Château Cantemerle 2023

Pronounced roasted notes from barrel aging, with clear blackcurrant fruit behind; creamy texture, sweet-fruited, fresh, ultra-fine tannins, polished profile, showing drive and length. Excellent potential.

Nice aromatics, floral and red berry tones. Crisp and crunchy red fruit, high acidity but not too tart which then turns a little creamy with a soft powderiness to the tannins on the finish. This has a good lift and is well made, with cool fresh tones throughout. It’s still a little lean and austere - fairly light and tapered but has an element of class with lots of drinkability. A yield of 43 hl/ha. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

The 2023 Cantemerle has a straightforward bouquet with blackberry and tobacco scents, moderate complexity, quite old school in style. The palate is medium-bodied with black fruit, still with that nagging vegetal note on the finish. Will that be subsumed or turn into another flavor? I have to be prudent with my score.

Seductive blueberry-scented bouquet, noble violet perfume, verbena, light tobacco and redcurrant nectar. Dense palate with a silky texture, tightly knit tannic frame, balanced verve and a medium, straight-lined body. In the concentrated, long finish, black-berry contours, graphite, and a wealth of ripe, chocolatey extract. A top-value wine from Haut-Médoc that should be on every shopping list.

Stands right up there with the best Left Banks: great quality, full of character and savour. Smoky, grilled nose with evident but well-integrated oak; rose bud, spiced plum, cassis, cocoa bean, crayon. Fine tannins, a huge amount of ageing ahead—great stuff. 35% new oak, 43 hl/ha yield. +1 point.

Score: 93–95. A complex, delicate nose: a secret garden teeming with flowers, climbing roses and wild-growing fruit shrubs, delivering a sappy, captivating whole that is highly refined and elegant. The harmony of the wild garden carries onto the palate, with additional layers of tree bark and earth. The tannins are supple, and the finish—long, gourmand, full of verve and cheer—is absolutely masterful.

Roasted nuances share the spotlight with aromas of dark berries and floral notes. The silky texture on the attack leads into a compact, elegant, and perfectly balanced wine. With subtly assertive, beautifully integrated tannins, it also benefits from the refreshing, structuring support of acidity. A harmonious, savory, and persistent wine that will be fascinating to follow over the years.

A tasting that delights the palate from start to finish. A discreet nose, initially rather earthy, opens up to floral notes, gentle spices, and nutmeg. The Cabernets make up a higher proportion of the blend than in previous vintages (75%). A first for château Cantemerle. With a solid backbone, it is refined and shows maturity. A well-built wine, generous in volume but without excess. Though complete and quite dense, the overall framework plays a fine-tuned score of finesse. The finish is surprisingly long. One can imagine explosive potential.

Dark ruby with purple reflections and a delicate ochre rim. Aromas of fresh black cherry, ripe plum, candied orange zest and fine herbal savouriness: an inviting bouquet. Medium complexity palate with delicate red-berry nuances, subtle sweetness and round tannins. Developed, and offers uncomplicated drinking pleasure. (25/1, PM).

Disappointing! Fruity, light wine. I was expecting more given the En Primeur presentation. Tasted it twice the same way.