Château Cantelys
One of the standard rules when looking for good-value Bordeaux is to look for little-known châteaux, sometimes hidden away in a lesser appellation, run by a talented winemaker who is more commonly associated with a renowned property. There are examples dotted all over the region; famous names from Pomerol, St Emilion, St Estèphe or St Julien trying their hand at winemaking in Lalande-de-Pomerol, the St Emilion satellites, the Médoc and Haut-Médoc appellations, or even further afield.
Pessac-Léognan is not exactly devoid of examples, with numerous estates – such as Château Lespault-Martillac, Château Le Thil Comte Clary and Château Le Pape, among others – all falling under the control of more famous neighbours. For many years there was another obvious candidate, this being Château Cantelys. This estate is located just down the road from Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, and the two properties were in the same hands, Château Cantelys benefitting from the expertise of the Smith-Haut-Lafitte team, lead by technical director Fabien Teitgen. When visiting the estate the wines were often poured side-by-side, bringing Cantelys to the attention of a wider audience. And the quality was good.
This all came to an end in 2022, however, when the Cathiard family, owners of both Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte and Château Cantelys, sold this latter property to the Helfrich family, of Grand Chais de France. The estate is today managed by the Grands Chais de France team, who also run Château du Tertre in Margaux. Happily early assessment of the first Grands Chais de France vintages suggest that quality remains strong, and this remains a domaine that should be of interest to value-conscious buyers in Pessac-Léognan.
