2018 Cantemerle

Concentration and power through the palate, lovely quality, with depth and texture to the brambled fruit, wrapped with freshly cut herbs, gunsmoke and cocoa bean, maintains the elegance and chalky minerality of Cantemerle, a touch abrupt on the finish. A ripe vintage where they focused on stripping back any interventions in the cellar, low yields after hail. worked on less intervention, plus the Cabernet Sauvignon that was older, more elegant, still some lower yields because of hail in this year. 40% new oak for ageing, Eric Boissenot consultant, Philippe Dambrine estate director.

Tasted blind. Pale rim. Toasty, non-classic oak on the nose. A bit disjointed with sour damson fruit. Maybe it will all fall into place…? (JR)

The 2018 Cantemerle has an initially perplexing nose, very outgoing with predominantly red berry fruit that feels too oaky. Then it coalesces with aeration, though there is quite a lot of reduction in evidence. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and, again, mainly red fruit plus a touch of sea salt. Yet it lacks precision and delineation, feeling rather forced on the finish. Not my favorite vintage from this reliable performer, and I must admit that it left me scratching my head.