27 May 2021

Released en primeur today at £218 per dozen bottles in bond, the 2020 Château Cantemerle was amongst the earlier 2020 cask samples we tasted.  It stood out as it gave us an inkling about the style of the vintage as a whole.  After the open and concentrated fruit of the 2019s, this 2020 was refined and elegant with pure but subtle blackcurrant fruit.  Cantemerle often has an austerity about it and sees less oak than some of its peers, but the 2020 is still very much from a warm year...it's just been very well-managed.  Jane Anson describes it as "confident, succulent, elegant and classic", awarding 93 points.

Landing in spring 2023.

Limited availability.  To order, e-mail us at sales@richardkihl.ltd.uk 

Producer Profile

Château Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc

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-Emilon.

Cantermerle 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.