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Chateau Cantemerle
The origins of what we know today as Chateau Cantemerle lie in the Middle Ages, when the chateau formed one part of the Médoc's defensive line against attack. Exactly how the name Cantemerle came into existence, however, is open to debate. Various fanciful stories exist, the least incredulous of which concerns a large cannon named merle. Such armoury would not be unusual on a fortified battlement of the Middle Ages, and merle may well be derived from merlon, meaning battlement. The name itself first appears in 1147, when the presence of Pons de Cantemerle, one of the Seigneurs of Bordeaux, was recorded at the donation of land to the monks at La Sauve Majeur Abbey. Whatever the origins of the name though, by the mid-13th Century Cantemerle is an important Seigneurie in Bordeaux. A knight by the name of Pons de Cantemerle - presumably one of the descendents of the feudal lord mentioned above - was in residence in 1241, and fought on the side of the English at the Battle of Taillebourg. Despite losing, he managed to hold onto his Médoc estate.
The
first evidence of viticulture at Cantemerle is from 1354, when the owner, Ponset de Cantemerle,
was recorded as paying a debt with a tonneau of clairet –
a barrel of the local wine. For several centuries, however, wine was a minor part of life
at Cantemerle; the Médoc produced more cereal and beet than wine at this time,
and it is many years before wine is mentioned again.
In the interim, the estate changed hands several times, passing first to the Caupène and then to the La Roque families, latterly through the marriage of
Jeanne de Caupène to Henry de la Roque. This family hold the seat through
the early 16th Century, and there is more evidence of viticulture (or rather the
vine as part of polyculture), when Jehan de la Roque is recorded as possessing
several debts, six barrels of wine and some chickens. The family sold up in
1579, however, the purchaser being Jean de Villeneuve, who then married
Antoinette de Durfort; the Villeneuve de Durfort family
went on to
manage the estate of Chateau Cantemerle for several hundred years. The feudal
era had passed, and the family took on the more modern title of lord rather than
seigneur; their estate was extensive, covering several noble houses,
including Gironville, Maucamp and Sauves. At the latter house in 1643 there
resided Hector de Villeneuve, brother to the Lord of Cantemerle. It is this
manor house that was renamed Cantemerle, quite distinct from the Medieval
fortification where the name originated; and it was here that the family
received their annual harvest of grapes, and where the wine was made.
In the 19th Century the Villeneuve de Durfort family maintained control, having demolished the 17th Century manor house and erected a fine chateau, pictured above and also featured on the label below, in its place. The family played an important role in the region and in the advancement of viticulture generally, particularly with regard to the scourge of powdery mildew, which ran rife through many of the vineyards of Bordeaux, those at Cantemerle not excepted. One of the leading figures in the development of a treatment was was Fleuret-Jean-Baptiste; his technique of dusting with sulphur, first tested at Cantemerle, was not only successful, but won Baptiste a number of significant accolades. At around the same time, of course, came the 1855 Bordeaux classification.
Cantemerle
always gets a special mention in any debate of this long-outdated ranking of
Médoc (and one Graves) properties, simply because inspection of the original
document suggests that Cantemerle was an afterthought, scribbled in at the
bottom at the last minute by the syndicate of brokers that drew up the list at
the request of Napoleon III. At the time Cantemerle was sold direct to merchants
in Holland, and lacked the track record of prices on the Bordeaux market that
was required. The proprietor at the time was Caroline de Villeneuve-Durfort, who had
recently been successful in a legal case against near neighbour Pierre Chadeuil,
forcing him to remove the word Cantemerle from his wine labels. Following on
from this success, in 1854 she sold her wine in Bordeaux rather than on foreign
soil, but this was clearly not long enough to register in the minds of the 1855
brokers. Undaunted, Caroline de Villeneuve-Durfort jolted their collective
memory with the presentation of a dossier amassed during her legal case,
documenting Cantemerle's selling price (the basis for the 1855 classification)
which placed it comfortably alongside the other Cinquième
Crus. Cantemerle made it onto the list as a last minute amendment; early
publications, as well as a map displayed at the 1855 Exposition Universelle de
Paris, still did not include it, although with time this was rectified.
The Villeneuve-Durfot family sold up to the Dubos family in 1892. Théophile-Jean Dubos and his descendants managed the estate up until 1981, initially turning out great wines, but less so in latter years, the common problem of chronic under-investment being the root cause. Since 1981 the chateau is now owned by Groupe SMABTP (Les Mutuelles d'Assurance du Bâtiment et des Travaux Public), with director Phillippe Dambrine and cellar master Pascal Berteau in charge. Investment is no longer a problem.
The vineyards at Cantemerle expanded from 33 hectares to their current size, 87 hectares of Haut-Médoc vines, with silica and gravel soils, and a planting density of 9600 vines/ha. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot account for 50% and 40% respectively, with the remainder split equally between Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc; the vines average 30 years of age. There is a green harvest, and leaf thinning is practised, and eventual yields are up to 55 hl/ha. Selection is achieved in the vineyard, using four sorting tables. On arriving at the winery the grapes are 100% destemmed before up to thirty days maceration and fermentation in conical wooden vats for the best parcels, stainless steel for the rest. A practice unique to Cantemerle is selective devatting, by which only the middle section of the cap is pressed. The upper layer, which includes oxidised grape matter, and the lower layers of pips and other materials, are not included. The wine then sees a year or so in oak with 50% new barrels each year, and only a light fining, no filtration, before bottling. The resulting grand vin is Chateau Cantemerle, with annual production 25000 cases. In addition there is a second wine, Les Allées des Cantemerle, of which 12500 cases are typically produced.
The wines, in my experience, offer very good value. Some are of the opinion that the chateau should be upgraded – perhaps to a third growth. I must confess I am not in agreement, but this should not distract us from the combination of good quality – in keeping with a fifth growth chateau – and a good price. The following tasting notes include a number of vintages of Cantemerle; the predilection for the 1996 vintage reflects a case purchase; I have enjoyed watching the early development of this wine over the past few years. Tasting more recent vintages only confirms my belief that this is a good value property that only label drinkers should overlook. If purchased at the right price, and stored correctly (I have had one or two more mature examples obviously suffering from poor storage), Cantemerle can offer a decade and more of drinking pleasure. (26/1/06, updated 19/10/06)
Contact details:
Address: Chateau Cantemerle, 33460 Macau
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 97 02 82
Fax: +33 (0) 5 57 97 02 84
Internet: www.chateau-cantemerle.com
Chateau Cantemerle - Tasting Notes
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Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 2006: Sweet, sweet, sweet black fruit here on the nose.
Rather a full style on the palate, ripe, a little creamy, rounded with a good
texture. A bit of extract here, grippy, with decent acidity too. Nicely put
together. Not at all compelling, but I think they have done well for the
vintage. From my 2006 Bordeaux
assessment. 14.5-15.5/20 (April 2007)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 2005: CS 50%, M 40%, CF 5%, PV 5%. This wine has a
vibrant hue, although there isn't the intensity displayed by many of the other
wines. There is a spicy, meaty nose, showing attractive black fruits with a
fresh, lifted style. Rather gentle on the palate, rounded, soft and
approachable. This doesn't have the complex interest to be found elsewhere, and
it has less depth than I would like. It's also a little short. But it will make
very acceptable short-term drinking one day. From my
2005 Bordeaux en primeur
tasting. 15-16/20 (April 2006)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 2004:
This has a surprisingly crisp and fresh character on the nose, with good fruit
and oak. This is a nicely composed wine on the palate, supple tannins with an
upright, firm, peppery presence. Nicely textured too. This is good.
From my 2004 Bordeaux
assessment. 15.5+/20 (October 2006)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 2004: A very dark, deeply coloured
wine, still with a bright purple rim. Rather quiet on the nose, just showing
some primary, nutty black fruits. Similar fruit impact on the palate, backed up
by some firm tannins and an attractive acidic backbone. There is some good
structure and balance here, but perhaps not the panache of a really lovely wine.
But this will make very decent drinking one day, I am sure. Needs 6-8 years.
15+/20 (April 2006)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 2001: Another smoky, mineral-laced
nose here, this time quite refined and subtle. Pleasing, nicely structured
palate on entry, displaying evident stone and mineral edged blackcurrant fruit.
Delightful left-bank style here, although still quite firm in the midpalate, but
nicely balanced throughout. Needs 3-4 years in the cellar. Demonstrates nicely
why this vintage shouldn't always lie in the shadow of 2000. 16.5+/20 (November
2005)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 2000: This is much more deeply
coloured compared to the 1998, with youthful dark fruit and roasted nuts to be
found on the nose. On entry, a slightly creamy style is apparent, with a ripe,
nutty, rounded flavour and mouthfeel. This is concentrated, and firmly tannic,
and yet maintains a supple presence. This is very good indeed, but demands 5-6
years cellaring as a minimum. 17+/20 (November 2005)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1998: A smoky, very mineral character
on the nose here. The palate follows on, showing a supple, mineral and smoke,
rather forward style. This is quite full on the palate, very characterful, and
underpinned by a soft tannic structure. There is a slightly confected edge on
the finish which spoils the fun, but otherwise this is good, and suggests that
there a good wines if found at the right price from this forgotten vintage.
16/20 (November 2005)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1996: Great colour when poured, still
quite definitely red although with a dense, mature element. Lovely nose, still
exhibiting some youthful, smoky blackcurrant at first, although this does yield
to more mature leather and cedar character. Full, moderately dense on entry,
with cedary claret flavours that flow across the palate. Lovely definition and
presence, and great typicity. Claret at its most pleasant, and certainly
affordable. It has developed very well since last tasted in 2004. Drink over the
next 5-8 years. 16.5+/20 (November 2005)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1996: Still has a remarkably good
colour which shows only early maturity. The nose takes hours to open out,
eventually yielding mature aromas of smoked meat and baked fruit, with a dusty
edge. Initially a little lean and foursquare, it develops weight and texture as
the nose opens. Medium bodied, good style, minerally, meaty fruit. Clearly a
little awkward at present, and certainly not as approachable as it seemed on
last tasting; decant for several hours if drinking now. Although I think I will
leave mine for a couple of years before broaching another. 16+/20 (October 2004)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1996: Another from this case. There is
maturity quite evident on the colour now. A similarly mature nose, full of
claretty fruit with a slightly roasted character and a twist of pecan nuts,
together with more elegant notes of perfume, violets and a little smoke. A
lovely impression on the palate, which is full of extract and supple tannins
balanced out by mature fruit, correct acidity and some texture. 16+/20 (June 2004)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1996: Another try at this
wine which also featured in a recent tasting of 1996 clarets.
Red with just a tinge of purple. Smoky, crunchy
blackcurrant fruit on the nose, with a cassis richness. On the palate medium
bodied, with primary blackcurrant fruit. Fairly lean through the midpalate, with
some chalky tannins and good acidity. Some extract which shows up on the finish.
No length of note. 16.5+/20 (December 2002)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1996: Lovely
red-purple colour of youth. The nose, after a few minutes, gives off some
delightful sweet cassis fruit, with cigar box character. Later more rose petal
and violet nuances appear. Plenty of extract on the palate, which has good,
floral fruit, with a smoky, burnt edge, and ripe tannins, although with a dry,
chalky edge. Correct acidity. Sweet and peppery fruit, which later takes on a
burnt plum jam character. Firm, masculine texture despite the floral edges.
Needs 2-3 years. From a 1996
Bordeaux horizontal tasting. 16.5+/20 (October 2002)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1990: This is one of the paler wines.
An intriguing nose, with toffee, orange fruit and a touch of caramel. Structured
and balanced palate, quite seamless through the midpalate, with fully integrated
tannins. Roasted, spicy black fruits. Not as sweet or as obvious as some of the
other wines. Good wine - I enjoyed this more than my last tasting of Cantemerle
1990. Drinking now. From a 1990
Bordeaux horizontal tasting. 17/20 (May 2003)
Chateau Cantemerle
(Haut-Médoc) 1990: A tawny orange note to a moderately coloured
wine. Coffee and tobacco leaves on the nose. Rich fruit on the palate,
still with some toasty, smoky oak. Good balance. From a
1990 vintage ten year on
tasting. 16.5/20 (December 2000)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1989:
This wine and the next vie for position of most richly
coloured wine of the flight. A perfumed nose, with
cigar box and freshly rolled tobacco leaves. Another elegant palate, with
a good balance, although with plentiful summer berry fruits. Full
bodied, maintaining a smooth, rounded texture through the palate.
Finishes well, and has good length. Tannins much more integrated than
the previous wines. Ready for drinking now. From a
1989 Bordeaux horizontal
tasting. 17/20 (May 2000)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1982: A lovely colour with moderate depth. Wonderful
aromatics alongside plentiful aromatics on the nose. full and richly textured on
the palate, but with a firm touch of grip. Some tannins still present on the
midpalate, and it still seems a little austere, with a firm finish. Plenty of
texture though. From a 1982
Bordeaux horizontal tasting. 17+/20 (May 2004)
Chateau Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) 1961: From
a magnum. This has a brown,
murky appearance. The nose brings to mind treacle toffee and heavily stewed meat
at first, with a nutty, vegetal character. It is clearly not in good shape.
Surprisingly not dried out on the palate, well textured through the midpalate,
but quite hot thereafter. A bit of sweetness. This has not collapsed altogether
but is plainly over the hill, although I suspect this is not typical and other
bottles may be fine. From a 1961
Bordeaux tasting. 13/20 (June 2007)
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