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Wine Description
The Story
This magnificent estate of 10.6 hectares, ideally located on the edge of the village of Saint-Emilion, derives its name from a clergyman, Canon Balestard. The “Tonnelle” that stands in the heart of the vineyard was formerly an observation tower during the 15th century and has since become the symbol of this property. François Villon mentions the wine of Balestard in his famous poem, written too in the 15th century, and as a testimonial of this historical acclaim the verse still appears on our labels. Generous, exquisitely delicate, Balestard La Tonnelle is one of Saint-Emilion’s finest Great Classified Growths.
Vintage 2020
In Bordeaux, the heat led to early flowering. Additionally, this led to an early harvest after a very hot summer. As a starting point, there is great maturity in the grapes, and we can expect a more opulent vintage than in recent years.
This year's summer was the hottest since 1959, but the rain fell at just the right time during the growing season. The harvest took place two weeks before the norm and will produce grapes with high alcohol potential and the lowest acidity since the 2003 vintage. As they say in Bordeaux: “It was a good and extreme growing season which , hopefully, also produces great wines.”
