AMA Vertical Tasting
Château Tournefeuille

When asked to name three renowned wineries from Pomerol, which ones come to mind?

Pétrus, Trotanoy, Vieux Château Certan (VCC)… You could probably list quite a few big names. But if I ask you to name a few wineries from Lalande de Pomerol, well, unless you work in the wine industry, you might struggle to come up with any names.

Lalande de Pomerol and Pomerol are separated by just a narrow river barely three meters wide (La Barbanne), but why is there such a big gap between their quality and reputation?

If you look at the polyphenol content in grapes from both areas over the last decade, the disparity becomes clear. The polyphenols in Lalande de Pomerol wines—both in quantity and quality—just don’t measure up to those in Pomerol. In drought years, the grapes easily suffer from water stress, while in rainy years, they tend to burst. Either the tannins aren’t refined enough, or the concentration isn’t ideal.

At this point, you might be tempted to give up on Lalande de Pomerol entirely.

But wait! Today, I’m excited to introduce you to a hidden gem from Lalande de Pomerol—Château Tournefeuille.

Every time I taste this wine, I feel transported to Pomerol. The intensity and tannin texture are remarkably similar to the great estates on Pomerol’s gravel and clay hilltops. Even more astonishing, they have a vineyard with blue clay soil, and the owner, Emeric Petit, crafts a wine from it that could easily be mistaken for a single-vineyard wine.

I once opened a bottle and drank it over four days; even on the last day, it still held the power and concentration reminiscent of Château Pétrus. It was like a down-to-earth, approachable version of the legendary wine—everyone’s “Pétrus”, if you will.

Still not convinced? Allow me to take you on a journey through my personal experience with Château Tournefeuille and show you why you absolutely must not miss it.

1. Exceptional Terroir
Standing on the hill in front of the winery, you can see the famous estates of Pomerol across the river, from Château Lafleur Pétrus to Château Pétrus and Château Gazin. If you look southeast at a 45-degree angle, you can even catch a glimpse of the towering church spires of Saint-Émilion. Here, you feel the gentle breeze blowing constantly.

Emeric told me that Château Tournefeuille’s vineyards experience winds year-round, often causing the leaves to curl. In fact, the name “Tournefeuille” comes from the French words “tourner” (to curl) and “feuille” (leaf).

You might wonder, what’s so special about this wind? Well, it helps cool the vineyard during hot weather and dries the grapes quickly after rain, preventing downy mildew. For Bordeaux’s maritime climate, this gentle breeze is nothing short of a gift from the heavens.

Now, let’s talk about the soil. Château Tournefeuille is rich in gravel and clay soils, which are commonly found on Pomerol’s hills, unlike the sandy soils typical of Lalande de Pomerol.

Upon closer inspection, there are four distinct types of soil across the estate’s 18 hectares:

*A south-facing blue clay vineyard (providing power, concentration, and top-tier tannins)

*A north-facing clay and gravel vineyard (adding body and dimension)

*A gravelly vineyard at the top of the hill (offering ripeness, smoothness, and elegance)

*A small sandy-clay vineyard extending towards Néac (not used in the Grand Vin)

2. Knowing What to Keep and What to Let Go (The Art of Sacrifice)

While Château Tournefeuille does have sandy soils, why don’t you get the diluted taste typical of sandy terroirs in their wine? Emeric revealed that he deliberately downgrades grapes from sandy plots to the second wine, no matter how good they are in a particular vintage.

In other words, Château Tournefeuille is essentially a meticulously crafted “Pomerol” extracted bit by bit from the Lalande de Pomerol appellation. This philosophy reminds me of the Chinese saying “舍得” (sacrifice to gain). They sacrifice quantity for quality, earning the top spot in Lalande de Pomerol in return.

3. A Commitment to Excellence
As the owner of several estates and a father of four children, Emeric could easily hire experienced winemakers to handle everything, but he prefers to be hands-on. When I visited, I saw his nails stained red from the grapes.

He believes that only grapes he touches himself can carry the soul of Château Tournefeuille. His love for winemaking radiates from every corner of the estate.

Beyond his excellent vineyard management, Emeric has invested heavily in food-grade cement fermentation tanks, similar to those used by Château Cheval Blanc, all for the sake of achieving just that extra touch of purity in the fruit.

And here’s the most impressive part—despite offering wines of Pomerol quality, Château Tournefeuille’s prices remain incredibly accessible, often a third or even a seventh of the price of some Pomerol’s Grand Cru. What better choice for a delicious daily wine?

Vertical Tasting

I tasted several vintages, ranging from 2010 to 2022, and while 2010 and 2016 were fantastic, from 2019 onward, Château Tournefeuille has reached a new level of maturity. It no longer tries to prove itself with its terroir but rather reveals its true beauty with serenity and grace.

If I were to offer any advice, I’d suggest avoiding vintages affected by downy mildew, as Château Tournefeuille has yet to introduce optical or density sorting machines. Too much mildew-damaged fruit can lead to a coarser tannin profile.

Finally, if you ever spot “La Cure” on the Château Tournefeuille label, don’t hesitate—buy it!

This wine comes from the blue clay plot we mentioned earlier, with over 80% Merlot, aged entirely in oak (50% new barrels).

Despite the heavy use of oak, the wine never feels overpowered. Instead, its tannins are magnetic, drawing you in with their towering pyramid-like structure. The vineyard is also transitioning to biodynamic farming, so future vintages will likely express even more purity in their fruit.

With such remarkable quality and honesty in its pricing, Château Tournefeuille is a treasure worth discovering—and recommending.