11 Jun 2020

Released this morning, the 2019 Château Capbern from Saint-Estèphe should be on everyone's en primeur buying list this year.  A long-standing favourite (we are drinking and enjoying the 2011 Capbern-Gasqueton at the moment), it is also an estate well on its way to ascension into a different league of winemaking, under Laurent Dufau.

Dufau is credited with the rapid progress made at Calon-Ségur, under the same ownership as Capbern since 2012. Calon is challenging Montrose and Cos d'Estournel as the leading wines of Saint-Estèphe and each new vintage of Capbern shows some of this ambition too.  James Suckling describes the 2019 as "gorgeous" and "better than the 2018", awarding it 93-94 points."

The 33 hectares of vines are hand-harvested and the 2019 is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The wine will be aged for 18 months in 60% new oak barrels.

At £15 per bottle in bond, this is a great value release which makes a pleasant contrast to the throng of recent famous-names released.  Please let us know if you would like some.

 

Producer Profile

Château Capbern, Saint-Estèphe Cru Bourgeois

Château Capbern (known as Capbern-Gasqueton until 2014) is a Cru Bourgeois in Saint-Estèphe.  A long-standing favourite (we have been drinking and enjoying the 2011 of late), Capbern is also an estate well on its way to ascending into a different league of winemaking, first under Laurent Dufau and, since 2020, under Vincent Millet.

Dufau and Millet are credited with the rapid progress made at Calon-Ségur, under the same ownership as Capbern since 2012.  Calon is challenging Montrose and Cos d'Estournel as the leading wines of Saint-Estèphe and each new vintage of Capbern shows some of this ambition too.  The 33 hectares of vines are hand-harvested and the wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, aged for 18 months in 60% new oak barrels.