NZ-Wide 
NZ-Wide
Free Shipping
Buy Online77% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon & 1% Petit Verdot
The origin of this property can be found in a 13th century tower situated in Soussans. But today here are simply some ruins left of this old fortified site. In 1972, Lucien Lurton bought the tower and vineyards from the Clauzel family and in 1992, his daughter, Marie-Laure took over. With a wine-making degree in hand and 6 years experience under her wing working on her father’s other domains, she knew the domain like the back of her hand.
In 1999, Emilie Roulle, an agronomist, became the vineyard manager. Her work showed results quickly: the 2003 vintage earned the Terra Vitis certification. This consolidates the viticultural choices made that respect the environment. The classification of the 2003 Crus Bourgeois in June finally gave Chateau La Tour de Bessan the official status of Cru Bourgeois.
92/100 James Suckling (2016 Vintage)
"A nose of very attractive ripe red berries and plums that deliver a fresh impression with cocoa and sweet baking spices. The palate has a smooth yet powerful core with lively, dense and rich dark berries. Ripe and approachable finish. Try from 2022."
90/100 Antonio Galloni, April 2017 (2016 Vintage)
"The 2016 La Tour de Bessan is plump, forward and absolutely delicious. Made in a juicy, fruit-driven style, the 2016 is not the last word in complexity, but it is tasty and should drink well with minimal cellaring. Sweet tobacco, earth and herbal notes add aromatic lift to the plush red fruit in this succulent, inviting midweight Margaux."
89/100 Decanter, April 2017 (2016 Vintage)
"Well executed, ripe and fairly open fruit that flirts just a touch with vanilla bean. Contemporary, rich and highly appealing, this will make for good early to medium drinking wine."
Reviews for the 2015 vintage below…
Vino Fino Tasting, August 2019 (2015 Vintage)
"This is a wine of some complexity. An engaging nose of cassis, perfumed and floral. There are flavours of cigar box and truffle. The palate has fine grained tannins with earthy savoury complexity. Still youthful it opened out as it sat in the glass and best enjoyed in a large glass or decanted – this will continue to develop over the next 6-8 years. This shows what you can get from Bordeaux from a very well run estate not far from the big names."
90-92/100 Wine Advocate (2015 Vintage)
"The 2015 Château La Tour de Bessan has a straightforward, blackberry and bilberry scented bouquet that takes time to settle in the glass, but it does coalesce nicely and the oak is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannin, plenty of blackberry and boysenberry notes infused with cedar and graphite, leading to a precise finish."
