"Sleek and so svelte, this has such a silky, almost creamy texture...Nothing out of place here...95 points" (GH) Decanter Magazine
"Twenty-five ranks amongst the great Bordeaux vintages. Its snow-capped peaks will be uttered in the same breath as legends gone by." Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2026
Released this morning, 2025 Château Cantemerle was one of our favourite wines under £300 per dozen when we tasted it from barrel last month. You are unlikely to find a Fifth Growth with higher scores at a better price in this, or any, vintage!
At just £232 per dozen and scoring as high as 95 points, the 2025 had a core of dark, succulent fruit, but with the classic structure that this château is known for, with superb tannins and notes of graphite and cedar.
In 2020, Laure Canu, formerly Deputy GM at Château Angélus, took over winemaking here, a sign of serious intent to make Cantemerle the best possible expression of itself. It looks like her influence is continuing the renaissance at this much-loved name. The 2025 is a perfect example of how much-loved names in Bordeaux have upped their game in recent years, whilst retaining their identity...the wine we remember so well, only better.
Neal Martin has now released his full review of the 2025 vintage and concludes that 2025 'ranks amongst the great Bordeaux vintages', so do please consider adding wines from our en primeur offers to your cellar.
Offered en primeur, landing spring 2028.
Magnums available with £25 ex-VAT bottling surcharge, please enquire re other formats.
Producer Profile
Château Cantemerle
Château Cantemerle is a Cinquième Grand Cru Classé in the Haut-Médoc. Dating back to the 12th Century, it takes its name from a Ponset de Cantemerle, lord of the estate in 1340. Today, the estate is owned by the SMABTP insurance group, also owners of Corbin, Grand Corbin and Jurat in St-Emilion. The winemaker is Laure Canu, previously Deputy GM at Château Angélus.
Cantemerle as 91 hectares of vines in the Macau and Laudun communes, on a mixture of silica and gravel, planted to 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The wine is aged for 16 months, 12 of months of which is in barrel.
| RED | 2025 | Château Cantemerle | 75cl | £232 per case of 12 | Château Cantemerle 2025 / / 75cl £232 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2025 Cantemerle is terrific. Plush, deep and quite powerful, Cantemerle has a lot to offer. Dark red fruit, leather, cedar, tobacco and dried herbs are all dialed up. Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend, which is very much in evidence in the wine's savory intense and structure. There's a lot of wine here. 2030-2043. 91-93 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2025 Cantemerle has a pretty nose with violet and iris flower-infused black fruit, very well defined, the oak very well integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, very well balanced, impressive weight and cohesive, with more precision on the finish than I have noticed on previous vintages of Cantemerle. I appreciate the sapidity here, a moreish Haut-Médoc in the making, and I look forward to revisiting this in bottle. Drinking Window 2031 - 2050. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"This shows an attractive nose of flowers and subtle spices from the oak. It has good concentration and a balanced palate, with a clear, expressive fruit profile. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com------"Captures the austerity that you expect and want during En Primeur, wet stones and graphite, plenty of elegance and balance, measured acidities that give Left Bank typicity, a ton of ageing potential and curls of gunsmoke and flowers. Very pretty, very enjoyable, impressive. Yield 32 hl/ha. 35% new oak. First vintage in new cellars. 2034-2044. 94 points" janeanson.com------"Quite a fragrant, aromatic nose, full of intense violets and irises. The Petit Verdot and the Cabernet Sauvignon really stand out in terms of aromatics. Vivid purple in the glass. Sleek and so svelte, this has such a silky, almost creamy texture, tannins are gorgeous and this has such a juicy, lively core. Nothing out of place here. Super accessible and one of the best primeurs samples for consistency tasted three times. Ends salty with a stony grip. Completed new cellar in July 2024 with 114 vats. The team used a thermal camera for plot-by-plot harvest in 2025. New label as this vintage. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.6pH. A yield of 30hl/ha. 60% grand vin production. Ageing 12 months in barrel, 35% new wood. 95 points" Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine |
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