Home
: 2016 Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc

2016 Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc (Pre-Arrival)

SKU #1299106 94 points James Suckling

Outer quote mark Plenty of menthol, blackberry and blackcurrant aromas in this elegant, medium-weight Haut-Médoc that’s got as much freshness as ripeness and a long, clean, mineral and herbal finish. An incredibly food-flexible wine! Drink or hold. Inner quote mark (2/2019)

93 points Wine Enthusiast

Outer quote mark Well-integrated tannins give this wine a rich, velvet character that is underlined by the blackberry fruits. The aftertaste is dense, concentrated and rich. Drink from 2025. (RV) Inner quote mark (4/2019)

92 points Decanter

Outer quote mark This beautiful château is one of the first major properties encountered heading north on the Route des Châteaux. Situated in a woodland setting, this 94-hectare estate is situated on sand and gravel soils, and produces fresh, early-drinking and great value wines. Medium-bodied with some graphite, mineral notes adding to the ripe blackberry fruit. 12 months ageing in oak, 40% new. (AH) Inner quote mark (12/2021)

92 points Jane Anson

Outer quote mark Sweet fruit on the nose is joined by plum and touches of vanillin. It has a southern Médoc feel, with almost-jammy fruit and a gourmet, damson streak. Edgy tannins hold the appealing, generous fruit, and the acidity is pretty high, but that's a signature of the vintage. A blend of the two Cabernets, Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, aged for 12 months in oak, 40% new. Eric Boissenot consults. Inner quote mark (10/2018)

92 points Vinous

Outer quote mark The 2016 Cantemerle has developed beautifully with élevage. Pliant, silky and exceptionally balanced, the 2016 has the pedigree and complexity to allow for a number of years of very fine drinking. Moreover, the 2016 delivers serious flavor intensity without being at all heavy. Smoke, iron and cedar add character to a Haut-Médoc that has a lot to offer. (AG) Inner quote mark (1/2019)

90 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark Starts with a violet note but turns darker quickly, with dark currant and black cherry preserve flavors forming the core. Nice fresh tobacco and iron details carry the mouthwatering finish. Not big, but focused and tasty. (JM) Inner quote mark (3/2019)

Jancis Robinson

Outer quote mark Deep crimson with purple rim. Intense aroma that is both ripe, sweet damson and floral. Really aromatic. Then rounded and sweet on the palate. Not complex but generous and full of flavour. 16/20 (JH) Inner quote mark (10/2018)

The Wine Independent

Outer quote mark Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cantemerle leaps with pretty, floral notes of rose oil and lavender, followed by a core of raspberry preserves and kirsch, plus a hint of underbrush. The light to medium-bodied palate is lively and vibrant, featuring chewy tannins and a lifted, savory finish. Inner quote mark (12/2022)

K&L Notes

91 points Neal Martin for Vinous: "The 2016 Cantemerle has a comparatively opulent bouquet of black cherries, boysenberry and light violet scents, touches of cedar and sous-bois emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. There is a touch of greenness here, although it does come across harmonious and there is a pleasing spiciness toward the finish. Fine." (01/2020)

Share |

2016 Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc

Price: $39.99

Quantity:

Real Time Inventory by location:

The item you have chosen can be pre-ordered. Below is the current quantity available for this pre-arrival/special order product within our database. It is never more than five minutes old. Additionally, our shopping cart looks at real time inventory so when you add an item to you cart we will do an immediate check of available inventory and alert you if there are any issues.

Location	Qty
Main Warehouse:	> 60

Product turnaround time varies by location of inventory and your chosen method of shipping/pickup. For a detailed explanation click here.

Related Items

Product Reviews:

By: Jacques Moreira | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 8/19/2019 | Send Email

Showing strong Cabernet characteristic, with notes of ripe berries and currents, along with an intriguing note of menthol. This is a tremendous value that should not be missed by those looking to buy some cases of a quality wine to drink within the next 5 or 10 years.

By: Jason Marwedel | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/12/2017 | Send Email

If you buy Bordeaux from K&L, you undoubtedly know Chateau Cantemerle. As a sales staff, we all secretly hope to find a bottle amongst the lineup for our quarterly Bordeaux staff tastings. Some of us will even drop hints to Clyde, hoping he will blind taste us on an older vintage from his cellar. Needless to say, tasting the fabulous 2016 offering at the chateau was close to a religious experience. This is by far one of the best wines I have tasted from this beloved chateau. Aromatically there is so much intrigue - loads of cinnamon, raspberry fruit, cedar and spice. The palate delivers rich sweet fruit, silky edges and wonderful freshness. By far, a standout from the 2016 vintage.

By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/12/2017 | Send Email

A perfect score for all three times we tasted this beauty. Some think this is best ever, but 1949 was outstanding! Only 12.8 alcohol-the wine is so fresh and vibrant. Smoky, toasty aromas with a bit of tobacco and tea. Black Raspberries on the palate-lush and polished. So pure and silky. I love this one again. One of the best values of any red wine in the world.

Drink from 2022 to 2042

By: Jeff Garneau | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/11/2017 | Send Email

Chateau Cantemerle was classified a Cinquième Cru in 1855, one of only five chateaus designated “Haut-Médoc” to be awarded cru classé status. With nearly 100 hectares of vineyards it is one of the largest estates on the Left Bank, and all I can say is, thank goodness. Even with yields slightly above average, I worry there won’t be enough of the 2016 vintage to go around. 2016 is a remarkable vintage in many respects, but one of its most compelling features is the tendency to bring out in the very best wines something quintessential, a perfect expression of terroir. I think the 2016 Cantemerle is one such. It brings together all of the best aspects of the vintage – an extraordinary intensity of color, wildly expressive aromatics, lively acidity and very fine tannins. And the fruit? As a child, I used to spend the summers in Maine, and I used to go blackberry picking with my grandmother. She preferred to go early in the morning before it got too hot. The berries would still be cool with a bit of the morning dew still upon them. Even under my grandmother’s watchful eye, not every berry made its way into my pail. I still remember quickly popping them into my mouth and that astonishing all at once burst of tartness and sweetness. Tasting “fresh-picked blackberry” in this wine made me smile with the memory it evoked. And I have no doubt that 2016 will be remembered as one of the great vintages for Cantemerle. 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

- Cabernet Sauvignon has come a long way from its role as a blending varietal, however dominant, in the wines of Bordeaux. Today it is the most planted red varietal in the world. Identified as a descendent of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be planted in warmer climates to fully ripen. Its small berries can easily be identified for their distinctive blue color, thick skins and high tannins. And while the varietal has its own definitive characteristics: green pepper-like aromas and black currant flavors among them, it is perhaps most prized for its ability to convey terroir, vintage and winemaking. A relatively new varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon started making inroads into the wines of the Médoc and Graves in the late-18th century. Today it is also dominant in the up-and-coming Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux and can also be found in Southwest France. It is the companion varietal to Sangiovese in Italy's Super Tuscans and is planted all over Europe, stretching to lesser-known winegrowing regions like Russia and Lebanon. In the Americas Cabernet Sauvignon has found champions in every nook and cranny of California and among winemakers in Washington, where it complements plantings of Merlot. In South America, Cab thrives in Chile, but can also be found in smaller amounts in Argentina and even in Mexico.

Country:

France

- When it comes to wine, France stands alone. No other country can beat it in terms of quality and diversity. And while many of its Region, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne most obviously, produce wine as rare, as sought-after and nearly as expensive as gold, there are just as many obscurities and values to be had from little known appellations throughout the country. To learn everything there is to know about French wine would take a lifetime. To understand and appreciate French wine, one only has to begin tasting them.

Sub-Region: