Château du Retout in Lamarque / Haut-Médoc has been one of the best red Bordeaux wines in the category up to €20 for years. The price is a small sensation for what is on offer. The vines for this wine grow north of the AOP Margaux and therefore the retout always has a character reminiscent of Margaux in terms of dark berry fruit, mineral elegance and fine tannins. The high proportion of Cabernet provides structure and elegance. 34 hectares of red wine vines and 1.5 hectares of white vines are owned by the chateau, which was founded in the 1950s by the Kopp family and is still owned today. Incidentally, the current owner, Frédéric Soual, learned his business at Château Palmer. Since the 2019 vintage, a new consultant has also been hired, who was able to further increase the already high quality. So: if you are looking for an inexpensive Médoc in Grand Cru Classé quality, you should get it.
The 2019 du Retout consists of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. The special character of the 2019 vintage is the powerful density and concentration combined with a great structure and freshness. One finds ripe blackberries and blueberries, black currants, vanilla, a herbal spice and fine floral notes (violets?) in its scent. On the palate it has a lot of extract that almost hides the silky tannins, the sweet berries reappear in the very long finish. The wine has a wonderful freshness and great tension. It should have a very long life if you let it, because it tastes incredibly good even when young. Seriously: if you don't buy it, it's your own fault.
