2015 Clos Cantenac Saint Emilion Grand Cru

• 33% Off 94 Point St. Emilion Grand Cru
• Overlooks Dordogne River
• Right Bank Vintage, 97 Wine Spectator
• Restaurant Allocation; Now Available For Your Enjoyment!
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About the Wine

Clos Cantenac is a small but seductive 15-acre property made up of four main parcels of vines carefully planted on an exceptional “terroir” of deep gravels, sand, and clay over broken limestone situated close to the prehistoric “Megalith de Pierrefitte”. Their winemaking team works systematically on a parcel-by-parcel basis, according to the age, condition, seasonal variations, and requirements of our gently sloping, south-facing vineyards to produce Grand Cru worth wines on the right bank.

"The wines of Clos Cantenac have a good “polish” about them and a fine sense of place." -Steve Spurrier, Editor of Decanter Magazine 

2015 was a wonderful growing year, particularly for those with the ‘terroirs’ that were able to cope with the long periods of drought and high temperatures. Fortunately, for Clos Cantenac their vines are largely situated on either deep gravels or shallow sandy soils over gravels/clay and broken limestone, and so fared very well during the prolonged period of drought leading to water deficit as a result of the lack of rain from April until August. The quality of the harvest was very high, easily equal to 2009 and 2010 vintages.

Aging: 14 months in 40% New French Oak 

Tasting notes: 100% Merlot. The wine shows a deep dense black in color with a vibrant and hugely appealing nose of fine rich, ripe fruits, with hints of elderberries, praline, violet, and cassis-like aromas, enhanced by deep and dark spicey notes of cinnamon and pepper. The elegance and finesse of the wine are further supported by a whole register of complex lush fresh berry and brambly flavors, pencil shavings, almonds, mocha, roasted chestnuts, and subtle soft grilled new oak notes.

Reviews

Pure old-vine Merlot, this is a densely concentrated wine. Bold tannins and dark fruits give it an initially massive character. That dissipates as the wine opens into rich black-plum fruits cut with juicy acidity. Drink from 2026. ~94 Wine Enthusiast

Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2015 Clos Cantenac delivers pronounced notes of blackberry preserves, crème de cassis, and red currant jelly with touches of garrigue, lavender, smoked meats, and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with expressive red and black fruit preserves, framed by velvety tannins and wonderful freshness, leading to a very long, spicy finish. ~92 Robert Parker