Château Cantemerle, 5eme Cru Classé, Haut Medoc, 2005
A regular over performer in recent years but sometimes showing more technical correctness than flair, the 2005 goes a step further to capture your attention with intensely ripe blackcurrant, albeit thinly shrouded in a very classic, elegant Medoc style. There is good structure here, and a long finish with very fine tannins. A pleasant surprise.
critic reviews
This 2005 is really coming into its own, with soft, welcoming rose bud, chalk, bilberry, cocoa bean and tobacco. The tannins remain well structured, and you can see the muscles that kept this pretty closed for the first decade. Ready to drink, but it will continue to soften further over the next few years before fully reaching its drinking window. Philippe Dambrine estate director (arrived 1993). Eric Boissenot's first vintage as consultant, replacing Georges Pauli. 50% new oak for ageing, light fining but no filtration before bottling. Suggest a good three hours in a carafe before drinking.
Still plenty of consistency of colour here, medium intensity throughout, now a gentle ruby. Fragrant, raspberry leaf, unfussy slight earthy on the nose, immediately enticing. I had this a few years ago, when the fruit was much brighter, now it is softer and more autumnal, and this is really at the moment to drink. Earthy on the palate also, loam, soy, orange peel, white pepper, brambled fruit and undergrowth, touches of leather. Softly spoken, perhaps a little bottle variation, but I would say this is a good wine to get cracking on now, and enjoy its gentle pleasures. 50% new oak. Unfiltered.