2018 Chateau Tour Sainte Christophe Saint Emilion Grand Cru 750 ml

This dazzling Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is without question one of the best Bordeaux buys of the vintage—and possibly the decade.

Groomed on terraced limestone vineyards on the appellation’s eastern side, the 2018 Château Tour Saint Christophe racked up a whopping 97-point review from James Suckling. That score put it alongside 2018 heavy hitters like Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Château Pichon Baron, and Château Pavie Macquin.

You can trace the remarkable turnaround at Château Tour Saint Christophe back to 2012, when the property was acquired by business tycoon and Bordeaux fanatic Peter Kwok. With seven other Bordeaux estates in his pocket, he recognized the land’s immense potential from the get-go. The steep, south-facing slopes, covering 49 acres, share the same clay- and limestone-anchored terroir as neighboring estates like Valandraud and Fleur Cardinale, who both make richly sculptured wines that have regularly earned critical accolades and scores to match.

A rigorous renovation followed Kwok’s acquisition of the estate, with no part of the winemaking process left untouched. He brought in a team of specialists from Spain to hand-build the terraces to optimize exposure to sunlight, instituted biodynamic and organic farming, and enlisted star consultant Michael Rolland to work magic in the cellar and bring out the best in the vineyard’s exquisite fruit.

When Kwok bought Tour Saint Christophe, Robert Parker predicted: “This is an estate to watch carefully as quality soars.” Six years later, the winery is at the top of the charts—and the 2018’s sleek, sumptuous Right Bank elegance makes it a can’t-miss.