Château Teyssier, 2016
Château Teyssier, 2016
- 75cl
- 14%
- Red Still
- Merlot, Cabernet Franc
- Organic
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2040
JCP Maltus has transformed Château Teyssier into one of Saint-Émilion's most reliable estates, crafting wines that balance power with elegance on the Right Bank's clay-limestone slopes. This 2016 shows the vintage's classic structure wrapped in generous Merlot fruit, with enough backbone to age gracefully.
This expression of Saint-Émilion is particularly appealing for its honest character and food-friendly style.
What the critics say:
"Aromas of plums and dark berries with hints of cedar and sandalwood follow through to a full body, chewy tannins that build on the palate, yet they remain in check and polished. Shows excellent potential. A blend of merlot and cabernet franc. Try from 2022."
Château Teyssier's 15 hectares sit on Saint-Émilion's cooler clay-limestone plateau, ideal for Merlot which dominates the blend. The clay retains moisture during dry periods while the limestone subsoil provides excellent drainage and mineral structure to the wines. This combination creates wines with both richness and freshness, avoiding the overripe character that can plague warmer Right Bank sites. The elevation and north-facing slopes help preserve acidity even in warm vintages like 2016.
Saint-Émilion is Bordeaux's most romantic appellation, where Merlot reigns supreme on clay-limestone soils that favour this earlier-ripening variety over the Cabernet Sauvignon that dominates the Médoc. The appellation's classification system, unique in Bordeaux, is revised every decade and includes Premier Grand Cru Classé and Grand Cru Classé properties. Saint-Émilion wines typically show more immediate charm than their Left Bank counterparts, with softer tannins and generous fruit, though the best examples age magnificently for decades.
The 2016 growing season in Bordeaux handed growers a masterclass in patience and precision. A sodden spring delayed flowering, then summer heat arrived just when the vines needed it most, followed by crucial September sunshine that allowed unhurried ripening. The Merlot on the Right Bank reached beautiful concentration, while the Cabernet Sauvignon across the Gironde had time to develop the structure that makes this vintage so compelling.
What emerged was a vintage of remarkable poise—wines with serious backbone but without the austerity that can make young Bordeaux forbidding. The tannins have grip without being harsh, the fruit has depth without being jammy, and there's an energy running through these wines that keeps them lively rather than ponderous. Most 2016s are drinking superbly now, showing their character whilst retaining plenty in reserve, and the better examples will reward cellaring until 2035 or beyond.
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