Feeling Howish: TN 2014 Ch. Cantemerle

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Suckling raged about this. "Same quality as the 2010." Let's have a look under the hood.

Nice dark color, nice legs in the glass. Lactic nose. Otherwise subdued. No berries red, blue, black or Margaux of any kind. A flourish of fine but stiff tannin. Good palate spread and coverage. Light bodied. Dry. There's not much forward about this wine, fruit or otherwise. Dry, a tad wooden if not oaky. Aside from an expansive palate presence and good length, this is one to commit to the cellar and faith. Some weight and density may come; it often does. But this will play more towards elegance than power, which is the side to err on.

[JimHow]

...just the way I like 'em.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Just to round this off. This wine did throw me a bit of a curve. It was not closed, nor did it have that abrupt burst of fruit and hard shutdown of tannin in the finish. There was a pleasing warmth and spiciness towards the end of the bottle and it showed very well with the food. So I wouldn't hesitate to revisit this one in six months or so, perhaps yearly, until and if it shuts down hard or I get down to the six bottle mark (of a case), which I will want to reserve for the out years.

Anyway it certainly hasn't quenched my appetite for 2014 left bankers. I'm eyeing some Lilian Ladouys on the virtual shelf right now.

[Nicklasss]

Art, your description remind me the 2006, so i guess this would fit my palate.

I don't have any 2014, but the 2015 is still big and closed, at least the only time I had it. But it will blossom in 8-10 years.

Nic

[Claudius2]

Guys
If there are no berries of any kind then I’ll buy a lesser Margaux wine instead.
I have to admit to never really getting Cantemerle. The 89 was the best I have tried but I want more mid palate intensity and complexity.
Maybe I am finding in 2020 that I see too many charmless, dry and fruitless wines or overly alcoholic, tarry monsters.
Can I just have some wines that are medium bodied with complex palates, balanced with Integrated oak, fine tannins and moderate acid???
Having said that I’ve tried some lesser ranked 2014’s and I like them. They offer more classic, cool Bdx characters with some acid and tannin for ageing. Have not tried any really top wines but those tried are very good.