Chateau Cantemerle 2017
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James - Decanter
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Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Deeply colored with reserved, sustained aromas...everything which indicates a bottle with a future, a very good bottle indeed. This very young wine still has a way to go to show its full potential on the palate, and can benefit from an additional two years to begin opening up. Standard practice for age-worthy wines.
Nonetheless, those who appreciate young wines will find much to enjoy: with careful aerating in a decanter, pleasant blackberry aromas become evident. Long on the finish, rich and dense without excess but well structured, it unites ripe —but not overripe— Merlot and Cabernets. The wine shows good fruit that is both youthful and fresh. Significant length on the palate is evident, with a complexity of aromas showing through its general austerity. This will certainly be a great wine, but patience is called for...
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Dry tannins and juicy fruit give this wine its structure while also bringing out the freshness of the vintage. There is a fine, juicy character that is already attractive. Drink from 2023.
Barrel Sample: 92-94 -
James Suckling
Barley, walnut-shell and blackberry character. Full body. Chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. A little lean and tight now and needs some time to soften. Better after 2020.
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Decanter
This is a very attractive wine that has been carefully extracted in this vintage. It has a damson fruit expression with real elegance and restrained power, followed by a dusting of cocoa powder and cinnamon (more evident on the second tasting). A little shorter than in 2016, but full of elegance and fine tannins.
Barrel Sample -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Cantemerle gives up lovely crushed black and red currants notes with hints of kirsch, underbrush and cinnamon stick plus a waft of roses. Medium-bodied with plenty of freshness and a fine-grained frame, it is elegantly expressed and finishes with beautiful harmony.
Barrel Sample: 89-91 -
Wine Spectator
Ripe and forward in feel, with a fun blast of black cherry pâte de fruit and plum compote notes. A light anise and apple wood frame keeps this in check through the finish. Shows good freshness despite the ebullient persona. Should knit up a bit with moderate cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2028.
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After belonging to the Villeneuve (1579-1892) and Dubos (1892-1980) families, the chateau was acquired in 1981 by Groupe SMA, a large mutual insurance company in the construction and civil engineering sector. The estate's long history is reflected in the chateau's distinctive architecture and the magnificent grounds that surround it. Cantemerle exudes romantic charm and its wine has a magical feel to it!
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
While it claims the same basic landscape as the Medoc—only every so slightly elevated above river level—the Haut Medoc is home to all of the magnificent chateaux of the Left Bank of Bordeaux, creating no lack of beautiful sites to see.
These chateaux, residing over the classed-growth cru in the villages of Margaux, Moulis, Listrac, St-Julien, Pauillac and St. Estephe are within the Haut Medoc appellation. Though within the confines of these villages, any classed-growth chateaux will most certainly claim village or cru status on their wine labels.
Interestingly, some classed-growth cru of the Haut Medoc fall outside of these more famous villages and can certainly be a source of some of the best values in Bordeaux. Deep in color, and concentrated in ripe fruit and tannins, these wines (typically Cabernet Sauvignon-based) often prove the same aging potential of the village classed-growths. Among these, the highest ranked chateaux are Chateau La Lagune and Chateau Cantemerle.