The 2015 Cantemerle has been uncorked....

[JimHow]

Let's see if this is any good.

[SF Ed]

You sure do kill 'em young. Thanks for taking one for the team.

SF Ed

[JimHow]

Harsh, oaky, out of sorts.
Okay, it's young. But I've tasted many a new release, so I've got some reference points.
It is BIG, unbalanced. Damn, it was downright mouth-puckering. Very tannic. Tasted unripe, which of course doesn't seem possible.
I'll give it 88 points for now.
Its BIG-ness suggests it may improve. Certainly strong, oaky, licorice on the nose.
I'm just not feeling it about 2015.
It may be great for the rest of the world, I'm just not feeling that 2015 is a Jim How kind of vintage. MAYBE in Margaux, but this Cantemerle... I don't know. Judgment resevred, I guess.
This wine actually tasted unripe to me.
I'll give it 88 points for now, but it could go up or down by 3 points.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Cantemerle is about as close to Margaux as can be.

[JimHow]

I know! That's why I'm a bit disappointed.

[Chateau Vin]

I doubt it would go up in rating... Based on my tasting, La lagune and Poujeaux closeby are better than cantemerle IMO for this vintage...

[Nicklasss]

Dissapointing. I bought 4 bottles (futures) because thought it would be ok to open early in it's life, as Cantemerle has normally a claret style.

From Jim's comments, guess I'll wait a bit. Or at least, open one early to figure out if you got a representative bottle.

Nic

[JimHow]

Yeah, I have 11 more bottles of this apparent swill.
Maybe it just wasn't a representative bottle.
I think it did soften up a bit as the night went along.
I think my report should have been more of a "no rating," or "judgment reserved."
More concerningly, though, I just have questions about these tannic 2015s I'm drinking.
Yes, yes, I know, they are in their infancy, but I'm taking that into account in my assessment, as i have tasted every new release vintage since 1995.
Whereas the 2014s were crisp, classic, defined, balanced, these 2015s seem big, big, big, oaky, bullying, alcoholic, out-of-balanced tannic.
I do like the Giscours and Siran.
I'll be tasting more new release 2015s in the weeks ahead to gain a larger sample, and will report back in the name of science.

[Blanquito]

2015 seems BIG and ripe everywhere is Europe that I’ve tried (Bordeaux, northern Rhône, Burgundy, Loire, Germany). Not necessarily a bad thing, but a variable to factor in to be sure. But if even Cantemerle is a bruiser...

[Comte Flaneur]

Sheesh...lucky I bought the 16 rather than 15 Cantemerle

[Racer Chris]

I've had a few 375s already and enjoyed them all. Certainly not too tannic or oaky for my taste, although not much subtlety/nuance to the fruit profile.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Has anyone tasted both the '14 and the '15 Cantemerle?

[JimHow]

Yes, I've had both the '14 and '15 and I enjoyed the '14 more.
My experience with '15 is much more limited but they each seem to be consistent with their respective vintages.

[DavidG]

I’ve got 4 of these arriving in the fall. Seems like a diversity of opinions on it here and on CT. I bought it for early drinking but I think I’ll Blanquito them and let them rest 5 years.

Jim, you should nail up the case and bury it for a while, before you subject yourself to the remaining 11 bottles over the next couple of months.