Right Bank favors the softer, Merlot-dominated wines. This region is also the birthplace of the luscious, sweet wines of Sauternes. Bordeaux's time-honored blend and winemaking techniques have inspired countless wine regions around the globe, setting a benchmark for the wine world.
Bordeaux
Cabernet Sauvignon, originally hailing from Bordeaux, France, has triumphantly spread to become a cornerstone of vineyards worldwide, achieving particular renown in Napa Valley. This versatile grape variety adapts to a broad spectrum of climates, producing full-bodied wines that are rich in black cherry and blackcurrant flavors, with layered complexities of oak and spice. The grape's success in regions like Napa Valley is a testament to its global adaptability, where it benefits from the optimal blend of warm days and cool nights, coupled with diverse soil types, to express a unique balance of power and elegance that pays homage to its Bordeaux origins.
Cabernet Sauvignon
"Unknown" farming method indicates that the specific vineyard practices used to produce the wine have not yet been clearly identified or verified. Due to limited publicly available information, complexity of research, or lack of transparency from certain wineries, it can sometimes be challenging to accurately categorize each vineyard's farming practices. Our team is actively working to research and update our records to provide the most accurate information on every wine we offer. We understand the importance of transparency and sustainability and strive to categorize and communicate farming methods as quickly and comprehensively as possible.
