1998 | Château Cantemerle | Haut-Medoc

The color of the wine has darkened and the wine has taken on an extra richness and measure of fruit. It has exquisite flavors and it is rare to find fruit flavors of such refinement.

Producer Information

Château Cantemerle is a wine estate in the Haut-Médoc region north of Bordeaux city on the left bank of the Gironde estuary. The estate is ranked a fifth growth in the 1855 classification of the Médoc and Graves. The château's grand vin is Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant, with smaller amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and is made in a structured but fruit-driven style. Château Cantemerle can be enjoyed young but can also age for a decade or more. It is one of only two estates in the 1855 Classification to be subject to an amendment. The other – Château Mouton-Rothschild – was famously promoted to the first growths (from a second growth) in 1973, following much political lobbying on the part of owner Philippe de Rothschild. Cantemerle, on the other hand, did not immediately figure in the original list of 1855 but was added that year as a fifth growth following pressure on the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce by then-owner, Caroline de Villeneuve (for more, see the Château Cantemerle story here). The estate has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages, with the first mention of wines from the property coming in the 14th Century. The modern history of the château began in 1892 with Théophile-Jean Dubos' purchase of the estate, and it was passed down through the family until 1981 when it was acquired by French insurance group Societe Mutuelles d'Assurance du Batiment et des Travaux Public (SMABTP). Many of Cantemerle's vineyards were pulled out during the two world wars, and were replanted in the 1980s. This expanded the vineyard area from 20 hectares (50 acres) to 90 hectares (220 acres) by 1999. The soil in Cantemerle's vineyards is a mixture of silica and gravel. This is reasonably poor, and causes the vines to struggle, resulting in grapes with high levels of aromatic concentration. The vines, the majority of which are Cabernet Sauvignon, are on average 30 years old. A rigorous selection in the winery ensures only the best fruit is fermented, and then aged for 12-16 months in French oak, about half of which is new. Château Cantemerle's second wine, Les Allées de Cantemerle, is produced in a more approachable style than the grand vin.

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