2009 - Cantemerle, Haut-Medoc

Exceptionally silky tannic frame, this is gourmet and mouthwatering, delivering raspberry and blackberry studded with white pepper, cedar and campfire smoke. Softly spoken and welcoming, not the most powerful 2009 but that is the charm of Cantemerle, with hints of Margaux typicity even if the estate is just on the outskirts of the appellation. Understated with a long finish, touch of cigar box and tobacco. These years were decisive in terms of the replantings coming into play, with an increased amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. A one point upscore from the recent 2009/2010 retrospective, reflecting how much it stands out in the estate vertical. 40% new oak for ageing, Philippe Dambrine director.

The 2009 Cantemerle finally shows the potential that it displayed out of barrel. It has a delightful, well-defined bouquet with blackberry, cedar and tobacco aromas, vigorous with impressive delineation and class. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, and a taut line of acidity. Fresh and vibrant with a poised and quite tensile finish. This is a wonderfully crafted 2009 Left Bank. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.

Readers looking for the more ethereal, elegant side of Bordeaux need search no further than Cantemerle, one of the estates in the very southern end of the Medoc. Dense ruby/purple (nearly opaque), this wine offers up notes of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, raspberries and black cherries. The wine is ethereal, medium-bodied, and by no means a blockbuster, but long and intellectual. However, the tannins are present, and the wine is certainly capable of putting on weight with time in the bottle. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25+ years.

Tasted blind. Edgy and round – just a little skinny but pretty good and sound. A bit hollow. Inky but fresh! QGV (JR)