The 2010 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is one of the most powerful and structured wines Francois Mitjavile has produced, standing in deliberate contrast to the sensual, immediately accessible style of the 2009. The Wine Advocate (Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 2020) awarded 92 points, while Vinous (Neal Martin) assessed 92, noting 'impressive bouquet with a mixture of red and black fruit, melted tar on a hot summer day, warm gravel and allspice' and 'very fine delineation and focus,' though noting that the oak on the finish had not yet fully integrated in 2020, suggesting continued improvement ahead.

Jeb Dunnuck, tasting the 2010 in 2021, described a wine 'full-bodied with a seamless, layered texture, flawless balance, and a rock star of a finish,' still needing two to three hours of decanting. Jane Anson, who had kept a bottle in her own cellar, described it as 'stunning' at ten-plus years, finding it 'opulent and luscious, with balsamic, black chocolate and cloves, damson, kirsch and black cherry fruit, and the precision and swirl of campfire, ash and incense that mark out Mitjavile's approach' and noting it 'kept getting better over the two days following opening.'

The 2010 Le Tertre Roteboeuf represents Mitjavile at his most austere and age-worthy: the 100% new oak and concentrated fruit of an exceptional vintage have produced a wine that still requires patience at fifteen years of age, even as the best critical assessments have captured its extraordinary quality. For buyers who compare its current trajectory to the already-beloved 2009, the 2010 demands more patience but promises equally rewarding results for those who wait.

Continue cellaring for three to five more years. Best from 2030 to 2050. Decant for three to four hours minimum. Pair with roasted game, truffle or strongly flavoured preparations.

Dense garnet-ruby with a youthful core despite its age. The nose shows melted tar, dark fruit, warm gravel, allspice and espresso with the estate's signature 100% new oak complexity. The palate is full-bodied, layered and seamlessly textured with firm but ripe tannins and a rock-star finish. Still tightly wound; exceptional potential for patient cellaring.