My first TN, on the new BWE

[Nicklasss]

Well, I'm happy to see much enthusiasm right now on the site. It is well deserved, with all the great members here on BWE. It will continue and I will try to keep it lively, as much as I can.

So, I've been for a week at Alex's place in Montreal. By the way, i encouraged my bro to participate more here (nickname Nicklasss Bro) but the english language stop him a bit.

We opened few bottles during that week and report here on the most interesting.

2003 Chateau Lagrange : A warm vintage and a good wine from that producer. Well, the oak is proeminent a bit, but still in balance with the warm fruit. Dark color, the wine has nice aromas of noble oak, toffey, dark berries, smoke. In mouth, seductive, lush, medium velvety final on oak. Let say that it should be more complex in 5-10 years, as everything is there, but still in one block. TN : 89-90+.

2003 Chateau Cantemerle : We had that wine together a few time, my bro and me, and it is still a good example of a wine that did not pushed the ripeness in 2003 and kept a classical wine. nose of ripe red berries, dark berries, flowers, light spices (white pepper) and light oak. Everything in mouth is well balanced, the fruit is sligthly jammy, red berries, rasberries, soft and mellowed. Good acidity too. This is ONLY 12.5 % alcohol, and the final is longer now than for the Lagrange and more complex. I really like that wine. TN : 91. It should age well, but not as long as the St-Julien.

2004 Le Cedre : This is a better cuvée from Chateau du Cedre in Cahors. Dark violet color. Nose is seductive with lots of creamy cassis and violets flowers, mixed with the vanilla from the oak. Maybe some ripe rasberries too. In mouth, this is lush, creamy, lots of tannins with kind of tar mineral flavors on the long final. While in mouth, this is concentrated dark berries and rasberries. Oaky too. Well done. TN : 90+.

2000 Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives from Hugel : This is very nice. Light gold color, the nose is explosive on litchis, roses, peaches, apricots, melon and cinnamon. In mouth, superb balance between the fruit, sugar, acidity and that super long finish on cashmere spices (muscad and brown sugar). While in mouth, the impression are great, the flavors intense. Yellow flesh fruits (apricots, quince) and litchis. This is different from Sauternes but impressively good. Recommended. TN : 94.

Nic

[tim]

Always been a fan of the late harvest Gewurtztraminer's myself, although as you say they are quite different from the Sauternes.

Great notes Nic

[JimHow]

Boy 12.5% alcohol from 2003 is quite an accomplishment. Cantemerle seems to get consistently high grades here on BWE, I've got to try these wines more often. I've got three or four bottles of the '05 in my cellar but I haven't tried it yet.

[William P]

I had a 2000 Cantemerle sometime mid 08 and it was just a super wine. This chateau seems to have hit its prime starting in 2000.

Bill

[Chasse-Spleen]

I've read many of Nic's positive notes on Cantemerle 2003 and wish I had grabbed some while the grabbing was good. I think Cantemerle is a great terroir. I had the '97 once and the body was somewhat light and a touch acidic, but the nose was spectacular. The 2000 is excellent.

[Blanquito]

Count me as another who loves the 2000 Cantemerle-- a terrific QPR at $18 as futures. Incidentially, it is one of the few instances when I think Suckling (91 pts) was more on the mark than Parker (89 pts).

The 2005 is also really good, and Parker is high on the 2006.