2023 Cantemerle (Haut-Medoc)

Intense plum colour, this has lift and attractive leafy notes, full of character and carefully-shaped and extracted tannins, cassis fruits, black chocolate and liqourice. Old school in feel, finessed and not overly sleek, full of heart. 35% new oak, 43hl/ha yield. 92 points

The 2023 Cantemerle is a deep, potent wine. A blast of dark plum, blackberry, mocha, grilled herbs, gravel and lavender make a strong first impression. The aromatics and overall structure are quite appealing, although I find the tannins a touch bruising at this stage. A long, sustained finish compensates to some degrees. Tasted two times. 88-90 points

The 2023 Cantemerle offers up aromas of dark berries, cherries, mint and herbs, followed by a medium-bodied, round and fleshy palate that`s a touch varietal in profile this year. 88-89 points

The 2023 Cantemerle has an attractive nose that offers more fruit concentration than its peers, raspberry and crushed strawberry, light peppery notes. The palate has good body on the entry, but it doesn`t quite possess phenolic ripeness right on the finish. Could this be subsumed during the élevage? A third sample verified a nagging, albeit slight vegetal aspect but let`s see how it will show once in bottle. 87-89 points