Château Capbern, St Estèphe, 2020
This excellent estate situated between Calon Segur and Montrose benefits from the same wine making team as Calon Segur: Vincent Millet and Eric Boissenot. The fruit from this vineyard formed part of Calon Segur until the 2006 vintage, when the late Denise Gasqueton decided to create a separate label. It has now dropped the Gasqueton from its name and will just be called 'Capbern'. It has its own very smart winery and there is a very handsome Château tucked away behind the church in St Estèphe. Yet again, this will be one of the best value buys of the vintage. Opening with gorgeous notes of coal, clove and spices, mingled with purple, quite heady fruit, Star anise, kirsch and dandelions. The palate is very suave and silky, beautiful texture here to the crisp hedgerow fruit, layers of graphite and cocoa nibs, this has the making of a serious Capbern, with waves of perfumed fruit, vital, dark and deeply concentrated, yet effortless, lifted and so vibrant. Finishes with tannins packed with black cherry, and dark mineral cassis. Very impressive! 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
critic reviews
The 2020 Capbern has a forward, fruit-driven bouquet with iodine-tinged black cherry fruit. It's actually quite floral—a bit of Margaux mixed with Saint-Estèphe! The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins, plenty of cedar and black-pepper-infused black fruit and an almost Tannat-like finish. It's just a bit uncompromising today. I would cellar this for three or four years. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
The 2020 Capbern offers up aromas of sweet cassis, plums, pencil shavings, loamy soil and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and seamless palate that's polished, penetrating and dynamic. It's a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot and the balance Merlot, produced by Vincent Millet and his team from Calon Segur.
The 2020 Capbern is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a lot of coaxing to reveal a core laced with crème de cassis, wild blueberries, and mulberries, with hints of fruitcake and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is plush and juicy, with plenty of uncomplicated black fruits and a spicy finish.
Capbern is an exciting label to watch in St Estèphe, as it becomes increasingly sleek and complete. There is a punch of ripe fruit here, following the heat waves of the summer, and you find blackberry, damson, cocoa bean and pencil lead, but still plenty of juice to keep the flavours concentrated but flowing. 60% new oak, 3.8ph, 33hl/ha yield.