Consumed half bottle at pop, then corked for another 4hrs before consuming the rest. No change.
What a beautifully elegant and refined ‘09. The highest compliment I can give this is that it was a simplistic joy. Some wines make it easy to get nerdy and command your attention…some wines are underwhelming and not worth your time. This was squarely in the middle. It was a joy to not feel the need to overthink…it’s exactly what it should be. No bricking at almost 15yrs. Decidedly black fruit heavy (black currant, cassis, underripe blackberries) with a sprinkling of raspberries and black cherries. Aromas of sweet pipe tobacco, dark florals. Integrated on the palate with good structure and acidity…not a massive wine, but it put on a bit of weight/length the longer it was open. Still sporting a fair bit of tannin at the finish, but it’s balanced. Drink or hold.
This is in a really great place at age 15 but will have many good years ahead. Pretty notes of black currant/cassis, black cherries, graphite/lead pencil, flowers and some sweet spices. There are also some notes of tobacco leaf and earth. It's medium-bodied with medium tannin that has melted away quite substantially an is very silky and a medium+ acidity providing good freshness. Very long finish. A very elegant classic left bank Bordeaux that is more elegant than some of the bigger wines of the vintage.
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Decanted for 2 hours - initially started off tight, but softened nicely over the course of 4 hours. Some fruit left, I think it might have another 2-3 years left.
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Decanted for over an hour to let the sediment settle. Dark plum-garnet in colour. Nose of cassis, blackberries, graphite, and a touch of blueberries and wet tobacco. On the palate, there are black currants, earthy blackberries, dark tobacco and some espresso; some tannins are noticed. Medium bodied with a medium finish. Last tasted, 10 years ago to this day.
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Last tried this in 2021. Decanted for 90 Minutes. Oak is still a tad obtrusive. Tannins not fully subsumed but are tame. Classic Cabernet profile, with lots of blackcurrant. It’s drinking well. If you want more tertiary notes, wait longer.
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This is just so good. Agree with note below that it has a few years left to its peak, but some hours to a day after opening this is just delicious. Especially given the price. Will save last two bottles for 2024 and 2025.
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Nase: Sauber. Mittlere Aromen von Brombeer, Schokolade, Cassis, Zedernholz. Erste Reifenoten.
Gaumen: Trocken, mittlere Säure, hoher Alkohol 14%, markante, feinstoffige Tannine, noch nicht ganz harmonisch integriert, mittlerer Körper mit mittleren Aromen wie in der Nase zusätzlich kräuterig, mittlerer Abgang.
Sehr gute Qualität. Guter Mittelklasse Bordeaux. Gut balanciert wenn auch nicht ultimativ druckvoll im Gaumen und lang im Abgang. Tannine sind immer noch nicht ganz samtig und werden es wohl auch nicht mehr werden. Wein gewinnt mit Dekantieren und braucht Essensbegleitung. Jetzt trinken, hat noch Reifepotential von 2-3 Jahren und ein Lagerpotential von 8-10 Jahren.
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Almost at its peak now. Came out of the bottle a bit restrained, but developed nicely after 1h in the Glas/Decanter. Still quite powerful - and would take at least 2 extra years in the bottle easily - with good structure and nicely integrated fruit (mostly cassis, typical fruit characteristic for the left bank). A very nice drinking experience, considering the pricing, bit still a way to go to the big names.
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First of a trio purchased recently at retail and my fourth experience with this vintage of Cantemerle. PnP. No visual signs of aging. Nice nose of deep cassis with light elements of tertiary development that evolved and grew very quickly in the glass. Very concentrated but a touch flabby, lacking the kind of acidity needed to give the wealth of fruits here some real punch and presence. Also the tannins were very nice but lacked firmness and quantity. With more acidity and tannic structure, this bottle would easily have scored two points higher. My notes describe my earlier bottles, which were ex-chateau, as having “medium-plus” acidity and more tannic presence. Though not as good as earlier examples, this was still very nice. I’m a big fan of Cantemerle. 13% ABV (very good/***/16/91)
Double decanted for two hours and took to The Richmond restaurant in SF. It was closed for awhile, imbalanced with sourness.
By 4-5 hrs, it was your classic left bank. Not much fruit. Fine tannin. Tertiary flavor with balance. Graphite, mineral, forest floor. Nice coating of the mouth.
Need a little more time or decant at least 4 hrs to enjoy
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Deep purple color. Cassis, smoke, and mineral bouquet. On the palate one gets a ripe supple fruit entry and mid-palate in a medium-bodied format. Soft and approachable now, it will plateau over the next 3+ years. Decanted for 1 hour.
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7 years since the last bottle. Gorgeous wine with bright colour. Complex nose with leathery, earthy notes and a long and pleasant finish. Beautiful mouth-feel.
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Decanting improved this Cantemerle considerably. Clear dark cherry in color, tobacco and forest floor on the nose with balance and fairly long finish. Doesn't have the body or finish we value from some of our favorite Bordeaux wines, but still a great value all things considered.
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Double blind. Currants and blackberry with earth and tobacco overtones. There’s a slight barnyard note in there as well. Full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of red plum, currants and cigar tobacco. Balanced, with good length in the finish. (J&S)
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Opened for Christmas dinner of saddle of venison, but didn't really hit the mark. Felt a bit hollow and insufficiently evolved. I preferred it when I last had a bottle about 3 years ago, and I didn't pick that up that it would feel more disjointed now than then. It was decanted a couple of hours in advance, and drunk over 3 days, and didn't improve. Only have 1 left. Will leave it for some time.
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Lots of fruit and tobacco mixed with forest floor. Superbly balanced, nice mineral bite and very elegant. Drinks really well now after decant if one likes a mix of primary fruit and mature notes. Very hard to resist. Try again in 2 years?
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Wine evening (Restaurant Krietsch, Schwäbisch Gmünd): Popped and poured. Clear, deep ruby color. Nose with lots of primary fruit (plum), deep. Compared to the 1989 it was simply... fruity. Warm fruit, plum amarena, creamy texture, almost oily, a bit chubby, young. Needs lots of time to melt down the baby fat. Give it another decade. 89-90+
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Drinking much younger than than the 2010. Darker in the glass and very concentrated fruit flavors. Also more richness and depth the the 2010. And no funk at all on the nose. Drinking really well right now. Opened up pretty quickly with and hour or two of air. Longer finish although just a hint of bitter tannins at the end that detract from the overall experience. This is qualitatively the better of the two and I scored a point higher, although I personally preferred the 2010!
From 150cl, excellent cork, opened but not decanted 3 hours. Interesting to read recent CT TNs. This magnum comes over as a light, plum-morello cherry fruited charmer, with more acidity than weight, and definitely more on the dilute side than "ludicrously concentrated" (Che Ganarelli's TN on 27.08.2022). Nice enough, but not at all like the powerful clarets described here. Oh well, it was delicious anyway. 88P
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PnP and it came across as quite light and floral with limited fruit or power. Next day it was a little better. Most 2009’s were drinking well - and my notes from 7+ years suggested I really liked this wine - so not sure what is going on. Eleven bottles left in the case so will see how it develops and will be sure to decant the next one for a few hours.
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Consistent with past two tastings since early 2020 - still primary, but the fruit is beginning to emerge with air. For the most part, this bottle was closed throughout our dinner after an hour in the decanter, but it did open up after 3+ hours. Drink 2024-2032. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 91.
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First of case of 6 magnums. No detailed notes, but this is starting to show well, still developing, but has nice complexity, good intensity, and the tannins are softening an integrating well. Well balanced wine that is at the start of a drinking window that I think can last 8-10 years from now.
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1 hour decant thru Rabbit Nice A bit thinner than I recall but all the right flavours are there. Drinking nicely but no particular hurry. Night 2: lovely. Some menthol and almost liquorice flavours coming through.
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Nase: Mittlere Aromen von schwarzen Beeren, Tabak, Schokolade. Voll gereift.
Gaumen: Trocken, mittlere (-) Säure, mittlerer Alkohol, mittleres Tannin, mittlerer Körper, mittlere Aromen wie in der Nase, langer Abgang.
Qualität: sehr gut
Trinkreife: jetzt trinken, nicht für weitere Lagerung geeignet
Gesamteindruck: Guter und solider Bordeaux, Frucht nur noch wenig präsent, Tannine in der Zwischenzeit schön integriert. Schöner Trinkspass in der oberen Mittelklasse des Bordeaux.
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Did a two hour decant before pouring a glass. Medium ruby in the glass, no noticeable bricking. I get aromas of cedar, tobacco and maybe a chocolate note. Not getting much in the way of fruit but this is still nice and round in the mouth, and some tannins on the finish suggests it will leg out further. This was a pleasure to drink, just a really solid wine. No epiphanies, but satisfaction nonetheless.
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Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of deep ruby colour, with fading rims and legs. Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of black fruit of blackberry and blackcurrant, oak notes of toast, pungent spice of liquorice, animal notes of leather, maturity notes of tobacco and savoury. The wine is developing. Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium tannin of ripe and velvety texture, medium in alcohol and medium body, with medium intensity flavours of black fruit of blackberry and plum, oak notes of toast, kernel notes of milk chocolate, maturity notes of tobacco. The wine has a medium (+) finish. Conclusion: Very good quality Haut-Medoc with good intensity, complex aromas of a nice Bordeaux blend, with plenty of black fruit, elegant oak, liquorice and leather, as well as the development characters of tobacco and savoury. On the palate it has good balance and robust in flavours, having decent concentration and a fairly long finish. It is ready to drink now and can further develop for another 3-5 years.
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Virtual Q-tasting: Nice left bank Bordeaux: black currant, tobacco leaf, mature cherry, prune, soft oak, cassis, green tapenade, medium plus body, smooth long finish - Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Merlot (40%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Petit Verdot (5%).
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An easy afternoon with close friends (@ My place): Red and dark berries, sweet spices and vanilla in the bouquet. On the palate a firm amount of fresh acidity, sweet spices, a bit herbaceous. Not extremely concentrated, but certainly a pleasant and elegant wine. Will probably improve with some more bottle ageing.
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Classic blackcurrant fruit underpinned with a well-toned and lean sinewy tannic structure, developing coffee and mocha characters. So far so good, but the purity of fruit was noticeably marred by notes of talcum powder and furred game which went up to but not beyond the limit of tolerable. It was a shame because it had a beautifully formed classic claret structure and I wanted to mark it much higher. That said even in its present state it’s a very fine wine. CHP 88pts
After 30 years of trying to like Cantemerle, this one has finally put me off of this chateau for good. After a quick double decant, this wine was insipid and uninteresting—just not much there. There are so many other chateaus at better price points that offer so much more.
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slightly tannic on opening and smoothed nicely with an hour or two of air Pretty typical Bordeaux brought en premier as a midweek drinker and it is excellent for that. I did not have high exptectations but it runs 90+ in quality range so overall good deal
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Much more Bordeaux 09 in profile than the bottle tried a year ago, although it still has the fresh wave midpalate. More blackberry than blackcurrant. Still youthful but with quite a lot of promise for the future
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Two hour decant thru rabbit. A lovely, heady scent. Delicious to taste - berry fruit with back notes of menthol. V good value. In a drinking window - suspect will improve over the next few years.
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Excellent left bank Bordeaux: black currant, tobacco leaf, mature cherry, prune, soft oak, cassis, green tapenade, medium plus body, smooth long finish - Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Merlot (40%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Petit Verdot (5%). Only 3 % CF, yet noticeable through the “green”flavor on the palate. I really like the CF input in the blend.
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I normally like this chateau for its classic, restrained style, but this wasn't a satisfying experience at all. Extremely dark, toasted, almost burnt oak, tar, drying, bitter tannins all over the palate, hardly any fruit, no freshness at all. What went wrong here? Nothing to do with the cantemerle I know. Bottle seemed to be fine with good cork... 13/20
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Very pleasant. Tobacco, a bit of tar, you have to hunt for the berries. None of the cocoa that WS promised. My wife, who prefers berries to tar, loved it as well: smooth, elegant, nicely in balance. Decanted one hour.
I doubt it will get better, but think it will last for a while.
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Eastman. I've liked Cantemerle in some past vintages, notably 1983. This was my first bottle of the 2009 and I was disappointed. The level of fruit was adequate, somewhat less than expected for 2009, there was not a lot of complexity, and the middle seemed dilute. That said, our hosts liked it. I'm hoping other bottles are better but this tasting note does not seem to be an outlier.
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Delicious fruity wine with classic Cantemerle tannic edge - but the 09 character balances it beautifully. Clearly a left bank wine. My early (2010) misgivings about 09s being too Californian seem happily to be turning out wrong. Great fun.
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A very nice bottle of claret. Medium. Blackberries. Not a lot of depth nor complexity but fine and honest. Just a touch too dear to say good QPR. Good to go right now. Splash it in a glass and kick back.
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Others have this right. Dense, almost purple color. Ripe blackberries, black currant and lead pencil on the nose. Black and red fruits, roasted coffee and velvety tannins on the palate. Flavorful, medium-long finish. Not blown away, but very, very good. Great QPR for a blockbuster vintage. Better on Day 2.
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This is a solid Bordeaux, don't be scared to pull the cork and drink one. This has wonderful dark cherry fruit, streamlined, with dark riverine minerals, perceptions of dark red clay, something floral, pretty but subdued spice. A real great wine and hella priced!
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Nice wine. Blackberry and dark raisins on the nose. Dark fruit on the palate. Fleshy. Could use a bit a decanting though I didn’t decant. Chewy tannins in the end.
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Ex-chateau release. Initially reticent, this opened up on the nose after an hour or so to reveal dark currant fruit and cedar. The palate is medium light for a Bordeaux, with a hint of oak gloss remaining, and while the acidity is a touch low, it's enough to keep the wine fresh. Appealing, but not exciting.
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Phil's Coravin exploration (Phil's place, Putney, Sydney): From Coravin. Aromas of baked plums, blackcurrant, cedar and, with agitation, a little pyrazine and stony minerality backed by leather and a tiny smidge of Brett. Nice nose. On the palate though the Brett and leathery notes are totally in charge with massive drying tannins. Woof woof.
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(1/16/21) From a 750ml bottle, ex-château bottle. This wine was very healthy looking, with glass-staining concentration and only some general lightening of color and no bricking per se. Unfortunately, this was the best part of it. There was no fruit on the nose, just the very heavy smell of canned asparagus. The palate was more of the same with a big dose of sourness. I’ve had two bottles of this (both ex-château from the same source) over the last 14 months, and they were excellent, so I’m calling this bottle flawed. No Score.
Day 2: Wow. What a difference a day can make. Yesterday, I called this bottle flawed, but because I’m essentially a hopeful guy, I put it in the fridge under vacuum seal and tried it again.
It looks like I was a bit hasty in writing this bottle off. There is still some earthiness here, but it is in the background now. There is cassis in the nose and a lot of cassis in the rather thick palate. The sourness has also gone away. There is still a dryness to the mouthfeel and a backwardness to the aroma and bouquet that is dragging this bottle down relative to earlier examples, though. (***/15.5/91)
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Slightly s Disappointed. I was expecting a richer mouthful and more notes but it was smooth and light in terms of taste Cork was solid I much preferred the 94 I had with its funkiness Maybe I decanted too long ? 3 hours Probably comparing apples to orange but the 2009 chateau pougieoux i had was more my style with more notes Still learning
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This particular bottle of overall very good wine added some strong acidity (for this wine) so one of my favorites Bordeaux in this price range was a bit disappointing
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We started our festive week with this wonderful Claret accompanied by excellent T-bone steak. As I have said before this is distinctly fuller than other vintages I have come across and in my view superior. The nose has a lovely purity to the cassis and cedarwood and this follows through very nicely onto the palate. Without being “heavy” or sweet, there is an unctuous feel to this wine. The length on the finish was decent. This is Haut-Medoc at a very enjoyable level.
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Lovely, mature. Earthy on the nose. Well-balanced with firm tannic structure, dark fruit, secondary spice. Glad to have this first of my 6 I purchased back in 2012
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Honestly this Bordeaux Chateau normally is not among my favs, but the incredible Hype about the 2009 vintage and the high scores of this estate 10 years ago made me buy this one, so it is time for the whole truth, pnp, great surprise on the label, "only" 13% ABV, a little shy on the nose initially, needs some half an hour to blossom, then rich dark cassis emerges, spice, some fine cuban tobacco notes, very untypical showing on the palate, some ripe but present tannin, compared to other recently enjoyed 2009 Bordeaux bottles this Cantemerle is really fresh with delicate fruit, without the most voluptuous fruit of other bottles, more the "old school" type of Bordeaux, like in the 80ties or older, the english would call this one a "claret", a Bordeaux to serve and deliver paired with meat or so, really like this showing, but to be clear about the fact that this Cantemerle is a finesse like, very well balanced Bordeaux, with a fresh light- to mid bodied flow on the palate, vivid acid leeds to a convincing long finish, best bottle from Cantemerle ever! with some aeration perfect to enjoy from now on, but will easily hold another decade++, **(**), around 91-93(+)?
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I was expecting a little more here. Enjoyable, but a little thin and lacked depth. This bottle was short of my expectations for a 2009, left bank Bordeaux.
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Like the Citran, this has blackberry and cigar box aromas, with a touch of tobacco. The first taste came as a real shock - cool, fresh, Loire-like: totally atypical for the vintage, mostly blackcurrant, incredibly subtle. In fact it's so subtle that it's a little subdued - there isn't really a middle section, or if there is, it tastes a bit unripe, even diluted. Going into the finish, hints of ripe blackberry and plum finally emerge, but without really leaving a lasting impression. There is no doubting the elegance and finesse, this is much better than the 05 and many other recent vintages, but it's a very odd wine in the context. I wonder when it was picked. I enjoyed it a lot all the same.
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Nice, surprisingly fresh Bordeaux with a bouquet of black and cranberries and some pencil shavings. A little light on the midpalate with slowly integrating tannins.
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Definitely more oomph than you might ordinarily expect from Cantemerle. Yet it still retains the sense of Margaux as opposed to Haut-Medoc that I often find here. A really lovely but slightly untypical bottle from this comparatively good value Chateau
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2020 retail purchase, perfect cork and fill. Same as last bottle. Dark red to rim. Opens over 1 hour, excellent nose of dark fruits, tobacco and earth. Medium body, ripe fruit, good balance and finish. Still young but giving a lot of pleasure. Excellent.
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2020 retail purchase, perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Opens over 1 hour, excellent nose of dark fruits, tobacco and earth. Medium body, ripe fruit, good balance and finish. Still young but giving a lot of pleasure. Excellent.
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An easy afternoon with close friends; Bordeaux (@ PdV): In the bouquet dark berries, vanilla, coffee and mocha. On the palate dark berries, some sweetness, sweet spices and good acidity. Certainly a good, but not overwhelming wine. 89 - 90
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Deep purple (colour rather than pop group); lovely lifted nose of bright and slightly green dark fruit, earth, muted wood. A typically teasing nose - elegant and refusing to be anything bigger (because that is not the Cantemerle style); good mouth-filling flavours. No real depth, but attractive nonetheless, with nice lines of subdued acidity.
If you want a bigger wine, then you should look elsewhere. With Cantemerle you have charm, a lightness of touch and lovely bright fruit. And there is no need to be vulgar and mention its modest cost.
There is some residual tannin here, so I would give this another 2-3 years.
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PnP. Ready to drink. In the nose nice Bordeaux style- dark berries, forest floor and pencil lead. Well integrated oak. I was surprised by its power. It is full bodied with lots of dark berries and (very) soft tannins. I guess, the acidity could become more present in some years. This would give this Cantemerle some freshness. For me, this wine is very nice but pretty simple with lack of layers. Could be from somewhere else than Bordeaux. Will try the second half of the bottle at 18 degrees Celsius.
Update of day2: the cooler drinking temperature gives the wine a bit of freshness. Still lack of structure. Like it anyway and will drink the rest of my case over the next 11 years to see if this wine can improve.
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Blackcurrant, cedar and lots of pencil lead. Tannins quite firm. Not as open for business as I expected but all the components are there. Leave for a while before opening another
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(2/23/20) From a 750ml bottle (ex-chateau, recent library release). Just like my last bottle, four months ago—beautiful. This bottle displayed evenly balanced fruit and tertiary characteristics on the nose and palate. Also, like my last bottle, this one showed medium-plus acidity, very good balance, and a good amount of unresolved but ripe tannins; 13% abv. (***+/16.5/93)
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From 375. Unsurprisingly quite primary. The fruit is there in spades with solid acidity. Tannins are not terribly noticeable. Fine to drink now but much better in 5+ years.
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Took a couple of hours to open up and reveal itself fully. Sweet, dark fruits, medium bodied with smooth, integrated tannins, decent finish. In a great drinking window. This became more tannic and 'classic' as the evening wore on.
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Decanted 90 min, en primeur bottle contained quite a lot of sedimemt. Lots of pure black fruit, in particular black berry and cassis are easy to pick out.
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From a 750ml bottle (ex-chateau, recent library release). This bottle was in a really beautiful place, with evenly balanced primary fruit and tertiary characteristics in evidence. It also had medium-plus acidity, decent but unobtrusive alcohol, and a good amount of unresolved but ripe tannins. (***+/16.5/93)
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Needed 90 minutes decanting. Deep crimson bouquet. Nose was creme de cassis, earthiness, mushroom, truffle, which faded. The cassi stayed throughout. The attack was was pure black fruit, very rich. Long finish. Smooth mouthfeel, nearly elegant. Drank with rack of lamb. Perfect pairing.
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Tasted at The Wine Society's Bordeaux tasting, London. Tasted in parallel with the 2014 and 2011. Not surprisingly, this is the vintage which is most ready to drink now. Dark blackcurrant colour. Fresh nose, good fruit levels, dark berries, leather. Rich and full palate, hedgerow. Drink now. Or better still, buy a few and drink until 2030 as the notes suggest.
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Deep dark ruby color turning violet at the rim with a reflective edge. The nose gives off powerful whiffs of blue and black fruits with toasty notes of candied licorice and dried herbs. The palate is medium-to-full-bodied with gripping, fleshy tannins, and enough acidity that leads to a powerful structure that should dictate a later drinking window. Flavors of blueberry and blackberry fruit dominate the primary flavors, but there are hints of ripe raspberry as well. Secondary flavors of tobacco, pencil shavings, dark chocolate complete the core. I would say this isn’t as enjoyable to drink now as it is more of an intellectual exercise. It’s too young and needs time to fully integrate and put on weight. Finishes off with gripping tannins that lend to a long, subtle graphite tail. Drink now with a 2-hr decant or from 2022 to 2037. 93-95
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A restaurant buy. Fragrant nose with plenty of fruit on opening. Dark berry fruit on the elegant, almost perfumed palate - blackberry, black currant - and a rich body with cedar notes. Smooth, complex, well balanced. Surprisingly, we got strawberry on the late palate. Great length and superb with rare fillet of beef. A joy. We said no to dessert and just enjoyed the wine. 91+
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Après une bouteille décevante l'an passé, celle-ci fût vraiment excellente, à la hauteur du millésime. Le vin est riche, mais bien équilibré par une juste fraîcheur. Complexité, finesse, longueur correcte, c'est tout simplement un excellent 5e cru classique qui est arrivé à son plateau de maturité. A boire dans les 3-5 ans.
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Fresh and punchy nose of briary fruits, menthol, violets and earth. It has good flesh and volume in the mouth, with a creamy feel and fresh, vibrant finish. Excellent balance and proportion.
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Side by side tasting with 2010. Decanted 1 hours prior to first taste, drank of next 3 hours. Med body, med- to med length finish, plenty of fruit (slightly modern), tad of herbs, but not too complex or structure.
2010 showed much more complexity and umph, med to med+ body, med length finish. There's structure there. Maybe the fruits in 2009 over shadows any complexity(?). About 50/50 split in the group of preference. But all agreed 2010 was more complex currently.
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Carafe bordelais 2 hours before tasting. Deep ruby with meniscus already a bit garnet. Pretty nose of with good fruit purity of cassis and red plum and subtle vanilla. Palate of similar flavors but lacking in complexity but well balanced with Med+ acid tanin, and sweetness. Very good wine to drink now or over the next few years.
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Very attractive, left-bank feel, creme-de-cassis, similar profile to the few bottles of '89 I've had over time. The tannins have eased up and this is drinking very nicely already. 92+pts.
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Splash decanted. Agree with Papies - this is a solid 90. Gentle and pretty on the nose with hints of eucalyptus, damp earth and dark slate alongside the soft blackcurrant. But rather light on the palate, particularly for an 09. Grainy tannins and a medium+ finish. 90-91 pts.
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Once again by the glass at the BA lounge, LHR. Relatively freshly opened by the looks of it. The nose of this wine could launch a thousand of our own ships if we owned as much. So pretty and classic, soft yet expressive and devout of excesses and heavy oak. Lacks a bit on the palate but the wine is worthy of a good 90 and some attention post a good hour of decanting. Good value wine here . 90 and drinks very well now
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Tasted at The Wine Society's Bordeaux tasting in London. From an excellent vintage, I had hoped for more from this chateau. Light plummy fruit, but the palate was a little cloying. Overall, the wine just didn't excite, though there's nothing intrinsically wrong with it.
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Opened 6hrs in advance. Has pleasant aromas of coffee, cedary blackberries, gravel hints, blackcurrants and flowers. Its medium bodied elegant slightly linear and old school oaky blackberries and blue fruits palate has decent layering and good freshness. Ends medium long and aromatic. 13%. Could be a 91 if laid down for 4-5 years. Agree with the classic comments. Currently lacks the 2010's length and breadth
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Still young, lots of blue fruit, oaky but pleasant. Strict and lean - which is meant as a compliment, that is want you want from these mid Châteaux. Not as easy drinking as many other '09s. Keep for some years, tannins prominent. Well-made in classic style.
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Opened a couple hours before dinner. Dark purple with notes of blackberry, chocolate, and tobacco. Drinking well, but the tannins are still readily apparent. I will hold my remaining bottles for another three to five years.
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Nose is still very closed after an hour in the decanter. There are aroma of dark chocolate, cassis, baked tomato, mint, licorice, leafy and leather nuances. Ripe black berries and dried bay leave on the palate which is medium-body. Smooth and polished structure. There are more hidden behind the structure. Finish is smooth but could be longer. Need to keep for at least 3-5 years.
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Had at the British Air lounge at Heathrow. Its served at room temperature which is too warm for a claret. It’s been open for 6 hours. Medium-dark red. Ripe fruit nose, oak, perhaps stems too. The stem aspect could be off-putting but it adds s degree of complexity. Medium finish with mostly smooth tannins. A good Haut Medoc from a riper vintage.
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By the glass at the BA lounge from a well opened bottle. Good albeit young and definitely benefits from the forwardness of the 2009 vintage. Good dark fruits, herby touches, light spice, pepper. On the softer side and just about showing what is capable of achieving. A good 90 for now but with lots of promise and just at the start of its drinking window.
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More concentrated in great 2009 than expected but still lack the charm. Not my type of wine but the tannin is still young with long wooden palm finishing.
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Nez moyennement intense, sur les fruits noirs. Bouche bien équilibrée mais manquant d'intensité aromatique de densité. Finale courte aux tanins un peu assechants. Deception pour cette 2e bouteille.
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49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc (note variation from "planting" proportions) from 87 ha of silica and gravel soils with vines averaging 30 yrs old. Manual harvest, sorting and total de-stemming. 6-8 days fermentation., 28-30 days marceration. Aged12 months in french oak (50% new) barrels(medium toast). 13% Abv. 400,000 bottles. Proprietor: SMA GROUP (Insurance) since 1981.
A(ccuray)=2: Med deep garnet. Ripe, mealy claret. B(alance)=3: Fruit forward with fine acid and tannic structure. C(omplexity)=2: Dark berries, spices, graphite, vanilla. D(epth)=1: Supple mouthfeel. Average length and finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,2,1] = 8/10
Refined "modernism".
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Aromatic notes of slightly stewed red fruits, raspberry, truffles, lavender, with just a hint of cocoa and smoke.
Palate is quintessentially Bordeaux. Med bodied, med+ acid, med tannin. Enticing blend of red berry, mulberry, blackberry, tea leaf, violet, licorice, and cedar. Cool and ethereal. No excess with a decent length.
Classic claret in an unusual vintage. Will keep for 20 more years but best in 10. 90+
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More open and accessible than my last bottle. Beautifully perfumed, but also very mid-weight and elegant for 2009, this is at the beginning of it‘s drinking window and will provide great drinking for many years to come.
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Definitely needs air. Started off very dry, but after a couple hours the fruit is filling out. Aromas of bay leaf, cassis, blackberry, cedar, graphite and smoke. Similar flavors with a hint of menthol and sage.
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The 2009 is so sexy and approachable and modern and warm whereas 2010 is more classic. 2010 and 2016 have the acidity support. And that is very ripe and round. Still very classically refined with warm spices and savoriness on the nose. And delicious on the palate too.
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Still needs a few moments to open up but once done so, its an earthy, vegetal offering with subtle hints of fruit. The oak was nuanced as in many bordeaux. It was enjoyable.
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Lovely nose with some very pleasant toasted coconut notes. Nicely balanced fruit with very gentle tannins, though the oak may be better integrated in a year or two. Decanted three hours prior.
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good to great. this wine provides a window to 2009. drinking solid -big bold fruited on the darker end of the spectrum, then long clean finish. minerals without candy. voluptuous for bordeaux proper. this got me excited about other 09s
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Second Sunday Group: 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Barb's): Popped and poured with dinner. In comparison to the 2003, this has a much darker fruit profile, and to state the obvious, is too young for a pop and pour- this needed a decant. Fairly tight, showing the aforementioned dark fruit along with subtle floral and oak spice qualities. Mixed fruit on the palate with firm, rustic tannins and a decent finish. Needs time to develop.
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3 bottle split tasting.. loads of graphite and purple fruit, plum, currant, and some leather notes. Overall, and really good brdx experience. Still have one more bottle.
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Very deep core, developing ruby colour; brooding rich nose, tightly coiled. Some well defined cassis and red fruits hinted at, peeping through; resolving itself structurally though there is a considerable tannic frame hidden behind the concentrated fruit. Very smooth. Good weight, great potential. Needs considerable time but should be worth the wait.
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Had it at a restaurant last night with duck. Decanted and let it breathe for about an hour before pouring it with the main course. An okay wine, but there was nothing especially good about it. Not much to smell, and in the mouth it felt a bit thin. It had a fair amount of acidity that went well with the duck.
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Deep purple opaque shiny no rim variation. Bouquet subtle not quite yielding its full aromatic potential but clean and dark black fruits with soft sweet cedar. Currently dominated by tannin but not too far, black fruits are there but tightly wound up; expect that in next five years this wine will blossom and be quite wonderful.
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The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. It smells like mushroom and lead pencil. It tastes like forest floor and mildew. It might be a flawed bottle. I couldnt drink it. The CT gang are sàying that it sounds corked :)
Usually this one seems much softer and smoother, with very nice palate. However, this particular bottle was more into acidity, bleak palate.I have this wine in bulk so I know it well, might be just particular bottle
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Followed over 2 nights. Shows the sweet, plush nature of the vintage but there's plenty of structure here. Black currants and cedar spice on the palate. Nose is pretty shy. I think I may favor the '10 to the '09, but this is pleasing in a forward fruity style. (this is far far from modern/OTT, very much in house style). Should have plenty pof upside, best to hold.
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Slightest fade at the rim - good ruby core; lovely aromas on the nose, perfectly ripe, not overly so. Still very primary; leads with a little oak on the entry. Nice weight - more so than usual for Cantemerle. Tannins seem to be resolving themselves nicely, though they are hidden by the rich fruit and show themselves towards the finish. Excellent potential.
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Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Opens up over2-3 hours with a robust nose of dark fruits, tobacco and earth. Medium body, ripe fruit, good balance and finish. Still young but giving a lot of pleasure. Excellent.
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First bottle of my 09s, thought it would be a good time to check in on these. Wanted something medium bodied to go with my wood grilled Tuscan Chicken. Decanted for about 30 minutes, drank over an hour.
Dark purple/violet color, youthful. Nose showing dark fruits, cassis, earth. Palate was restrained and elegant, blackberry, cassis, earth/forest, violets, minerals. Medium weight and finish.
Still early in its development, drink well but this guy has another 10+ years in it. Should continue to improve - I just finished my Cantemerle 2000s, and they held up well. This is one of my go-to, everyday Bdx that pairs well with a range of foods. Nothing profound, just very consistent and enjoyable wine that doesn't break the bank. 91+
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Like most 2009's I have had, found this enjoyable, with classic notes of cassis, tobacco, and earth. Not a profound wine, but paired well with two dinners; has the structure to hold up to food.
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The color was dark violet and ruby. The nose showed mineral, cassis and earth. On the palate, the wine is medium to full bodied with cassis, mineral and earth flavors. This is not an overly ripe or structured wine. However, the tannins are present but moderate with an hour plus decant. In a nutshell, it was an enjoyable wine but not overly complicated. I would drink now through 2020.
Big and tannic with lots of fruit and chocolate. Medium to long finish. This is already very interesting, but definitely needs more time. Great potential.
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Truffles and plums get things started. Combining classic styling, ripe, round, sweet fruits and soft tannins, the wine gets going on the palate, but lacks the length and consistency found in its younger brother, the 2010.
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Beau bordeaux a prix convenable. La bouteille a bénéficie d'un passage en carafe pour une bonne heure. Le nez était assez discret mais les saveurs bien en place avec les cerises noires en prédominance. Les tannins sont biens intégrés. Le vin s'est définitivement bonifié depuis 2 ans.
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Nez ouvert et intense, fruits noirs et cèdre. Bouche onctueuse, aux tanins polis, concentrée mais dotée d'une grande fraîcheur. Très beau vin, prêt à boire.
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Belle texture. Le vin est soyeux en bouche, les tannins sont biens intégrés. Le vin manque un peu de complexité. Les goûts de fruits noirs sont présents mais assez discrets.
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Exquisite wine. Even after three days, it held its boldness. Notes of berries and lime on the nose. Very sharp on the tongue. Tangy on the taste. I have to order a case of this.
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Dark fruit, minerality, graphite, cedar, mushroom, spice, hints of black pepper, chocolate, finishes with some earthy dried tannins. Supple. Exact qualities of a Bordeaux. A/A-
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I served this in my wine course. Cherry nose with eucalyptus from the oak. Rich mouthfeel, good acidity on the finish. Relatively simple, balanced, food friendly, with slightly sweet tannins.
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Very classic and well balanced - many things going on each blending into each other. Definite full black-fruit nose and palate, not too heavy, and well rounded by a small percentage of Merlot which seems to go the perfect distance in this wine. A bit of smoke a bit of cocoa, dusty - PERFUMED.
The minor cedary element shakes things up just a little to keep it interesting...i'm only an hour and 1/2 and 3/4 of a bottle in to this. I shall return!!
..i'm glad I did that!
DAY 2 : Far more tertiary - blend of sweet and savoury. Dark black cherry, double salted liquorice, and mint jelly. The TAR content making this almost medicinal before food. Will hold onto this one but unsure of cellaring capacity.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (49%), Merlot (38%), Petit Verdot (7%) and Cabernet Franc (6%). Macerated with the skins for 28-30 days. Aged for 12 months in French oak barriques (50% new). Tasted blind.
Translucent dark cherry red color. Very rich, noticeably sweet-toned and even rather jammy nose with noticeable oak influence and aromas of sweet red cherries, licorice, succulent dark plums, some espresso tones, a little bit of strawberry jam and a hint of mocha. The wine is rich, full-bodied and very round on the palate with silky smooth flavors of ripe dark fruits, crunchy redcurrants, some tart cranberry tones, a little bit of coffee tones and light mocha oak, a hint of marmaladey black cherry and a touch of extracted woody bitterness. The wine is very high in acidity, which lends it good sense of intensity and sets of some of the sweeter tones. The tannins, on the other hand, feel remarkably soft, gentle and their grip borderline nonexistent. The medium-long finish is round, soft and sweet-toned with flavors of juicy black cherries, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of mocha, light plum jam tones, a hint of cocoa oak and a touch of blackcurrant jam.
Tasting the wine blind, I though this was a modern Bordeaux imitation from a very warm new world wine country like Argentina or Australia. Little did I know that this was a "classic" Bordeaux from the Left Bank! Overall the wine didn't taste anything like classic Bordeaux to me: the soft tannins made the wine lack the tough structure the wines are known for, the fruit was very sweet-toned and jammy for the most part and the overall taste was dominated by rather obfuscating, chocolatey mocha oak character that distracted me quite a bit from enjoying the wine. I must say that the wine is remarkably high in acidity for a 2009 Bordeaux, but that might be the only positive thing I can come up with. Overall a big disappointment and although still very young, I doubt it will get much better in a cellar with its soft and polished tannins.
Had at RN74 Seattle with beef short rib. Silky but still very square and compact. Thin on the mid-palate. Fruit emerged after an hour in the decanter. Thick tannins on the finish. Going to be very good but still primary. Drink 2018+
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Decanted a few hours. Round and so silky. Coffee been red and black fruit with floral green tobacco and oregano notes. Very polished and sexy this is. A real charmer. Sweet long round finish with ripe polished well integrated tannin. Wow this is a killer Cantemerle. I cant imagine this being much better than this.
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This bottle took forever to open up. Decanted a half hour early, and was still closed tight and acidic when I poured. But about halfway through the glass it started to reveal itself, and ended up balanced, refined, not at all sweet and nice minerals.
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this bottle was closed for business, these want to sleep a bit, what I got was a sense of purity, clean fruit, mineral, and earthy terroir, I predict a showing in the future to meet or exceed how the '89's show today
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $80+ (Bin 75): Dark dense core with thin garnet rim; lead pencil, black currant, plum, young Bordeaux; plummy on the palate with blackberry, black currant, dense fruit, layers, dark and brooding, green pepper, bitter cocoa; good, needs time.
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Good nose of black currant, plum, vanilla and hints of earth. Very youthful on the tongue with a long finish. Like where this wine is right now. Should only get better.
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just outside margaux, but nose shows more like pauillac. dark & brooding, mid palate is on the lean side, but excellent aromatics, downgrade score due to price.
Bordeaux Confidential USA, Nose of cigar box, pepper, and currants, more of the same on the palate, medium body and medium fruit, simple tasting, better in two years, medium finish.
(Decanter's Bordeaux '05, '09, '10 tasting) :: More open / lifted than the 2010 at this stage, showing classic lines of cassis, a touch of caramel and tobacco leaf. Still quite tight and very young, but has opened considerably since I last tried it a few years ago, where it was completely shut down.
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Nice wine. Nothing mind blowing but very solid Bordeaux. Currant, cedar, earthy. Agree with another note that the 2009 isn't that much different from other vintages.
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Nice combination of power and finesse. Decanted for only 30 minutes but georgous nose of fruit and flowers emerged. Feminine feel to it with. powerful finish. Black fruits, lead pencil and cedar. Drinking well, much better than many 2005s, but still feels early in its life. Excellent and very good value wine.
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Blackcurrant, black cherries, hint of bell pepper. Refreshing acidity, medium+ body, prominent tannins that softened a bit with decanting, moderate finish and complexity. Solid, delicious wine; needs more time.
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Served blindly. One of the biggest shocks of the afternoon was this bottle. A lot of us thought this was from a more classic vintage...like 2004. Had some nice cedar, graphite, dark fruits, and earth. Didn't come close to the dense, sappy 2009 fruit profile I would have expected. Very nice surprise!
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Decanted for two hours. A dark, garnet colour. Blackberry, pencil lead, Hawthorne tea, wet earth and rock. A wonderful concentration that gives way to a light frame during the long finish; tannins that are polished. Showing a lot, yet also suggesting some cellar time, and also suggests a very long life ahead, with so much back bone and inner core. Drink 2018-.
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Delicious, and will improve. Earthy, graphite, currant and plummy fruit, a bit of smoke, hints towards cedar and lead pencil. Wish I had lots more, may have to remedy that. My guess is this will go dumb soon for about a decade. 89pts now with a point or two of upside.
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A young, vibrant Cantemerle offering quite an exciting drinking pleasure. Although we suspected that the 2009 might be in a sleeping phase right now, the 2+ hour decant certainly helped and hinted us the potential it carries. Inky purple in appearance, coupled with bouquet packed with ripe dark currants, flower, black licorice, lead, vanilla and mocha. Palate is gentle yet structured, fantastic balance of fresh fruits, acidity and the soft chewy tannins. With more cellar time, this wine will surely develop more complexity and offer great tasting experience.
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A burst of fruit when opened in afternoon, then shut down hard. Long decant got rid of some but not all the shyness. Not touching for a while, but I think this will be a rather classic ripe vintage Cantemerle (B- last night, B+ for potential)
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Cantemerle & Lagune Vertical; 6/28/2014-6/30/2014 (Dale's): Decanted 5 hours earlier... Savory nose, tight on the palate, seems to have a better balance than the 2010, but still fairly ponderous compared to other vintages. Hard to read.
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Cantemerle/La Lagune vertical (Dobbs Ferry): Also quite ripe and tannic, but better balanced than the '10. There's a lot of ripe fruit here and it comes across a bit monolithic and dense, but there's brighter acidity on the palate here, and it's pleasant though not compelling right now.
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Vibrant scarlett rim and deep dark core. Floral nose, Margaux like. Wine is refreshing classic, old school, with some finesse and structure, very well made and impeccable balance. Excellent purity, vibrant red fruit, spring flowers, and smokey black cherries. Wine starts to unfold nicely, but opens and shuts down over a four hour period via the decanter. This wine is great and some will like it now because of its early appeal, however this wine will reward with some time in the cellar. Capable of evolving for the next 15-20 years, I suspect it would be best to hold for another 2-5 years. I have a case left, will try not open one for another 2-3 years, at the least. Suspect 4-7 years will be an early sweet spot. 93+ -should rate higher with time. Tasted several times with consistent notes.
Dense, young, glass-clinging red purple in color. Near opaque core. Dark red fruits and a bit of charred green pepper of the nose. Cranberry, red currant, graphite on the medium full palate. Cedar and velvety tannins a emerge with time and air. Obviously still plenty of time left on this one, but it's a really good drink right now. Drink now or hold until 2029.
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Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux, Haut Medoc (Rodwell House): Deep black-red to rim; the bouquet is all dark fruits, with wood spices, minerals, steel and a lemony thread. A much softer entry than expected, the wine display surprisingly fleshy fruits and spicy notes. Mid to full-bodied, the wine has a some concentration with mouthcoating powdery texture and sinewy, granular tannins that have a herbal twist. A long winding finish ends with black olive, spice and mineral. The oak tends to linger on and may need more time to integrate. The only issues is that there isn't much depth in the mid-palate and it feels quite extracted (or worked) and the herbal finish tends to feel a little green.
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91+pts. 4 hour decant. Very fresh wine - A lof green pepper and ripe fruits on the nose. Black fruits, blueberries, in a very modern style young Bordeaux. Balanced, and smooth on the palate. Drinks pretty well in its youth, but can feel this has more potential to come.
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Drunk along side a Cantenac Brown and a Magdeleine from the same year. Deep purple color, full and lasting finish. Hints of raspberry and cherry along with darker fruits, very nice.
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Really beautiful, ripe fruit up front, blue and blackberries, flowers and soil, big but ripe tannins, a little more body than usual for this wine, and freshness on the finish. Will age really really well.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind <$30 (Bin 75): Very dense dark core with thin reddish purple rim; luxurious nose of coffee, vanilla, green pepper, green tobacco, loamy earth; balanced, cassis, blackberry, dense, noble, tannic but not obtrusively so, higher alcohol, good freshness though I couldn't drink a bottle; drinking ok now but better with at least 3-5 more years.
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Vinturied into a decanter and let sit for 5+ hours. Dark purple in appearance; black cherries, currants, some hints of smoke and vanilla on the nose. Somewhat restrained on the palate where I get some blueberries, smoky cassis, and some dark chocolate; its got a very nice finish though it still has the tannic punch after letting it air for a while; will revisit again in a few years.
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Inky purple color. Pretty restrained nose at first, opens up significantly after a 1.5 hour decant. Beautiful very classic Médoc nose of black currant/cassis, dark cherries, graphite/lead pencil, flowers and some sweet spices. On the palate there are very classic notes of dark berries again (blueberries, cassis), some lead pencil, dark chocolate, some figs, a touch of tobacco and a beautiful earthyness. It's medium-bodied with medium-high tannin that is very silky and a medium+ acidity providing some freshness. Very long finish. I will probably give my other bottles another 2-3 years before tasting them again. This is a relatively atypical 2009 Bordeaux. While it has the overall balance and beautiful ripeness of the vintage, it also has a lot of freshness, elegance and less opulence than most of the other 2009 I have tasted. A very elegant and classic Haut-Médoc at a realistic price point. (91+)
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Inky color. Sports a restrained bouquet of sweet black currants, tar, herbs, spicy anise. Notes of jammy sur maturité appear later on the nose. To taste, lots of minerals, black tea, concentrated blueberry juice. Fleshy, good brightness for an '09, medium bodied, lots of tannins on the finish. Extract and alcohol seem balanced. Big tannins, not really ready for prime time at present despite a long decant, but drinkable now. This has potential, showing a combo of ripeness and tradition, fingers crossed this goes somewhere special with more time. It will be fun to follow where this goes when mature, does the raw fruity/tannic profile morph into a mature, complex, cedar/tobacco driven claret?
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Tight and unyielding. I struggled to get any character out of this wine, either from the nose or the palate. Yes, this is young (too young), but you can usually get sufficient delineation of flavours and aromas in an early wine to understand how it might mature and improve. Not so with this Cantemerle. I struggled to interpret even the primary fruit flavours, and the occasional hint of minerality and earth on the nose was not enough to sustain interest. The palate was all tanin (ample) and acidity, but little else. Perhaps this wine is going through a complete shut down phase, and that the tanins and flavours will reconcile themselves much better with time. For now, this is a disappointing, bland and unmemorable drink.
Very ‘Margaux’ nose of violets and blueberry. Good mid-palate, but somewhat lacks on the finish. A good value 2009 wine that will be excellent in 5yrs…. But the 2010 is another clear step up and gets my vote every time.
Fleshier, meatier than the '10, more along the red fruit spectrum. Difficult to judge--- lacking backbone. Not over the top but I miss that core of iron filings and acidity. I'd like to meet up again in ten years' time. 88-92?
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nose - blueberry, fig, smoke, nose gets better with time mouth - dark fruit, charcoal, smoky midpalate, with good acidity, appreciable minerality, and nice dry tannins that coat the palate. This is a nice wine, a touch on the smoky side, but I'm sure with bottle age it will gain complexity. Try again in 5 years
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Red fruit fruit leap out of the glass, fairly rich in color, yet medium bodied with much finesse. Raspberries, cherries, and countered by low key oak and cloaked tannins. Subtle, classy and complex. This will be a very long lived wine, despite playing the friendly and gentle Bordeaux,. The o9 fruit shines through, but totally classic. I originally rated this 94 points last January when it was a bit more seamless. This is starting to put on weight, along with black cherries and a touch of smoke, plus more round. Excellent with much potential. Hold ...93+
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In this stage the bouquet is a bit reticent, but on the palate there are ripe dark forest fruits, good acidity and tannin. A juicy wine but not extremely luxurious. I bought a few en primeur and I will probably try the first bottle before the end of the decade, so there will be a follow up.
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Good nose. Clean, aromatic, and forward. Notes of raspberry, black berry, coffee bean (really?) and cedar. Smooth but rather light on entry. Light to medium-bodied with sweet and sour tannins. Slight dry aftertaste and rather short finish. Light structure but good balance. Label indicated 13% with slight heat at the end. Low acidity level. Good for early consumption. 89-91 pts.
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Quite the evocative nose: mushroomy and funky with some black cherry-blackberry fruit, vanillin and leather. Touch short and uninspiring on the palate, but the nose is fantastic.
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Perfumed, balanced, elegant and remarkable wine for the price. I was not a follower of this wine, but I am now. Located on the edge of Margaux, and this shows in the wine which is floral, has 40% merlot and conveys some of the minerality of the region. Should age well - will try some mature bottles soon to test. Philippe Dambrine tells me his 2010 is another notch higher! One of the best buys of 2009 imho.
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Le Week-end des Grands Crus (Bordeaux): Very dark colour. Lots of tannins and quite a feisty chap at the moment with great potential. What will become of it? 92-93?
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Tasted it immediately, after 8 hours and after a further 24 hours. Enjoyed it but drinking this reminded me as to why I am a little sceptical about the scores from Parker et al on barrel samples. Maybe they can work it out but I think it is very difficult to really know how this wine will turn out. Yes it will be good, but how good? It's like forming a view as to how a to year old toddler will turn out - you might have some indication but there is a lot of guesswork. Anyway, enough philosophy - I have a case of this and look forward to drinking it over the next two decades!
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Right after two very good older Pichon-Longueville Barons this just seemed simple and fruity, lacking the structure for mid or long term ageing. Weird sweet raspberry and dark sweet cherry fruit, soft texture, very approachable and short on the finish. Not even one in our group of seven guessed this to be a Bordeaux in our blind tasting and we had quite a lot of Bordeaux on the table. Dissapointing showing, though probably not a fair comparison with all the older bottles. - 87 points
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What can I say? Best Cantemerle, ähem young Cantemerle, I have ever tried! Still a little tannic, but very smooth and sharpened, sweet cassis fruit, fresh and very elegant on the palate, like this bottle very much, super aftertaste, high potencial 90- 93?
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Very dark red. Aromas of blackberry, currant, graphite, and a little mocha. A full bodied wine, with a nice palate. This wine has nice fruit, acid, and tannins, but will require some time to integrate. Medium length on the finish. 91 points 2015-2025
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Medium bodied, with light, black raspberry, cherry and spicy flavors, this soft, lighter style of Bordeaux wine ends with cherry and fresh herb sensations. This should drink well young.
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Union des Grands Grus 2009 Bordeaux Tasting. Oak and dark fruit on the nose. On the pallet I though there was very thick dark fruit and was not very elegant at all. 87-88 points.
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2009 Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting; 1/27/2012-1/31/2012 (Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Chicago, Illinois): A blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Petite Verdot and 6% Cab Franc. 4th time I have tried this wine at a UGC (the 2000, 2003 and 2005 being the others. This was better than the 2003, about the equal of the 2005 and not as good as the 2000. Cigarette tobacco aromas. Lighter to medium bodied. Dark fruit. Moderate tannins. 89-91 points.
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Delicate, pretty lifted red fruits; medium weight. Lovely flavours. Pretty. Won't ever be a big wine but should age beautifully in the medium term. Nice flavour. Strong finish. 90-92.
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La robe est sombre mais pas impénétrable. Fermé à double tour, le nez réticent révèle un boisé élégant, relativement peu marqué pour un vin si jeune. On ne perçoit pas grand chose d'autre. Quelques notes de figues pointent vers une maturité presque sudiste. Le vin est austère, d'un classissisme presque revêche en bouche. De l'amertume et une sécheresse en fin de bouche semblen indiquer une extraction un peu poussée. De la fraicheur quand même. Je n'avais pas regoûté ce cru récemment et ai trouvé un style très différent du souvenir que j'avais de ce cru. Je crois que je préférais le style précédent, tendre, féminin, avec du fruit et des tanins doux.
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4/21/2024 - MattB72 Likes this wine: 92 Points
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3/30/2024 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine: 92 Points
92-93 for me.
Consumed half bottle at pop, then corked for another 4hrs before consuming the rest. No change.
What a beautifully elegant and refined ‘09. The highest compliment I can give this is that it was a simplistic joy. Some wines make it easy to get nerdy and command your attention…some wines are underwhelming and not worth your time. This was squarely in the middle. It was a joy to not feel the need to overthink…it’s exactly what it should be. No bricking at almost 15yrs. Decidedly black fruit heavy (black currant, cassis, underripe blackberries) with a sprinkling of raspberries and black cherries. Aromas of sweet pipe tobacco, dark florals. Integrated on the palate with good structure and acidity…not a massive wine, but it put on a bit of weight/length the longer it was open. Still sporting a fair bit of tannin at the finish, but it’s balanced. Drink or hold.
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3/16/2024 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is in a really great place at age 15 but will have many good years ahead.
Pretty notes of black currant/cassis, black cherries, graphite/lead pencil, flowers and some sweet spices. There are also some notes of tobacco leaf and earth. It's medium-bodied with medium tannin that has melted away quite substantially an is very silky and a medium+ acidity providing good freshness. Very long finish.
A very elegant classic left bank Bordeaux that is more elegant than some of the bigger wines of the vintage.
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3/16/2024 - olaf.foertsch@gmx.de Likes this wine: 97 Points
0,75 l bottle opened for 5 h, not decanted:
Wow!!! Rich nose, perfect tanins, on the palate: red and black wild berries, pleasant acidity, dark chocolate and tobacco on the long finisandh
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3/11/2024 - karanan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours - initially started off tight, but softened nicely over the course of 4 hours. Some fruit left, I think it might have another 2-3 years left.
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3/10/2024 - olaf.foertsch@gmx.de Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opened 1h before: 5th Grand Cru Haut Medoc, rich nose, perfect tannins, long finish...
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3/8/2024 - AMC Eagle wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for over an hour to let the sediment settle. Dark plum-garnet in colour. Nose of cassis, blackberries, graphite, and a touch of blueberries and wet tobacco. On the palate, there are black currants, earthy blackberries, dark tobacco and some espresso; some tannins are noticed. Medium bodied with a medium finish. Last tasted, 10 years ago to this day.
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2/15/2024 - MarkusBig Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is drinking great right now.
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1/4/2024 - Piffpaff wrote: 95 Points
The wine is in perfect balance and ready to drink, what are you waiting for? No need to spend hundreds of dollars to find something. 95 points.
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12/8/2023 - chefdilletante wrote:
Last tried this in 2021. Decanted for 90
Minutes. Oak is still a tad obtrusive. Tannins not fully subsumed but are tame. Classic Cabernet profile, with lots of blackcurrant. It’s drinking well. If you want more tertiary notes, wait longer.
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12/2/2023 - Reinoudoor Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is just so good. Agree with note below that it has a few years left to its peak, but some hours to a day after opening this is just delicious. Especially given the price. Will save last two bottles for 2024 and 2025.
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11/3/2023 - natap Likes this wine: 88 Points
Auge: Klares, tiefes rubinrot
Nase: Sauber. Mittlere Aromen von Brombeer, Schokolade, Cassis, Zedernholz. Erste Reifenoten.
Gaumen: Trocken, mittlere Säure, hoher Alkohol 14%, markante, feinstoffige Tannine, noch nicht ganz harmonisch integriert, mittlerer Körper mit mittleren Aromen wie in der Nase zusätzlich kräuterig, mittlerer Abgang.
Sehr gute Qualität. Guter Mittelklasse Bordeaux. Gut balanciert wenn auch nicht ultimativ druckvoll im Gaumen und lang im Abgang. Tannine sind immer noch nicht ganz samtig und werden es wohl auch nicht mehr werden. Wein gewinnt mit Dekantieren und braucht Essensbegleitung. Jetzt trinken, hat noch Reifepotential von 2-3 Jahren und ein Lagerpotential von 8-10 Jahren.
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10/31/2023 - paddy@gclb wrote: 93 Points
Almost at its peak now. Came out of the bottle a bit restrained, but developed nicely after 1h in the Glas/Decanter. Still quite powerful - and would take at least 2 extra years in the bottle easily - with good structure and nicely integrated fruit (mostly cassis, typical fruit characteristic for the left bank).
A very nice drinking experience, considering the pricing, bit still a way to go to the big names.
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9/24/2023 - GulfIslandPond wrote: 88 Points
Disappointing. Really fell flat. Fine at best but highly one dimensional and short.
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9/8/2023 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 91 Points
First of a trio purchased recently at retail and my fourth experience with this vintage of Cantemerle. PnP. No visual signs of aging. Nice nose of deep cassis with light elements of tertiary development that evolved and grew very quickly in the glass. Very concentrated but a touch flabby, lacking the kind of acidity needed to give the wealth of fruits here some real punch and presence. Also the tannins were very nice but lacked firmness and quantity. With more acidity and tannic structure, this bottle would easily have scored two points higher. My notes describe my earlier bottles, which were ex-chateau, as having “medium-plus” acidity and more tannic presence. Though not as good as earlier examples, this was still very nice. I’m a big fan of Cantemerle. 13% ABV (very good/***/16/91)
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7/20/2023 - Marshmarsh wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted for two hours and took to The Richmond restaurant in SF. It was closed for awhile, imbalanced with sourness.
By 4-5 hrs, it was your classic left bank. Not much fruit. Fine tannin. Tertiary flavor with balance. Graphite, mineral, forest floor. Nice coating of the mouth.
Need a little more time or decant at least 4 hrs to enjoy
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7/16/2023 - pendlebg wrote:
excellent
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7/15/2023 - ___robin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackcurrant, graphite, blackcurrant leaf, felt quite young still
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7/8/2023 - Ianjaig wrote: 88 Points
Didn’t grab me this. Perhaps it just didn’t open up despite a decant. Seemed a bit one dimensional.
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7/1/2023 - VinhoVerde Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep purple color. Cassis, smoke, and mineral bouquet. On the palate one gets a ripe supple fruit entry and mid-palate in a medium-bodied format. Soft and approachable now, it will plateau over the next 3+ years. Decanted for 1 hour.
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6/28/2023 - Khon Kaen Likes this wine: 92 Points
7 years since the last bottle. Gorgeous wine with bright colour. Complex nose with leathery, earthy notes and a long and pleasant finish. Beautiful mouth-feel.
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5/14/2023 - egoya Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium bodied, mature and rather elegant wine. IMO not much difference to the 2010 which I tasted the day before.
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4/21/2023 - larryw Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanting improved this Cantemerle considerably. Clear dark cherry in color, tobacco and forest floor on the nose with balance and fairly long finish. Doesn't have the body or finish we value from some of our favorite Bordeaux wines, but still a great value all things considered.
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3/8/2023 - cweiss wrote:
With Barbara and rack of lamb. My first of these, and really very good. Everything a Bordeaux should be from a generous vintage. Drink or hold.
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3/5/2023 - BcDuncan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic mature Bordeaux- lovely
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2/22/2023 - asgerG wrote: 91 Points
Dark red, red tinged, 5.5. Dusty, racy fruit, pencil. Harmonious palate, m+T, mA, m+B, a bit four squared right now but loads of stuff. Wait 3-5 years
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1/28/2023 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Double blind. Currants and blackberry with earth and tobacco overtones. There’s a slight barnyard note in there as well. Full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of red plum, currants and cigar tobacco. Balanced, with good length in the finish. (J&S)
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1/3/2023 - Joshvoulters wrote: 88 Points
Elegant, classic and mid-weight but not expressive or interesting. Further evolution required?
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12/30/2022 - Echinosum wrote:
Opened for Christmas dinner of saddle of venison, but didn't really hit the mark. Felt a bit hollow and insufficiently evolved. I preferred it when I last had a bottle about 3 years ago, and I didn't pick that up that it would feel more disjointed now than then. It was decanted a couple of hours in advance, and drunk over 3 days, and didn't improve. Only have 1 left. Will leave it for some time.
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12/23/2022 - olalar wrote: 91 Points
Lots of fruit and tobacco mixed with forest floor. Superbly balanced, nice mineral bite and very elegant. Drinks really well now after decant if one likes a mix of primary fruit and mature notes. Very hard to resist. Try again in 2 years?
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12/19/2022 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 90 Points
Served this at my brother’s wedding. Fresh plums, dark fruit, licorice, vanilla and graphite. Palate has medium weight and length. Good value.
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12/2/2022 - NoTrollingerPlease wrote: 90 Points
Wine evening (Restaurant Krietsch, Schwäbisch Gmünd): Popped and poured. Clear, deep ruby color. Nose with lots of primary fruit (plum), deep.
Compared to the 1989 it was simply... fruity. Warm fruit, plum amarena, creamy texture, almost oily, a bit chubby, young. Needs lots of time to melt down the baby fat. Give it another decade. 89-90+
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11/11/2022 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking much younger than than the 2010. Darker in the glass and very concentrated fruit flavors. Also more richness and depth the the 2010. And no funk at all on the nose. Drinking really well right now. Opened up pretty quickly with and hour or two of air. Longer finish although just a hint of bitter tannins at the end that detract from the overall experience.
This is qualitatively the better of the two and I scored a point higher, although I personally preferred the 2010!
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10/4/2022 - Oliverl1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Definitely drinking now provided you decant for 2 hours min. Very concentrated with a lovley finish. Great value!
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9/22/2022 - honest bob wrote: 88 Points
From 150cl, excellent cork, opened but not decanted 3 hours. Interesting to read recent CT TNs. This magnum comes over as a light, plum-morello cherry fruited charmer, with more acidity than weight, and definitely more on the dilute side than "ludicrously concentrated" (Che Ganarelli's TN on 27.08.2022). Nice enough, but not at all like the powerful clarets described here. Oh well, it was delicious anyway. 88P
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9/12/2022 - phynes wrote: 89 Points
PnP and it came across as quite light and floral with limited fruit or power. Next day it was a little better. Most 2009’s were drinking well - and my notes from 7+ years suggested I really liked this wine - so not sure what is going on. Eleven bottles left in the case so will see how it develops and will be sure to decant the next one for a few hours.
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8/27/2022 - Che Gannarelli Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent. Ludicrously concentrated. Took a long time to open up. Can be enjoyed, but will improve.
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8/24/2022 - cabsrgreat Likes this wine: 91 Points
2 hour slow ox, needed time to open. Smooth tannins. Sour taste with graphite, nice finish. Improved over several days.
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7/19/2022 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with past two tastings since early 2020 - still primary, but the fruit is beginning to emerge with air. For the most part, this bottle was closed throughout our dinner after an hour in the decanter, but it did open up after 3+ hours. Drink 2024-2032. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 91.
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7/17/2022 - jerry6 wrote: 89 Points
not much to say not up to the last bottle . Better 2nd day maybe it just needs more time ? Still a good wine for the price
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5/26/2022 - ggroebli Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dunkelrot, fast Rubin. Nase deutlich auf tertiäre Noten. Intensiv. Sous bois und Leder. Palais ist konsistent, dazu Gewürze. Mittel-lange Finale
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5/7/2022 - Andrewbdc wrote: 91 Points
First of case of 6 magnums. No detailed notes, but this is starting to show well, still developing, but has nice complexity, good intensity, and the tannins are softening an integrating well. Well balanced wine that is at the start of a drinking window that I think can last 8-10 years from now.
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4/28/2022 - ThompsonandFrench Likes this wine: 90 Points
1 hour decant thru Rabbit
Nice
A bit thinner than I recall but all the right flavours are there.
Drinking nicely but no particular hurry.
Night 2: lovely. Some menthol and almost liquorice flavours coming through.
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4/17/2022 - natap Likes this wine: 89 Points
Optik: tiefes rubinrot.
Nase: Mittlere Aromen von schwarzen Beeren, Tabak, Schokolade. Voll gereift.
Gaumen: Trocken, mittlere (-) Säure, mittlerer Alkohol, mittleres Tannin, mittlerer Körper, mittlere Aromen wie in der Nase, langer Abgang.
Qualität: sehr gut
Trinkreife: jetzt trinken, nicht für weitere Lagerung geeignet
Gesamteindruck: Guter und solider Bordeaux, Frucht nur noch wenig präsent, Tannine in der Zwischenzeit schön integriert. Schöner Trinkspass in der oberen Mittelklasse des Bordeaux.
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4/9/2022 - cmartinelli wrote:
Did a two hour decant before pouring a glass. Medium ruby in the glass, no noticeable bricking. I get aromas of cedar, tobacco and maybe a chocolate note. Not getting much in the way of fruit but this is still nice and round in the mouth, and some tannins on the finish suggests it will leg out further. This was a pleasure to drink, just a really solid wine. No epiphanies, but satisfaction nonetheless.
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4/8/2022 - peterchoy wrote: 92 Points
Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of deep ruby colour, with fading rims and legs.
Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of black fruit of blackberry and blackcurrant, oak notes of toast, pungent spice of liquorice, animal notes of leather, maturity notes of tobacco and savoury. The wine is developing.
Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has medium tannin of ripe and velvety texture, medium in alcohol and medium body, with medium intensity flavours of black fruit of blackberry and plum, oak notes of toast, kernel notes of milk chocolate, maturity notes of tobacco. The wine has a medium (+) finish.
Conclusion: Very good quality Haut-Medoc with good intensity, complex aromas of a nice Bordeaux blend, with plenty of black fruit, elegant oak, liquorice and leather, as well as the development characters of tobacco and savoury. On the palate it has good balance and robust in flavours, having decent concentration and a fairly long finish. It is ready to drink now and can further develop for another 3-5 years.
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3/31/2022 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 92 Points
Virtual Q-tasting: Nice left bank Bordeaux: black currant, tobacco leaf, mature cherry, prune, soft oak, cassis, green tapenade, medium plus body, smooth long finish - Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Merlot (40%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Petit Verdot (5%).
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3/12/2022 - Chris Likes this wine: 92 Points
beautiful red color, lots of fruit in the nose, tannic on open, needs some air, after a one hour decant, lovely, mellowed out, very nice.
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3/11/2022 - ggroebli wrote: 91 Points
Farbe: Dunkelrote Farbe, sehr dicht.
Nase: violette, Spices, Grafit, Holz
Palais: reif, gewisse Säure, etwas dünn,
Finale: kurz, spürbare Tannine
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2/27/2022 - Dine&Vine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Yep. Pencil shavings, spices, deep berry flavors and nice level on French oak and acidity on the finish. Went great with boeuf bourguignon.
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1/30/2022 - Cake & Fine Wine wrote: 85 Points
I agree with a fair few of the comments below, this is pretty uninteresting and you can do better for less. Probably needs cellaring..indefinitely.
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1/28/2022 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
An easy afternoon with close friends (@ My place): Red and dark berries, sweet spices and vanilla in the bouquet. On the palate a firm amount of fresh acidity, sweet spices, a bit herbaceous. Not extremely concentrated, but certainly a pleasant and elegant wine. Will probably improve with some more bottle ageing.
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1/25/2022 - platpeeps Likes this wine: 88 Points
Classic blackcurrant fruit underpinned with a well-toned and lean sinewy tannic structure, developing coffee and mocha characters. So far so good, but the purity of fruit was noticeably marred by notes of talcum powder and furred game which went up to but not beyond the limit of tolerable. It was a shame because it had a beautifully formed classic claret structure and I wanted to mark it much higher. That said even in its present state it’s a very fine wine. CHP 88pts
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12/29/2021 - Portland Seth Likes this wine: 92 Points
Thyme, leather, cassis, pencil shavings. Open for business.
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12/17/2021 - Ranjack wrote: 84 Points
After 30 years of trying to like Cantemerle, this one has finally put me off of this chateau for good. After a quick double decant, this wine was insipid and uninteresting—just not much there. There are so many other chateaus at better price points that offer so much more.
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12/5/2021 - VoteferPedro Likes this wine:
slightly tannic on opening and smoothed nicely with an hour or two of air
Pretty typical Bordeaux brought en premier as a midweek drinker and it is excellent for that. I did not have high exptectations but it runs 90+ in quality range so overall good deal
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11/3/2021 - jkoenen wrote: 93 Points
Wow...! Best Cantemerle I ever had...
Great balance. Very, very nice!
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10/24/2021 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much more Bordeaux 09 in profile than the bottle tried a year ago, although it still has the fresh wave midpalate. More blackberry than blackcurrant. Still youthful but with quite a lot of promise for the future
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10/24/2021 - ThompsonandFrench Likes this wine: 91 Points
Two hour decant thru rabbit. A lovely, heady scent. Delicious to taste - berry fruit with back notes of menthol. V good value. In a drinking window - suspect will improve over the next few years.
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10/16/2021 - Mark van Delft Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent left bank Bordeaux: black currant, tobacco leaf, mature cherry, prune, soft oak, cassis, green tapenade, medium plus body, smooth long finish - Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Merlot (40%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Petit Verdot (5%). Only 3 % CF, yet noticeable through the “green”flavor on the palate. I really like the CF input in the blend.
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10/8/2021 - ploher wrote:
I normally like this chateau for its classic, restrained style, but this wasn't a satisfying experience at all. Extremely dark, toasted, almost burnt oak, tar, drying, bitter tannins all over the palate, hardly any fruit, no freshness at all. What went wrong here? Nothing to do with the cantemerle I know. Bottle seemed to be fine with good cork... 13/20
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10/3/2021 - Sean McGrath wrote: 90 Points
Very pleasant. Tobacco, a bit of tar, you have to hunt for the berries. None of the cocoa that WS promised. My wife, who prefers berries to tar, loved it as well: smooth, elegant, nicely in balance. Decanted one hour.
I doubt it will get better, but think it will last for a while.
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9/28/2021 - cweiss wrote:
Eastman. I've liked Cantemerle in some past vintages, notably 1983. This was my first bottle of the 2009 and I was disappointed. The level of fruit was adequate, somewhat less than expected for 2009, there was not a lot of complexity, and the middle seemed dilute. That said, our hosts liked it. I'm hoping other bottles are better but this tasting note does not seem to be an outlier.
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9/18/2021 - rjpbath Likes this wine: 90 Points
Delicious fruity wine with classic Cantemerle tannic edge - but the 09 character balances it beautifully. Clearly a left bank wine. My early (2010) misgivings about 09s being too Californian seem happily to be turning out wrong. Great fun.
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9/17/2021 - gukarl wrote:
Fortsatt tett og ung, vent i hvert fall 5 år.
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9/4/2021 - Kerino Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very nice bottle of claret. Medium. Blackberries. Not a lot of depth nor complexity but fine and honest. Just a touch too dear to say good QPR. Good to go right now. Splash it in a glass and kick back.
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8/28/2021 - chefdilletante wrote:
Pretty but not profound. Appreciate the classic styling. Give this some more time for some magic to happen.
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8/20/2021 - natap Likes this wine: 90 Points
Farbe: dunkles rot
Geruch: schwarze Beeren, Schokolade
Geschmack: wieder schwarze Beeren, mittlerer Körper, leicht astringierend, mittlerer Abgang
Gesamteindruck: Toller Wein. Beginn Trinkreife. Wird noch etwas besser.
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8/14/2021 - glassofhans Likes this wine: 91 Points
Perfect drinking window now, tertiary and fruit in perfect balance
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7/21/2021 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 90 Points
Others have this right. Dense, almost purple color. Ripe blackberries, black currant and lead pencil on the nose. Black and red fruits, roasted coffee and velvety tannins on the palate. Flavorful, medium-long finish. Not blown away, but very, very good. Great QPR for a blockbuster vintage. Better on Day 2.
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7/7/2021 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a solid Bordeaux, don't be scared to pull the cork and drink one. This has wonderful dark cherry fruit, streamlined, with dark riverine minerals, perceptions of dark red clay, something floral, pretty but subdued spice. A real great wine and hella priced!
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6/29/2021 - winecoffee wrote: 91 Points
Nice wine. Blackberry and dark raisins on the nose. Dark fruit on the palate. Fleshy. Could use a bit a decanting though I didn’t decant. Chewy tannins in the end.
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6/19/2021 - up4wine wrote: 90 Points
Round and fruit filled. Integration is in a nice place, and the balance is good front to back.
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3/25/2021 - jlm wrote:
Ex-chateau release. Initially reticent, this opened up on the nose after an hour or so to reveal dark currant fruit and cedar. The palate is medium light for a Bordeaux, with a hint of oak gloss remaining, and while the acidity is a touch low, it's enough to keep the wine fresh. Appealing, but not exciting.
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2/16/2021 - chatters wrote:
Phil's Coravin exploration (Phil's place, Putney, Sydney): From Coravin. Aromas of baked plums, blackcurrant, cedar and, with agitation, a little pyrazine and stony minerality backed by leather and a tiny smidge of Brett. Nice nose. On the palate though the Brett and leathery notes are totally in charge with massive drying tannins. Woof woof.
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2/11/2021 - werlbonn Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brilliant nose. Palate is very fresh and elegant. Rather light bodied. For my tastes this could have a bit more stuffing.
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2/4/2021 - cbuhlman wrote:
A decent Haut Medoc with medium weight cabernet fruit, not a lot of complexity and a meager finish. Should be much better given the price point.
86-87
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1/16/2021 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 91 Points
(1/16/21) From a 750ml bottle, ex-château bottle. This wine was very healthy looking, with glass-staining concentration and only some general lightening of color and no bricking per se. Unfortunately, this was the best part of it. There was no fruit on the nose, just the very heavy smell of canned asparagus. The palate was more of the same with a big dose of sourness. I’ve had two bottles of this (both ex-château from the same source) over the last 14 months, and they were excellent, so I’m calling this bottle flawed. No Score.
Day 2: Wow. What a difference a day can make. Yesterday, I called this bottle flawed, but because I’m essentially a hopeful guy, I put it in the fridge under vacuum seal and tried it again.
It looks like I was a bit hasty in writing this bottle off. There is still some earthiness here, but it is in the background now. There is cassis in the nose and a lot of cassis in the rather thick palate. The sourness has also gone away. There is still a dryness to the mouthfeel and a backwardness to the aroma and bouquet that is dragging this bottle down relative to earlier examples, though. (***/15.5/91)
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1/11/2021 - Nestor John Salazar wrote: 90 Points
Slightly s
Disappointed. I was expecting a richer mouthful and more notes but it was smooth and light in terms of taste
Cork was solid I much preferred the 94 I had with its funkiness
Maybe I decanted too long ? 3 hours
Probably comparing apples to orange but the 2009 chateau pougieoux i had was more my style with more notes
Still learning
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1/10/2021 - peterag wrote: 90 Points
This particular bottle of overall very good wine added some strong acidity (for this wine) so one of my favorites Bordeaux in this price range was a bit disappointing
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12/20/2020 - belfast taxman wrote: 91 Points
We started our festive week with this wonderful Claret accompanied by excellent T-bone steak. As I have said before this is distinctly fuller than other vintages I have come across and in my view superior. The nose has a lovely purity to the cassis and cedarwood and this follows through very nicely onto the palate. Without being “heavy” or sweet, there is an unctuous feel to this wine. The length on the finish was decent. This is Haut-Medoc at a very enjoyable level.
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12/18/2020 - nrk99 wrote: 91 Points
Lovely, mature. Earthy on the nose. Well-balanced with firm tannic structure, dark fruit, secondary spice. Glad to have this first of my 6 I purchased back in 2012
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12/18/2020 - fc1910 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Honestly this Bordeaux Chateau normally is not among my favs,
but the incredible Hype about the 2009 vintage and the high scores of this estate 10 years ago made me buy this one,
so it is time for the whole truth, pnp, great surprise on the label, "only" 13% ABV,
a little shy on the nose initially, needs some half an hour to blossom, then rich dark cassis emerges, spice, some fine cuban tobacco notes,
very untypical showing on the palate, some ripe but present tannin, compared to other recently enjoyed 2009 Bordeaux bottles this Cantemerle is really fresh with delicate fruit, without the most voluptuous fruit of other bottles, more the "old school" type of Bordeaux, like in the 80ties or older, the english would call this one a "claret", a Bordeaux to serve and deliver paired with meat or so,
really like this showing, but to be clear about the fact that this Cantemerle is a finesse like, very well balanced Bordeaux, with a fresh light- to mid bodied flow on the palate, vivid acid leeds to a convincing long finish, best bottle from Cantemerle ever!
with some aeration perfect to enjoy from now on, but will easily hold another decade++, **(**), around 91-93(+)?
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12/1/2020 - DJ Veritas wrote: 88 Points
I was expecting a little more here. Enjoyable, but a little thin and lacked depth. This bottle was short of my expectations for a 2009, left bank Bordeaux.
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11/8/2020 - Julian Marshall wrote: 90 Points
Like the Citran, this has blackberry and cigar box aromas, with a touch of tobacco. The first taste came as a real shock - cool, fresh, Loire-like: totally atypical for the vintage, mostly blackcurrant, incredibly subtle. In fact it's so subtle that it's a little subdued - there isn't really a middle section, or if there is, it tastes a bit unripe, even diluted. Going into the finish, hints of ripe blackberry and plum finally emerge, but without really leaving a lasting impression. There is no doubting the elegance and finesse, this is much better than the 05 and many other recent vintages, but it's a very odd wine in the context. I wonder when it was picked. I enjoyed it a lot all the same.
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10/13/2020 - Klugi Wine wrote: 90 Points
Nice, surprisingly fresh Bordeaux with a bouquet of black and cranberries and some pencil shavings. A little light on the midpalate with slowly integrating tannins.
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10/6/2020 - Zafer wrote: 89 Points
Dark, cloudy out of decanter. Vegetal, beety quality to it. Balanced execution, if basic overall.
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9/23/2020 - up4wine wrote: 89 Points
This wine may need a little more quality bottle time to further integrate the edges.
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9/17/2020 - dbg wrote:
Excellent.
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9/13/2020 - belfast taxman wrote: 91 Points
Definitely more oomph than you might ordinarily expect from Cantemerle. Yet it still retains the sense of Margaux as opposed to Haut-Medoc that I often find here. A really lovely but slightly untypical bottle from this comparatively good value Chateau
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9/6/2020 - dbg wrote:
2020 retail purchase, perfect cork and fill. Same as last bottle. Dark red to rim. Opens over 1 hour, excellent nose of dark fruits, tobacco and earth. Medium body, ripe fruit, good balance and finish. Still young but giving a lot of pleasure. Excellent.
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7/31/2020 - Matt T wrote: 92 Points
A decade in and this has a long life ahead of it. An extracted style with lots of tannin, smoky fruit, leather, and oak. Plenty of upside.
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7/16/2020 - dbg wrote:
2020 retail purchase, perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Opens over 1 hour, excellent nose of dark fruits, tobacco and earth. Medium body, ripe fruit, good balance and finish. Still young but giving a lot of pleasure. Excellent.
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7/4/2020 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
An easy afternoon with close friends; Bordeaux (@ PdV): In the bouquet dark berries, vanilla, coffee and mocha. On the palate dark berries, some sweetness, sweet spices and good acidity. Certainly a good, but not overwhelming wine. 89 - 90
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6/20/2020 - vide Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep purple (colour rather than pop group); lovely lifted nose of bright and slightly green dark fruit, earth, muted wood. A typically teasing nose - elegant and refusing to be anything bigger (because that is not the Cantemerle style); good mouth-filling flavours. No real depth, but attractive nonetheless, with nice lines of subdued acidity.
If you want a bigger wine, then you should look elsewhere. With Cantemerle you have charm, a lightness of touch and lovely bright fruit. And there is no need to be vulgar and mention its modest cost.
There is some residual tannin here, so I would give this another 2-3 years.
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6/2/2020 - schneesurfer wrote: 91 Points
PnP. Ready to drink. In the nose nice Bordeaux style- dark berries, forest floor and pencil lead. Well integrated oak. I was surprised by its power. It is full bodied with lots of dark berries and (very) soft tannins. I guess, the acidity could become more present in some years. This would give this Cantemerle some freshness. For me, this wine is very nice but pretty simple with lack of layers. Could be from somewhere else than Bordeaux. Will try the second half of the bottle at 18 degrees Celsius.
Update of day2: the cooler drinking temperature gives the wine a bit of freshness. Still lack of structure. Like it anyway and will drink the rest of my case over the next 11 years to see if this wine can improve.
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5/30/2020 - mat600 wrote: 90 Points
Beau vin rouge avec des tannins encore présents. Mûres et bleuets en bouche sur une bonne longueur. A attendre. 90 sur 100.
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3/29/2020 - Wineloon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blackcurrant, cedar and lots of pencil lead. Tannins quite firm. Not as open for business as I expected but all the components are there. Leave for a while before opening another
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3/28/2020 - Rupert wrote: 88 Points
Expected more of this. Rich, juicy, lots of tannin, but not yet showing much complexity
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2/23/2020 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 93 Points
(2/23/20) From a 750ml bottle (ex-chateau, recent library release). Just like my last bottle, four months ago—beautiful. This bottle displayed evenly balanced fruit and tertiary characteristics on the nose and palate. Also, like my last bottle, this one showed medium-plus acidity, very good balance, and a good amount of unresolved but ripe tannins; 13% abv. (***+/16.5/93)
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1/10/2020 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistent with previous notes a few years ago. Still closed, even on day 2. Drink 2022+. Technical score: 91. Enjoyment score: 89.
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12/25/2019 - prof b wrote:
From 375. Unsurprisingly quite primary. The fruit is there in spades with solid acidity. Tannins are not terribly noticeable. Fine to drink now but much better in 5+ years.
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12/19/2019 - Ianjaig Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took a couple of hours to open up and reveal itself fully. Sweet, dark fruits, medium bodied with smooth, integrated tannins, decent finish. In a great drinking window.
This became more tannic and 'classic' as the evening wore on.
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12/13/2019 - Winnje Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted 90 min, en primeur bottle contained quite a lot of sedimemt. Lots of pure black fruit, in particular black berry and cassis are easy to pick out.
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11/29/2019 - jerry6 wrote: 92 Points
drinking wll now great nose , dark berries tannins well integrated . for the price well worth having a few bottles in the cellar
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11/3/2019 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a 750ml bottle (ex-chateau, recent library release). This bottle was in a really beautiful place, with evenly balanced primary fruit and tertiary characteristics in evidence. It also had medium-plus acidity, decent but unobtrusive alcohol, and a good amount of unresolved but ripe tannins. (***+/16.5/93)
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11/1/2019 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good enough for the price and drinking well enough now.
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11/1/2019 - Lma1969 wrote: 91 Points
Needed 90 minutes decanting. Deep crimson bouquet. Nose was creme de cassis, earthiness, mushroom, truffle, which faded. The cassi stayed throughout. The attack was was pure black fruit, very rich. Long finish. Smooth mouthfeel, nearly elegant. Drank with rack of lamb. Perfect pairing.
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10/28/2019 - Keith Cooper Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted at The Wine Society's Bordeaux tasting, London. Tasted in parallel with the 2014 and 2011. Not surprisingly, this is the vintage which is most ready to drink now. Dark blackcurrant colour. Fresh nose, good fruit levels, dark berries, leather. Rich and full palate, hedgerow. Drink now. Or better still, buy a few and drink until 2030 as the notes suggest.
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10/4/2019 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 93 Points
Deep dark ruby color turning violet at the rim with a reflective edge. The nose gives off powerful whiffs of blue and black fruits with toasty notes of candied licorice and dried herbs. The palate is medium-to-full-bodied with gripping, fleshy tannins, and enough acidity that leads to a powerful structure that should dictate a later drinking window. Flavors of blueberry and blackberry fruit dominate the primary flavors, but there are hints of ripe raspberry as well. Secondary flavors of tobacco, pencil shavings, dark chocolate complete the core. I would say this isn’t as enjoyable to drink now as it is more of an intellectual exercise. It’s too young and needs time to fully integrate and put on weight. Finishes off with gripping tannins that lend to a long, subtle graphite tail. Drink now with a 2-hr decant or from 2022 to 2037. 93-95
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9/24/2019 - johnrm Likes this wine: 91 Points
A restaurant buy. Fragrant nose with plenty of fruit on opening. Dark berry fruit on the elegant, almost perfumed palate - blackberry, black currant - and a rich body with cedar notes. Smooth, complex, well balanced. Surprisingly, we got strawberry on the late palate. Great length and superb with rare fillet of beef. A joy. We said no to dessert and just enjoyed the wine. 91+
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7/21/2019 - gaveaux Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic producer that always delivers. Black-current, cedar, hint of marzipan, forest floor . Integrated tannins and acid some spice
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7/15/2019 - ZMAng wrote:
First try out of Coravin: Inky purple. Nose of blackcurrant, earth and light barnyard. Tannins overpowering on palate. Definitely needs more time.
Decanted, initially: More balanced, but unattractive, pronounced vegetal notes on the palate. Flawed?
After >4 hours: Much better integration of the various elements noted above.
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7/3/2019 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Quite attractive, has some power - reminds me of a Pauillac. Good value.
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5/13/2019 - Jeanda Likes this wine: 91 Points
Après une bouteille décevante l'an passé, celle-ci fût vraiment excellente, à la hauteur du millésime. Le vin est riche, mais bien équilibré par une juste fraîcheur. Complexité, finesse, longueur correcte, c'est tout simplement un excellent 5e cru classique qui est arrivé à son plateau de maturité. A boire dans les 3-5 ans.
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4/25/2019 - wardamnwine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid, may or may not get better with a few more years.
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3/17/2019 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Fresh and punchy nose of briary fruits, menthol, violets and earth. It has good flesh and volume in the mouth, with a creamy feel and fresh, vibrant finish. Excellent balance and proportion.
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3/16/2019 - AlphaMikeFoxtrot wrote: 85 Points
Ripe red fruits, a lot of tobacco/cigar box, spices. Med+ body and tannins. I actually think this is just starting to decline.
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2/23/2019 - mp44 wrote: 89 Points
disappointing for a classed growth from '09 - limited discernible structure
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2/8/2019 - Ibetian wrote:
Decanted before dinner, could have used more time. Enjoyable now, will be better in 1-3+ years.
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2/2/2019 - pikemasterflash wrote:
Good but not great. Definitely worth the first lot at $22.50, don't feel as good about the second lot at $32.99.
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12/26/2018 - raydawgone Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dried cherry, tight and too young, even after 3-hour decant. Hold for 3-5 years.
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12/21/2018 - bboard wrote:
Side by side tasting with 2010. Decanted 1 hours prior to first taste, drank of next 3 hours. Med body, med- to med length finish, plenty of fruit (slightly modern), tad of herbs, but not too complex or structure.
2010 showed much more complexity and umph, med to med+ body, med length finish. There's structure there. Maybe the fruits in 2009 over shadows any complexity(?). About 50/50 split in the group of preference. But all agreed 2010 was more complex currently.
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12/18/2018 - Fruitsrouges Likes this wine: 89 Points
Carafe bordelais 2 hours before tasting. Deep ruby with meniscus already a bit garnet. Pretty nose of with good fruit purity of cassis and red plum and subtle vanilla. Palate of similar flavors but lacking in complexity but well balanced with Med+ acid tanin, and sweetness. Very good wine to drink now or over the next few years.
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12/15/2018 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Very attractive, left-bank feel, creme-de-cassis, similar profile to the few bottles of '89 I've had over time. The tannins have eased up and this is drinking very nicely already. 92+pts.
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12/5/2018 - ozyloy wrote: 90 Points
Splash decanted.
Agree with Papies - this is a solid 90. Gentle and pretty on the nose with hints of eucalyptus, damp earth and dark slate alongside the soft blackcurrant. But rather light on the palate, particularly for an 09. Grainy tannins and a medium+ finish.
90-91 pts.
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10/31/2018 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
Once again by the glass at the BA lounge, LHR. Relatively freshly opened by the looks of it.
The nose of this wine could launch a thousand of our own ships if we owned as much. So pretty and classic, soft yet expressive and devout of excesses and heavy oak. Lacks a bit on the palate but the wine is worthy of a good 90 and some attention post a good hour of decanting. Good value wine here . 90 and drinks very well now
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10/31/2018 - Ibetian wrote: flawed
Corked
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10/29/2018 - Keith Cooper wrote: 86 Points
Tasted at The Wine Society's Bordeaux tasting in London. From an excellent vintage, I had hoped for more from this chateau. Light plummy fruit, but the palate was a little cloying. Overall, the wine just didn't excite, though there's nothing intrinsically wrong with it.
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9/29/2018 - macaujames Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened 6hrs in advance. Has pleasant aromas of coffee, cedary blackberries, gravel hints, blackcurrants and flowers. Its medium bodied elegant slightly linear and old school oaky blackberries and blue fruits palate has decent layering and good freshness. Ends medium long and aromatic. 13%. Could be a 91 if laid down for 4-5 years. Agree with the classic comments. Currently lacks the 2010's length and breadth
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9/29/2018 - Chasse_spleen wrote: 89 Points
Still young, lots of blue fruit, oaky but pleasant. Strict and lean - which is meant as a compliment, that is want you want from these mid Châteaux. Not as easy drinking as many other '09s. Keep for some years, tannins prominent. Well-made in classic style.
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8/19/2018 - Matt T Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened a couple hours before dinner. Dark purple with notes of blackberry, chocolate, and tobacco. Drinking well, but the tannins are still readily apparent. I will hold my remaining bottles for another three to five years.
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7/21/2018 - Psdycp wrote: 90 Points
Nose is still very closed after an hour in the decanter. There are aroma of dark chocolate, cassis, baked tomato, mint, licorice, leafy and leather nuances. Ripe black berries and dried bay leave on the palate which is medium-body. Smooth and polished structure. There are more hidden behind the structure. Finish is smooth but could be longer. Need to keep for at least 3-5 years.
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7/20/2018 - Plabella wrote:
tres bonne annee
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7/19/2018 - Ibetian wrote:
Decanted just before dinner, starting to drink well.
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7/17/2018 - RichD2 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had at the British Air lounge at Heathrow. Its served at room temperature which is too warm for a claret. It’s been open for 6 hours. Medium-dark red. Ripe fruit nose, oak, perhaps stems too. The stem aspect could be off-putting but it adds s degree of complexity. Medium finish with mostly smooth tannins. A good Haut Medoc from a riper vintage.
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7/11/2018 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
By the glass at the BA lounge from a well opened bottle.
Good albeit young and definitely benefits from the forwardness of the 2009 vintage. Good dark fruits, herby touches, light spice, pepper. On the softer side and just about showing what is capable of achieving. A good 90 for now but with lots of promise and just at the start of its drinking window.
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6/26/2018 - HWG99 wrote: 90 Points
More concentrated in great 2009 than expected but still lack the charm. Not my type of wine but the tannin is still young with long wooden palm finishing.
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5/14/2018 - Jeanda wrote: 88 Points
Nez moyennement intense, sur les fruits noirs. Bouche bien équilibrée mais manquant d'intensité aromatique de densité. Finale courte aux tanins un peu assechants. Deception pour cette 2e bouteille.
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4/27/2018 - WineTally Likes this wine:
49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc
(note variation from "planting" proportions) from 87 ha of silica and gravel soils
with vines averaging 30 yrs old.
Manual harvest, sorting and total de-stemming.
6-8 days fermentation., 28-30 days marceration.
Aged12 months in french oak (50% new) barrels(medium toast).
13% Abv. 400,000 bottles.
Proprietor: SMA GROUP (Insurance) since 1981.
A(ccuray)=2: Med deep garnet. Ripe, mealy claret.
B(alance)=3: Fruit forward with fine acid and tannic structure.
C(omplexity)=2: Dark berries, spices, graphite, vanilla.
D(epth)=1: Supple mouthfeel. Average length and finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,2,1] = 8/10
Refined "modernism".
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4/22/2018 - JMoran999 wrote:
123
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4/8/2018 - NarunP Likes this wine: 90 Points
60 CS, 30 M, 4 PV, 6 CF
Garnet, tired ruby, opaque, medium width rim.
Aromatic notes of slightly stewed red fruits, raspberry, truffles, lavender, with just a hint of cocoa and smoke.
Palate is quintessentially Bordeaux. Med bodied, med+ acid, med tannin. Enticing blend of red berry, mulberry, blackberry, tea leaf, violet, licorice, and cedar. Cool and ethereal. No excess with a decent length.
Classic claret in an unusual vintage. Will keep for 20 more years but best in 10. 90+
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3/25/2018 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 92 Points
More open and accessible than my last bottle. Beautifully perfumed, but also very mid-weight and elegant for 2009, this is at the beginning of it‘s drinking window and will provide great drinking for many years to come.
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3/23/2018 - Portland Seth Likes this wine: 91 Points
Definitely needs air. Started off very dry, but after a couple hours the fruit is filling out. Aromas of bay leaf, cassis, blackberry, cedar, graphite and smoke. Similar flavors with a hint of menthol and sage.
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3/16/2018 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
The 2009 is so sexy and approachable and modern and warm whereas 2010 is more classic. 2010 and 2016 have the acidity support. And that is very ripe and round. Still very classically refined with warm spices and savoriness on the nose. And delicious on the palate too.
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3/13/2018 - nrjessup Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still needs a few moments to open up but once done so, its an earthy, vegetal offering with subtle hints of fruit. The oak was nuanced as in many bordeaux. It was enjoyable.
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3/10/2018 - SimonS wrote: 91 Points
This was drinking very nicely indeed, especially after a bit of air. Had it two nights running at a formal dinner and friends' house.
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2/25/2018 - Mooblery Likes this wine: 89 Points
Lovely nose with some very pleasant toasted coconut notes. Nicely balanced fruit with very gentle tannins, though the oak may be better integrated in a year or two. Decanted three hours prior.
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2/19/2018 - olalar wrote: 89 Points
Very classic and at 13% very refreshing. Seems a bit muted at this time and the midpallate is a bit weak. Wait 3 years.
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2/10/2018 - mollercellar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drikkemoden.
Afrundet.
Vent ikke mange år!
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1/31/2018 - soyhead Likes this wine:
good to great.
this wine provides a window to 2009. drinking solid -big bold fruited on the darker end of the spectrum, then long clean finish. minerals without candy. voluptuous for bordeaux proper. this got me excited about other 09s
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1/14/2018 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Barb's): Popped and poured with dinner. In comparison to the 2003, this has a much darker fruit profile, and to state the obvious, is too young for a pop and pour- this needed a decant. Fairly tight, showing the aforementioned dark fruit along with subtle floral and oak spice qualities. Mixed fruit on the palate with firm, rustic tannins and a decent finish. Needs time to develop.
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1/2/2018 - mpricher wrote: 89 Points
3 bottle split tasting.. loads of graphite and purple fruit, plum, currant, and some leather notes. Overall, and really good brdx experience. Still have one more bottle.
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12/29/2017 - vespasian wrote:
Very deep core, developing ruby colour; brooding rich nose, tightly coiled. Some well defined cassis and red fruits hinted at, peeping through; resolving itself structurally though there is a considerable tannic frame hidden behind the concentrated fruit. Very smooth. Good weight, great potential. Needs considerable time but should be worth the wait.
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12/10/2017 - czender1 wrote: 88 Points
Typical Medoc but short all around in terms of palate. Bouquet is nice but underwhelming.
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12/2/2017 - ID wrote:
Had it at a restaurant last night with duck. Decanted and let it breathe for about an hour before pouring it with the main course. An okay wine, but there was nothing especially good about it. Not much to smell, and in the mouth it felt a bit thin. It had a fair amount of acidity that went well with the duck.
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11/14/2017 - Bacchus&Ceres Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep purple opaque shiny no rim variation. Bouquet subtle not quite yielding its full aromatic potential but clean and dark black fruits with soft sweet cedar. Currently dominated by tannin but not too far, black fruits are there but tightly wound up; expect that in next five years this wine will blossom and be quite wonderful.
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11/10/2017 - cpainter75 wrote: 88 Points
I believe it was a little too soon for this one. It was smooth and organic. I have another bottle in the cellar that will be drank in 2019 or 2020.
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10/23/2017 - clubs wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well now.
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9/11/2017 - Ajvandet Does not like this wine: flawed
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. It smells like mushroom and lead pencil. It tastes like forest floor and mildew. It might be a flawed bottle. I couldnt drink it. The CT gang are sàying that it sounds corked :)
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9/7/2017 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 89 Points
CH CANTEMERLE 2009 5
Flott vin, frisk vellyket og godt montert, ikke veldig kompleks! Elegant. 89
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8/27/2017 - peterag wrote: 89 Points
Usually this one seems much softer and smoother, with very nice palate. However, this particular bottle was more into acidity, bleak palate.I have this wine in bulk so I know it well, might be just particular bottle
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8/26/2017 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Followed over 2 nights. Shows the sweet, plush nature of the vintage but there's plenty of structure here. Black currants and cedar spice on the palate. Nose is pretty shy. I think I may favor the '10 to the '09, but this is pleasing in a forward fruity style. (this is far far from modern/OTT, very much in house style). Should have plenty pof upside, best to hold.
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8/8/2017 - vespasian wrote:
Slightest fade at the rim - good ruby core; lovely aromas on the nose, perfectly ripe, not overly so. Still very primary; leads with a little oak on the entry. Nice weight - more so than usual for Cantemerle. Tannins seem to be resolving themselves nicely, though they are hidden by the rich fruit and show themselves towards the finish. Excellent potential.
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7/11/2017 - dbg wrote:
Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Opens up over2-3 hours with a robust nose of dark fruits, tobacco and earth. Medium body, ripe fruit, good balance and finish. Still young but giving a lot of pleasure. Excellent.
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6/3/2017 - Revisorn wrote: 90 Points
Young
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5/18/2017 - vespasian wrote:
Still youthful but lovely structure and balance. Good finesse. This should provide lovely elegant drinking in time.
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5/15/2017 - jon_goodman1 wrote: 90 Points
not too much to it. Pretty simple
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5/12/2017 - walkerjfw wrote: 91 Points
First bottle of my 09s, thought it would be a good time to check in on these. Wanted something medium bodied to go with my wood grilled Tuscan Chicken. Decanted for about 30 minutes, drank over an hour.
Dark purple/violet color, youthful. Nose showing dark fruits, cassis, earth. Palate was restrained and elegant, blackberry, cassis, earth/forest, violets, minerals. Medium weight and finish.
Still early in its development, drink well but this guy has another 10+ years in it. Should continue to improve - I just finished my Cantemerle 2000s, and they held up well. This is one of my go-to, everyday Bdx that pairs well with a range of foods. Nothing profound, just very consistent and enjoyable wine that doesn't break the bank. 91+
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4/14/2017 - skifree wrote: 91 Points
Like most 2009's I have had, found this enjoyable, with classic notes of cassis, tobacco, and earth. Not a profound wine, but paired well with two dinners; has the structure to hold up to food.
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4/9/2017 - leovillemonamour wrote: 89 Points
Very heavy. A lot of fruit to start . Decanted for 3 hours.. it does get better, but not much
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4/1/2017 - ZackD wrote:
Delicious, eaten with tuna. Perfect balance. Delicious, purchase again.
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3/26/2017 - markricardo wrote: 90 Points
The color was dark violet and ruby. The nose showed mineral, cassis and earth. On the palate, the wine is medium to full bodied with cassis, mineral and earth flavors. This is not an overly ripe or structured wine. However, the tannins are present but moderate with an hour plus decant. In a nutshell, it was an enjoyable wine but not overly complicated. I would drink now through 2020.
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3/22/2017 - Matt T Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big and tannic with lots of fruit and chocolate. Medium to long finish. This is already very interesting, but definitely needs more time. Great potential.
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3/21/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Truffles and plums get things started. Combining classic styling, ripe, round, sweet fruits and soft tannins, the wine gets going on the palate, but lacks the length and consistency found in its younger brother, the 2010.
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3/6/2017 - clubs Likes this wine: 91 Points
First two nights was disappointing. Fourth night was robust. Will try to keep my last few bottles a few years before trying one again.
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2/26/2017 - Morrisson Likes this wine: 89 Points
Beau bordeaux a prix convenable. La bouteille a bénéficie d'un passage en carafe pour une bonne heure. Le nez était assez discret mais les saveurs bien en place avec les cerises noires en prédominance. Les tannins sont biens intégrés. Le vin s'est définitivement bonifié depuis 2 ans.
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12/6/2016 - Khon Kaen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Absolutely good wine. Tasting same as my previous bottles.
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9/14/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Open and ready for business, lots of blue and black fruit, rich, shows 2009 and very well done.
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9/10/2016 - Markus IWC wrote: 83 Points
Quick test, quick notes. Light fruit, not a typical Bordeaux feeling
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8/22/2016 - Jeanda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nez ouvert et intense, fruits noirs et cèdre. Bouche onctueuse, aux tanins polis, concentrée mais dotée d'une grande fraîcheur. Très beau vin, prêt à boire.
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8/17/2016 - bigdogsteve Likes this wine: 91 Points
Traditional Earthy Bordeaux from the Haut-Medoc. Very representative of the soil, with lush raspberries and tons of dark cherry (maybe some saffron?).
All in all - great wine. Even the 09 had to open up for 3 hours to really mellow out. I imagine this bottle will last well into the next 3-4 years.
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8/16/2016 - Khon Kaen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Young wine but delicious. Dense and smooth. very good wine with affordable price. I already ordered 6 bottles. Recommend!
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8/3/2016 - Morrisson Likes this wine: 87 Points
Belle texture. Le vin est soyeux en bouche, les tannins sont biens intégrés. Le vin manque un peu de complexité. Les goûts de fruits noirs sont présents mais assez discrets.
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6/28/2016 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Cantmerle @ RSJ (RSJ, London): Smooth and rich. Young and dense. Very smooth and polished though. No idea, but I think this will run out well. **(**)
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6/3/2016 - winecoffee wrote: 94 Points
Exquisite wine. Even after three days, it held its boldness. Notes of berries and lime on the nose. Very sharp on the tongue. Tangy on the taste. I have to order a case of this.
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5/29/2016 - joseduca Likes this wine: 90 Points
Too young for my taste. Tried it after a strong cab 89 and it seemed a bit dull. Great nose but it needs more time to mature.
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4/28/2016 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark fruit, minerality, graphite, cedar, mushroom, spice, hints of black pepper, chocolate, finishes with some earthy dried tannins. Supple. Exact qualities of a Bordeaux. A/A-
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3/2/2016 - juffer Likes this wine: 88 Points
I served this in my wine course. Cherry nose with eucalyptus from the oak. Rich mouthfeel, good acidity on the finish. Relatively simple, balanced, food friendly, with slightly sweet tannins.
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1/27/2016 - winoman1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I rushed this one...
Very classic and well balanced - many things going on each blending into each other. Definite full black-fruit nose and palate, not too heavy, and well rounded by a small percentage of Merlot which seems to go the perfect distance in this wine. A bit of smoke a bit of cocoa, dusty - PERFUMED.
The minor cedary element shakes things up just a little to keep it interesting...i'm only an hour and 1/2 and 3/4 of a bottle in to this. I shall return!!
..i'm glad I did that!
DAY 2 : Far more tertiary - blend of sweet and savoury. Dark black cherry, double salted liquorice, and mint jelly. The TAR content making this almost medicinal before food. Will hold onto this one but unsure of cellaring capacity.
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1/17/2016 - Rupert wrote:
Classic, dry, buttoned up claret
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1/14/2016 - forceberry wrote: 83 Points
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (49%), Merlot (38%), Petit Verdot (7%) and Cabernet Franc (6%). Macerated with the skins for 28-30 days. Aged for 12 months in French oak barriques (50% new). Tasted blind.
Translucent dark cherry red color. Very rich, noticeably sweet-toned and even rather jammy nose with noticeable oak influence and aromas of sweet red cherries, licorice, succulent dark plums, some espresso tones, a little bit of strawberry jam and a hint of mocha. The wine is rich, full-bodied and very round on the palate with silky smooth flavors of ripe dark fruits, crunchy redcurrants, some tart cranberry tones, a little bit of coffee tones and light mocha oak, a hint of marmaladey black cherry and a touch of extracted woody bitterness. The wine is very high in acidity, which lends it good sense of intensity and sets of some of the sweeter tones. The tannins, on the other hand, feel remarkably soft, gentle and their grip borderline nonexistent. The medium-long finish is round, soft and sweet-toned with flavors of juicy black cherries, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of mocha, light plum jam tones, a hint of cocoa oak and a touch of blackcurrant jam.
Tasting the wine blind, I though this was a modern Bordeaux imitation from a very warm new world wine country like Argentina or Australia. Little did I know that this was a "classic" Bordeaux from the Left Bank! Overall the wine didn't taste anything like classic Bordeaux to me: the soft tannins made the wine lack the tough structure the wines are known for, the fruit was very sweet-toned and jammy for the most part and the overall taste was dominated by rather obfuscating, chocolatey mocha oak character that distracted me quite a bit from enjoying the wine. I must say that the wine is remarkably high in acidity for a 2009 Bordeaux, but that might be the only positive thing I can come up with. Overall a big disappointment and although still very young, I doubt it will get much better in a cellar with its soft and polished tannins.
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12/2/2015 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had at RN74 Seattle with beef short rib. Silky but still very square and compact. Thin on the mid-palate. Fruit emerged after an hour in the decanter. Thick tannins on the finish. Going to be very good but still primary. Drink 2018+
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11/20/2015 - Poisey Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted a few hours. Round and so silky. Coffee been red and black fruit with floral green tobacco and oregano notes. Very polished and sexy this is. A real charmer. Sweet long round finish with ripe polished well integrated tannin. Wow this is a killer Cantemerle. I cant imagine this being much better than this.
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11/19/2015 - Outplaying wrote:
Bordeaux Tasting at Colliers (Colliers Wines, Centerville, Delaware): nose: slight bell pepper, slight graphite, and a kiss of oak
Palate: tight, dry, tart, bell pepper, slightly leaner than previous wines. Needs some time. Solid. 89-90
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9/6/2015 - dhuman Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle took forever to open up. Decanted a half hour early, and was still closed tight and acidic when I poured. But about halfway through the glass it started to reveal itself, and ended up balanced, refined, not at all sweet and nice minerals.
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8/25/2015 - whits Likes this wine: 91 Points
this bottle was closed for business, these want to sleep a bit, what I got was a sense of purity, clean fruit, mineral, and earthy terroir, I predict a showing in the future to meet or exceed how the '89's show today
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6/11/2015 - Matt T Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big and complex. Very intriguing already with notes of chocolate, blackberry, and mushroom.
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6/1/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Tense and structured, just opened, needing some time.
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5/26/2015 - Rezy13 wrote: 90 Points
Tuesday Night Double Blind $80+ (Bin 75): Dark dense core with thin garnet rim; lead pencil, black currant, plum, young Bordeaux; plummy on the palate with blackberry, black currant, dense fruit, layers, dark and brooding, green pepper, bitter cocoa; good, needs time.
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5/24/2015 - CabIsKing wrote: 91 Points
Good nose of black currant, plum, vanilla and hints of earth. Very youthful on the tongue with a long finish. Like where this wine is right now. Should only get better.
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5/20/2015 - pdev wrote: 87 Points
just outside margaux, but nose shows more like pauillac. dark & brooding, mid palate is on the lean side, but excellent aromatics, downgrade score due to price.
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5/16/2015 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 88 Points
Bordeaux Confidential USA, Nose of cigar box, pepper, and currants, more of the same on the palate, medium body and medium fruit, simple tasting, better in two years, medium finish.
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5/16/2015 - Phenol73 Likes this wine: 92 Points
(Decanter's Bordeaux '05, '09, '10 tasting) :: More open / lifted than the 2010 at this stage, showing classic lines of cassis, a touch of caramel and tobacco leaf. Still quite tight and very young, but has opened considerably since I last tried it a few years ago, where it was completely shut down.
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4/21/2015 - clubs wrote: 90 Points
Still needs a few years seems. Needs about 2 hour decant.
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4/18/2015 - mreinhard74@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Nice round Bordeaux with plum and red fruits. Tannins a bit sharp but rounds out.
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4/3/2015 - yeti575rider wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine. Nothing mind blowing but very solid Bordeaux. Currant, cedar, earthy. Agree with another note that the 2009 isn't that much different from other vintages.
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3/29/2015 - phynes Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice combination of power and finesse. Decanted for only 30 minutes but georgous nose of fruit and flowers emerged. Feminine feel to it with. powerful finish. Black fruits, lead pencil and cedar. Drinking well, much better than many 2005s, but still feels early in its life. Excellent and very good value wine.
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2/22/2015 - DSR wrote: 89 Points
Blackcurrant, black cherries, hint of bell pepper. Refreshing acidity, medium+ body, prominent tannins that softened a bit with decanting, moderate finish and complexity. Solid, delicious wine; needs more time.
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1/24/2015 - tooch wrote: 90 Points
Served blindly. One of the biggest shocks of the afternoon was this bottle. A lot of us thought this was from a more classic vintage...like 2004. Had some nice cedar, graphite, dark fruits, and earth. Didn't come close to the dense, sappy 2009 fruit profile I would have expected. Very nice surprise!
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12/13/2014 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours. A dark, garnet colour. Blackberry, pencil lead, Hawthorne tea, wet earth and rock. A wonderful concentration that gives way to a light frame during the long finish; tannins that are polished. Showing a lot, yet also suggesting some cellar time, and also suggests a very long life ahead, with so much back bone and inner core. Drink 2018-.
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9/23/2014 - sawira wrote: 89 Points
Delicious, and will improve. Earthy, graphite, currant and plummy fruit, a bit of smoke, hints towards cedar and lead pencil. Wish I had lots more, may have to remedy that. My guess is this will go dumb soon for about a decade. 89pts now with a point or two of upside.
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7/11/2014 - Cheungtp wrote: 91 Points
A young, vibrant Cantemerle offering quite an exciting drinking pleasure. Although we suspected that the 2009 might be in a sleeping phase right now, the 2+ hour decant certainly helped and hinted us the potential it carries. Inky purple in appearance, coupled with bouquet packed with ripe dark currants, flower, black licorice, lead, vanilla and mocha. Palate is gentle yet structured, fantastic balance of fresh fruits, acidity and the soft chewy tannins. With more cellar time, this wine will surely develop more complexity and offer great tasting experience.
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7/1/2014 - DaleW wrote:
A burst of fruit when opened in afternoon, then shut down hard. Long decant got rid of some but not all the shyness. Not touching for a while, but I think this will be a rather classic ripe vintage Cantemerle (B- last night, B+ for potential)
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6/28/2014 - blanquito wrote: 88 Points
Cantemerle & Lagune Vertical; 6/28/2014-6/30/2014 (Dale's): Decanted 5 hours earlier... Savory nose, tight on the palate, seems to have a better balance than the 2010, but still fairly ponderous compared to other vintages. Hard to read.
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6/28/2014 - salil wrote: 87 Points
Cantemerle/La Lagune vertical (Dobbs Ferry): Also quite ripe and tannic, but better balanced than the '10. There's a lot of ripe fruit here and it comes across a bit monolithic and dense, but there's brighter acidity on the palate here, and it's pleasant though not compelling right now.
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6/5/2014 - jskuek Likes this wine: 91 Points
So tight, needs lots of air but open nicely after 2 hours.
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5/20/2014 - clubs wrote: 90 Points
Seems good potential. Holds up well 2nd night.
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5/12/2014 - vines4humanity Likes this wine:
Real tannic grip with dark berry spices and some plum fruit.
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4/22/2014 - edub7 wrote: 93 Points
Vibrant scarlett rim and deep dark core. Floral nose, Margaux like. Wine is refreshing classic, old school, with some finesse and structure, very well made and impeccable balance. Excellent purity, vibrant red fruit, spring flowers, and smokey black cherries. Wine starts to unfold nicely, but opens and shuts down over a four hour period via the decanter. This wine is great and some will like it now because of its early appeal, however this wine will reward with some time in the cellar. Capable of evolving for the next 15-20 years, I suspect it would be best to hold for another 2-5 years. I have a case left, will try not open one for another 2-3 years, at the least. Suspect 4-7 years will be an early sweet spot. 93+ -should rate higher with time. Tasted several times with consistent notes.
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4/18/2014 - iByron Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dense, young, glass-clinging red purple in color. Near opaque core. Dark red fruits and a bit of charred green pepper of the nose. Cranberry, red currant, graphite on the medium full palate. Cedar and velvety tannins a emerge with time and air. Obviously still plenty of time left on this one, but it's a really good drink right now. Drink now or hold until 2029.
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4/15/2014 - Patrickmcw Likes this wine: 91 Points
Like 2010 more, did a side by side testing. Much more classic structure/taste...was what I would expect
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4/7/2014 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 87 Points
Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux, Haut Medoc (Rodwell House): Deep black-red to rim; the bouquet is all dark fruits, with wood spices, minerals, steel and a lemony thread.
A much softer entry than expected, the wine display surprisingly fleshy fruits and spicy notes. Mid to full-bodied, the wine has a some concentration with mouthcoating powdery texture and sinewy, granular tannins that have a herbal twist. A long winding finish ends with black olive, spice and mineral. The oak tends to linger on and may need more time to integrate. The only issues is that there isn't much depth in the mid-palate and it feels quite extracted (or worked) and the herbal finish tends to feel a little green.
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3/17/2014 - huberww wrote:
Disappointing, lacked mid-palate and lots of green flavor. Bad bottle?
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3/15/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 91 Points
91+pts. 4 hour decant. Very fresh wine - A lof green pepper and ripe fruits on the nose. Black fruits, blueberries, in a very modern style young Bordeaux. Balanced, and smooth on the palate. Drinks pretty well in its youth, but can feel this has more potential to come.
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3/15/2014 - awise45 wrote: 92 Points
Drunk along side a Cantenac Brown and a Magdeleine from the same year. Deep purple color, full and lasting finish. Hints of raspberry and cherry along with darker fruits, very nice.
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3/12/2014 - yofog wrote: 91 Points
Really beautiful, ripe fruit up front, blue and blackberries, flowers and soil, big but ripe tannins, a little more body than usual for this wine, and freshness on the finish. Will age really really well.
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3/11/2014 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Tuesday Night Double Blind <$30 (Bin 75): Very dense dark core with thin reddish purple rim; luxurious nose of coffee, vanilla, green pepper, green tobacco, loamy earth; balanced, cassis, blackberry, dense, noble, tannic but not obtrusively so, higher alcohol, good freshness though I couldn't drink a bottle; drinking ok now but better with at least 3-5 more years.
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3/8/2014 - AMC Eagle wrote: 91 Points
Vinturied into a decanter and let sit for 5+ hours. Dark purple in appearance; black cherries, currants, some hints of smoke and vanilla on the nose. Somewhat restrained on the palate where I get some blueberries, smoky cassis, and some dark chocolate; its got a very nice finish though it still has the tannic punch after letting it air for a while; will revisit again in a few years.
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2/22/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 91 Points
Inky purple color. Pretty restrained nose at first, opens up significantly after a 1.5 hour decant. Beautiful very classic Médoc nose of black currant/cassis, dark cherries, graphite/lead pencil, flowers and some sweet spices. On the palate there are very classic notes of dark berries again (blueberries, cassis), some lead pencil, dark chocolate, some figs, a touch of tobacco and a beautiful earthyness. It's medium-bodied with medium-high tannin that is very silky and a medium+ acidity providing some freshness. Very long finish. I will probably give my other bottles another 2-3 years before tasting them again. This is a relatively atypical 2009 Bordeaux. While it has the overall balance and beautiful ripeness of the vintage, it also has a lot of freshness, elegance and less opulence than most of the other 2009 I have tasted. A very elegant and classic Haut-Médoc at a realistic price point. (91+)
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12/26/2013 - blanquito wrote: 90 Points
Inky color. Sports a restrained bouquet of sweet black currants, tar, herbs, spicy anise. Notes of jammy sur maturité appear later on the nose. To taste, lots of minerals, black tea, concentrated blueberry juice. Fleshy, good brightness for an '09, medium bodied, lots of tannins on the finish. Extract and alcohol seem balanced. Big tannins, not really ready for prime time at present despite a long decant, but drinkable now. This has potential, showing a combo of ripeness and tradition, fingers crossed this goes somewhere special with more time. It will be fun to follow where this goes when mature, does the raw fruity/tannic profile morph into a mature, complex, cedar/tobacco driven claret?
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11/3/2013 - Phenol73 wrote: 85 Points
Tight and unyielding. I struggled to get any character out of this wine, either from the nose or the palate. Yes, this is young (too young), but you can usually get sufficient delineation of flavours and aromas in an early wine to understand how it might mature and improve. Not so with this Cantemerle. I struggled to interpret even the primary fruit flavours, and the occasional hint of minerality and earth on the nose was not enough to sustain interest. The palate was all tanin (ample) and acidity, but little else. Perhaps this wine is going through a complete shut down phase, and that the tanins and flavours will reconcile themselves much better with time. For now, this is a disappointing, bland and unmemorable drink.
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7/18/2013 - JulianSkeels wrote: 92 Points
Very ‘Margaux’ nose of violets and blueberry. Good mid-palate, but somewhat lacks on the finish. A good value 2009 wine that will be excellent in 5yrs…. But the 2010 is another clear step up and gets my vote every time.
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7/14/2013 - Timbalimba wrote: 88 Points
Fleshier, meatier than the '10, more along the red fruit spectrum. Difficult to judge--- lacking backbone. Not over the top but I miss that core of iron filings and acidity. I'd like to meet up again in ten years' time. 88-92?
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7/13/2013 - gavin.cato wrote: 88 Points
really nothing special.
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4/12/2013 - soyhead wrote: 89 Points
nose - blueberry, fig, smoke, nose gets better with time
mouth - dark fruit, charcoal, smoky midpalate, with good acidity, appreciable minerality, and nice dry tannins that coat the palate.
This is a nice wine, a touch on the smoky side, but I'm sure with bottle age it will gain complexity. Try again in 5 years
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3/30/2013 - Miceri wrote: 88 Points
Dark purple red; nose a bit closed, some dark red berries; rounded, slightly soft drink like, although with a bit of structure; not much aftertaste
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1/30/2013 - Fateful Destiny Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good, but needs more time
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12/15/2012 - edub7 wrote: 93 Points
Red fruit fruit leap out of the glass, fairly rich in color, yet medium bodied with much finesse. Raspberries, cherries, and countered by low key oak and cloaked tannins. Subtle, classy and complex. This will be a very long lived wine, despite playing the friendly and gentle Bordeaux,. The o9 fruit shines through, but totally classic. I originally rated this 94 points last January when it was a bit more seamless. This is starting to put on weight, along with black cherries and a touch of smoke, plus more round. Excellent with much potential. Hold ...93+
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12/1/2012 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
In this stage the bouquet is a bit reticent, but on the palate there are ripe dark forest fruits, good acidity and tannin. A juicy wine but not extremely luxurious. I bought a few en primeur and I will probably try the first bottle before the end of the decade, so there will be a follow up.
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11/25/2012 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Annual Grand Cru Tasting (Wijnhandel De Gouden Leeuw, Voorschoten, NL): Lovely ripe fruit, very good weight for Cantemerle, well-judged oak, charming, well-structured, attractive.
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11/14/2012 - vespasian wrote: 91 Points
Warm, ripe fruits in the nose with a whiff of spicy oak; starting to close down, tight, good core of fruit. Long.
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11/6/2012 - RayOB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank at Dinner Party
Nose is a bit more closed now since my original tasting but this has a lot of legs and will blossom again soon.
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10/13/2012 - pclin wrote: 90 Points
Good nose. Clean, aromatic, and forward. Notes of raspberry, black berry, coffee bean (really?) and cedar. Smooth but rather light on entry. Light to medium-bodied with sweet and sour tannins. Slight dry aftertaste and rather short finish. Light structure but good balance. Label indicated 13% with slight heat at the end. Low acidity level. Good for early consumption. 89-91 pts.
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7/1/2012 - shaftlet wrote: 90 Points
Quite the evocative nose: mushroomy and funky with some black cherry-blackberry fruit, vanillin and leather. Touch short and uninspiring on the palate, but the nose is fantastic.
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5/30/2012 - JulianSkeels wrote: 93 Points
Perfumed, balanced, elegant and remarkable wine for the price. I was not a follower of this wine, but I am now. Located on the edge of Margaux, and this shows in the wine which is floral, has 40% merlot and conveys some of the minerality of the region. Should age well - will try some mature bottles soon to test. Philippe Dambrine tells me his 2010 is another notch higher! One of the best buys of 2009 imho.
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5/12/2012 - Bisty wrote: 90 Points
Le Week-end des Grands Crus (Bordeaux): Very dark colour.
Lots of tannins and quite a feisty chap at the moment with great potential. What will become of it?
92-93?
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4/26/2012 - RayOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Goedhius Bordeaux Cru Classe Tasting (Saatchi Gallery): Nose of cassis, pencil, red cherries and vanilla. Smooth rich mouth with a medium length. Best Cantemerle I have had.
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4/15/2012 - phynes wrote: 91 Points
Tasted it immediately, after 8 hours and after a further 24 hours. Enjoyed it but drinking this reminded me as to why I am a little sceptical about the scores from Parker et al on barrel samples. Maybe they can work it out but I think it is very difficult to really know how this wine will turn out. Yes it will be good, but how good? It's like forming a view as to how a to year old toddler will turn out - you might have some indication but there is a lot of guesswork. Anyway, enough philosophy - I have a case of this and look forward to drinking it over the next two decades!
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4/4/2012 - isbjoern wrote: 87 Points
Right after two very good older Pichon-Longueville Barons this just seemed simple and fruity, lacking the structure for mid or long term ageing. Weird sweet raspberry and dark sweet cherry fruit, soft texture, very approachable and short on the finish. Not even one in our group of seven guessed this to be a Bordeaux in our blind tasting and we had quite a lot of Bordeaux on the table. Dissapointing showing, though probably not a fair comparison with all the older bottles. - 87 points
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3/30/2012 - fc1910 wrote: 91 Points
What can I say? Best Cantemerle, ähem young Cantemerle, I have ever tried! Still a little tannic, but very smooth and sharpened, sweet cassis fruit, fresh and very elegant on the palate, like this bottle very much, super aftertaste, high potencial 90- 93?
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3/21/2012 - Beachrooster Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very dark red. Aromas of blackberry, currant, graphite, and a little mocha. A full bodied wine, with a nice palate. This wine has nice fruit, acid, and tannins, but will require some time to integrate. Medium length on the finish. 91 points 2015-2025
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2/6/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Medium bodied, with light, black raspberry, cherry and spicy flavors, this soft, lighter style of Bordeaux wine ends with cherry and fresh herb sensations. This should drink well young.
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1/30/2012 - mcease wrote: 88 Points
Union des Grands Grus 2009 Bordeaux Tasting. Oak and dark fruit on the nose. On the pallet I though there was very thick dark fruit and was not very elegant at all. 87-88 points.
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1/30/2012 - Vino Me wrote: 90 Points
2009 Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting; 1/27/2012-1/31/2012 (Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Chicago, Illinois): A blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Petite Verdot and 6% Cab Franc. 4th time I have tried this wine at a UGC (the 2000, 2003 and 2005 being the others. This was better than the 2003, about the equal of the 2005 and not as good as the 2000. Cigarette tobacco aromas. Lighter to medium bodied. Dark fruit. Moderate tannins. 89-91 points.
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1/28/2012 - mike410 wrote: 92 Points
Union Des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting (MONTREAL). Peppery nose. medium body.
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1/27/2012 - lumpyelbow wrote:
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2009 (Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON): No Notes.
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10/18/2011 - vespasian wrote: 91 Points
Delicate, pretty lifted red fruits; medium weight. Lovely flavours. Pretty. Won't ever be a big wine but should age beautifully in the medium term. Nice flavour. Strong finish. 90-92.
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9/14/2011 - THT wrote: 84 Points
La robe est sombre mais pas impénétrable. Fermé à double tour, le nez réticent révèle un boisé élégant, relativement peu marqué pour un vin si jeune. On ne perçoit pas grand chose d'autre. Quelques notes de figues pointent vers une maturité presque sudiste. Le vin est austère, d'un classissisme presque revêche en bouche. De l'amertume et une sécheresse en fin de bouche semblen indiquer une extraction un peu poussée. De la fraicheur quand même. Je n'avais pas regoûté ce cru récemment et ai trouvé un style très différent du souvenir que j'avais de ce cru. Je crois que je préférais le style précédent, tendre, féminin, avec du fruit et des tanins doux.
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