Chateau Cantemerle, Haut Medoc (8 Best Bordeaux Blends, Prices 2023)

The exquisite Chateau Cantemerle is a Fifth Growth estate in the Haut Medoc appellation in France. 

The historic Chateau produces Cabernet-Sauvignon dominant Bordeaux blends that are age-worthy and express their terroir beautifully. Let’s uncover everything about this winery, including its beautiful vineyards, remarkable winemaking, the best Chateau Cantemerle wines  and their investment potential.

A Brief Intro to Chateau Cantemerle and It’s Wine Styles

Chateau Cantemerle is located on the outskirts of Bordeaux in the Macau commune, near the Gironde river. 

It is one of the oldest wine estates in Bordeaux (the Chateau’s vine plantations date back to the Middle Ages.) 

The estate has varied terroir, picturesque tree orchards, and beautiful architecture. It has been owned by the SMABTP Group since 1980. 

The Chateau produces three wine styles:

• Chateau Cantemerle: The eponymous Fifth Growth Grand Vin is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot varietals. About 25,000 cases are produced annually.
• Les Allees de Cantemerle: The second wine is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and in some vintages Cabernet Franc. The annual wine production is around 12,000 cases.
• Lady C Cantemerle: The third wine is named after the former Chateau owner Caroline de Villeneuve, and is made using Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Only 5,000-10,000 cases are produced annually.    

8 Best Chateau Cantemerle Wines to Buy in 2023

Check out these exquisite Chateau Cantemerle wines:

1. 1945 Chateau Cantemerle ($548)

This exceptional Bordeaux wine presents a bouquet of tobacco, cranberry, and forest floor aromas. It has silky tannins and a fruity palate of cherry, strawberry, and spice tasting notes. It is medium-bodied with a mouthwatering finish.     

2. 1949 Chateau Cantemerle ($451)

Here we have a magnificent red wine with the aroma of tobacco, red fruit, and cassis. This great wine has low tannin levels and a dominant tasting note of cherry with warm plums and black fruit hints. 

3. 1968 Chateau Cantemerle ($253)

This ripe Cabernet vintage possesses an aromatic nose of blackberry fruits. The flavor profile has an enticing tasting note of cherry with undertones of berry, coffee, and a mouthwatering finish.

4. 1989 Chateau Cantemerle ($106)

Here is a medium-bodied ripe Cabernet blend with mesmerizing sweet fruit and olive aromas. The wine's personality is defined by its palate of refined fruitiness with a violet note, rich flavors of black fruit.

5. 1996 Chateau Cantemerle ($69)

This is a full-bodied mature vintage with the exquisite aroma of red fruit, cassis, and menthol. The flavorful palate presents hints of coffee, blackberry fruits, and silky tannins.

6. 2012 Chateau Cantemerle 'Lady C Cantemerle' ($66)

Here we have the third wine reflecting the diverse Cantemerle terroir. It has an addictive nose of menthol, dark cherry, and red fruit. The ripe tannin mouthfeel is accompanied by seductive tasting notes of coffee and warm plums. 

7. 2005 Chateau Cantemerle 'Les Allees de Cantemerle' ($55)

This great wine has an intense nose of sweet fruit, raspberry, and blackcurrant. The wine's personality is enhanced by its ripe tannin levels and balanced acidity. It offers a delicious violet note and rich flavors of coffee, strawberry, and licorice. 

8. 2018 Chateau Cantemerle 'Les Allees de Cantemerle' ($43)

This Bordeaux wine has a refined fruitiness with elegant blackcurrant and dark fruit aromas. The palate offers stunning licorice, raspberry, and strawberry tasting notes. 

Investing in Chateau Cantemerle Wine

Chateau Cantemerle can be aged in the bottle for 7-10 years, and some vintages are known to reach their maturity in 10-15 years.     

For a long time, Chateau Cantemerle wines remained unnoticed by wine collectors and only received limited attention. But in recent years, these Grand Cru Classe wines have garnered critical acclaim and featured in many en primeur shows. 

They have also had considerable appreciation in value year on year:

• Between May and June 2021, the price of 1981 Chateau Cantemerle increased by 111%, from $82 to $173.
• The 1982 Chateau Cantemerle appreciated by about 86% in value, from $124 to $231 between November 2020 to March 2021.

Chateau Cantemerle wines have been rising stars in many auction events. A 12-bottle lot of Chateau Cantemerle 2000 was sold for $827 at a Sotheby’s auction in June 2020.

Here’s more about the Chateau’s vineyards and winemaking practices.

Chateau Cantemerle Vineyards 

The vineyards of Chateau Cantemerle are spread over 95 hectares across the Macau and Ludon communes of the Haut Medoc appellation (southern Bordeaux Medoc peninsula.)  

The Cantemerle terroir is rich and consists of pebbles, white sand, and gravel.

There are four grape varieties grown in the vineyard parcels:

• Cabernet Sauvignon (68%)
• Merlot (22%)
• Cabernet Franc (5%)
• Petit Verdot (5%)     

The vine density ranges between 8,400-10,000 vines per hectare. The average vine age is 35 years, but there are some older vines that are 70 years old.

Winemaking at Chateau Cantemerle

The winemaking process at the Chateau is as follows:

• Harvesting: The grapes are hand-harvested, sorted, and destemmed.
• Fermentation: The grapes are fermented in stainless steel, oak, and cement vats for 9-10 days. The maceration period lasts for about 18-20 days. 
• Pressing: The wine is de-vatted selectively. The dry skin, pips, and sediments are filtered out, and only pure marc is pressed.
• Aging: The Grand Vinundergoes 12 months of French oak barrel aging and four months in vats after blending. The second wine is aged for 8 months in stainless steel vats, followed by four months of French oak barrel aging.     

Chateau Cantemerle: A Bordeaux Wonder in a Bottle!

If you’re on the lookout for an unsung Bordeaux gem, get hold of a Chateau Cantemerle bottle. 

It works both as an exceptional accompaniment to gourmet meals and a remarkable wine investment.

And if you want to build a lucrative collection of fine wine bottles like Chateau Cantemerle you can use an online wine investing platform like Vinovest. With Vinovest you can buy, sell, store, and authenticate fine wines from all around the world with just a few simple clicks.