2019 Chateau Cantemerle.... Best Cantemerle ever.

[JimHow]

The 2019 Chateau Catemerle is outstanding, best Cantemerle ever in my opinion, surpasses the 2016, 2010, and 1989. It is elegant and nuanced, balanced, classy, I love the 13.5% alcohol level in this generally high alcohol vintage. At $28USD, I am planning on buying two more cases. Very smooth, light on its feet. Yet another left bank gem from 2019. Outstanding. Rating: 95 points.

[esl]

Jim, I know it was in no way your intent, but you have made me depressed. It's not that I recently bought 3 bottles of the 2016 Cantemerle and am now told the 2019 is the best ever; no it is that you can get Cantemerle for $28. Twenty-eight dollars! I hate living in Kansas sometimes - this is one of those times.

[JimHow]

I ordered another case, esl, at Saratoga Wine Exchange. It’s so smooth, and 13.5%.

[RPCV]

In for a dozen myself. Thanks for the enablement and note, BD.

[JimHow]

Very well done indeed RP!

[esl]

Jim, I saw Saratoga Wine Exchange under the retailer links and have been drooling over the prices and the selection (not just for Bordeau) for the past few weeks. My problem is that they say they will ship to Kansas, yet I get conflicting information from online and those I know here in Kansas on whether that is legal. Just because Saratoga says they will ship does not mean the Kansas authorities will allow it. I can't seem to find a definitive answer. If anyone on this board can point me in some direction to clarify this, that would be helpful.

As a side note, Kansas laws regarding alcohol are screwy. Kansas never voted to repeal prohibition; they did not vote against repeal, the leaders in the state legislature have never brought it up (even to this day). There are still a few dry counties and cities (though every recent election cycle some county or city will vote to become wet to some degree) It's only been in the last few years that Costco in Kansas can sell beer; still no wine or distilled alcohol. Having lived in California and watching the amount of alcohol sold at a Costco, I find it perplexing that Kansas would pass up all that sales tax revenue. When I occasionally go into the KC metro area and shop at the Costco just across the border in Missouri I see a lot of Kansas license plates. The inverse is not true with the Costco just inside the Kansas border.

[JimHow]

Yeah I hear you, esl.
Saratoga has already packed and shipped my case of Cantemerle, scheduled for overnight delivery tomorrow at regular $20 ground shipping.
I've been very impressed with their selection and service.

[JCNorthway]

esl, you might want to "experiment" with a shipment of inexpensive wines from Saratoga. I live in Michigan, and though many shops around the country will not ship to Michigan, Saratoga does, as well as Empire Wines in NY. Fedex always has to check that I'm 21 even though I look most of my 74 years! But I've never had any state intervention on orders. And I order most of my wine from Saratoga these days. Having said all of that, I get that Kansas could be a very different animal. Perhaps the place to check would be with Fedex since they would be the ones making the delivery in Kansas.

Jim, another case of 2019 Cantemerle enablement occurred today . . .

[JimHow]

esl, what JCNorthway said. I've been dealing with the same nonsense here in New England for 30+ years. Just do it.
JC, a tear is in my eye, you are a BWE extraordinaire, one of the very originals. Well done, JCNorthway. Very well done indeed.

[JCNorthway]

It's been a fun ride, Jim. And I hope to keep it going a few more years. Stefan is my idol.

[esl]

JCNorthway, Thanks, that's just what the wife and I decided to do last night - will be placing a small order later this morning to see if there are any issues with the state. If there are no problems with shipping wine into Kansas, I will probably go broke ordering wines from Saratoga.

[JimHow]

You are a true BWEer, esl. Very well done indeed!

[stefan]

>>
I will probably go broke ordering wines....
>>

That's the BWE spirit, esl!

[Jay Winton]

Wine shipping is a crazy quilt especially if you live in a unfriendly state like Delaware though some stores will ship here. There is a bill in the state house to allow shipping and it seems to have a chance. Hope not expectations.

[esl]

Oh happy day! Good news. I got a shipment of wine to Kansas; 12 bottles of 2019 Cantemerle. There is a side story though. As I said above, being unsure about shipping wine into Kansas as I had gotten mixed info on whether that was legal or not, I placed a small low-dollar test order, as some here on this thread suggested, to see if I could get wine shipped to me.

So, I placed a small order from Saratoga Wine Exchange not quite two weeks ago. I wasn’t sure I would be at home when it would arrive so I had it delivered to a Dollar General store (FedEx pick-up point) in the little town near where I live. Well, I was informed later that day that one of the wines it turned out was not in-store for rapid shipping so I had to wait a few days to fulfill my order, no big deal.

Monday, I get an update that my order is ready to ship; just waiting on FedEx to pick up. FedEx says the ETA is the following Friday(yesterday) by the end of the day. That next day, Tuesday, I get an update from FedEx that the package is delayed in Syracuse, NY. Ok, that happens. Later that same Tuesday as I am getting into my car to go into town a FedEx truck pulls up to deliver some medicine for my wife. I ask the man who does our route about getting wine shipped to my house, is this legal/possible and if so, what if I might not be here to sign for it. He said that’s no problem. He’s done this for a few others around here. He just needs a signature at some point (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more.). So, based on what he said, I placed an order later that day for a case of the 2019 Cantemerle to be delivered to my house. Yesterday, I get an update from FedEx that both orders have separately arrived in Olathe, Kansas within about 15 minutes of each other and are to arrive today. This morning, I get another update and again the first order is somehow delayed again but the second order is out for delivery and, yes, it did arrive.

[JimHow]

Very nicely done e!
I've been very happy with the service at Saratoga, I should be getting a couple cases this week.

[esl]

Very nicely done e!
I've been very happy with the service at Saratoga, I should be getting a couple cases this week.

Yes, even with my limited experience with them, I am so far happy with Saratoga(great prices BTW). It's FedEx that confounds me.

[JCNorthway]

Glad it worked out for you. Great choice of wine - my case gets delivered this week. And glad you've discovered Saratoga. I probably buy 80-90% of my wines from them these days. The rest comes from Empire Wines, also in NY, and also good service.

[DavidG]

Well done esl! You’re in trouble now…

[Ognik]

Too many chateau too hot at the moment and too many 2009/10 of this waiting still.
Sorry, not for me now.
In 5 up to 10 yrs from now maybe. No hurry to buy this one now. Price won't improve on that wine dramatically, for sure.

[JimHow]

I'll probably drink through my cases of 2019 and 2020 Cantemerle in the next five years.

[Ognik]

Sante Jim.
Special greetings to former president Trump.
Isn't it past your jail time?
Love that. Great fun.

[ericp]

Nice enablement BD! I've got a planned order from Saratoga - adding Cantemerle to the list, at that price it's hard to beat for the quality.

[JCNorthway]

Too many people shopping Saratoga. Now I'll have to act more quickly to snag things I want.

[JimHow]

They have such a great selection!
I’m going to splurge on some Dal Forno Amarone when they arrive.

[esl]

Too many people shopping Saratoga. Now I'll have to act more quickly to snag things I want.

JCNorthway,
Sorry now that I know I can get wines delivered to me, I just bought all their good stuff. I left a bottle of NV Cali white zin for you though.

[JimHow]

Ha ha, just leave him some of the basic Felina chianti, esl, he'll be happy.
JC is one of the very first original BWEers, we met him and his amazing better half Paula in Chicago in February 2001 at the first annual BWE convention.

[stefan]

>>
JC is one of the very first original BWEers, we met him and his amazing better half Paula in Chicago in February 2001 at the first annual BWE convention.
>>

And not nearly often enough since then!

Speaking of Cantemerle, I am enjoying drinking the 2014 now. I bought one bottle a few years ago and just now got around to trying it. No real weakness in the wine, but it needs a few years of age to smooth out the taste and develop the bouquet. I'll probably buy some to drink in five years or so.

[JimHow]

Not sure I've had the 2014 Cantemerle but I imagine that vintage + that estate was a nice result. I'll have probably consumed a case each of 2019 Cantemerle and 2020 Cantemerle before you even touch your next 2014 Cantemerle, Stefan, it's hard to imagine that wine will improve dramatically over the next five years. To me the 2014s are generally beautiful right now at the 10 year mark. (Hold your Barons, Lalandes, etc.)

[stefan]

I wrote the above before starting to eat. Pairing the 2014 Cantemerle with a ground venison dish Lucie prepared was a good choice as the venison smoothed out the rough edges in the Cantemerle.

[Nicklasss]

I opened a bottle of 2019 Cantemerle last night and have to agree with Jim : this is a great Cantemerle!

It represents all the best of that fruity, complex, élégance of that Haut Médoc. Drinking so well already and for long. I would rated it a bit lower like 93, but it is up there with the 1989 and 2010.

[JimHow]

I’m glad you liked it, Nic, we were comparing notes with Jim Harrigan in DC and he agrees as well. The $28 price we’ve been getting it at is as good a deal as I’ve seen in at least a decade. I have two cases of the 2019 and a case of the 2020.