I just tasted my favorite 2018 so far, can you guess it?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Mar 21, 2022 11:57 pm

I'll give you 20 questions.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Mar 21, 2022 11:58 pm

A bottle of the wine to the winner, if any, which by itself should give you a subtle hint.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:01 am

By the way, the questions can only elicit YES or NO answers.

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:22 am

How many guesses each person gets?

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:23 am

Left Bank?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:25 am

This is not a question within the rules, but I will nonetheless re-phrase it as Question #1 to get the party started.

Question #1:

Do BWEers get more than one question each?

Answer: Yes.

Yes or No Questions remaining: 19.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:26 am

Question #2:

Is this a wine of the Left Bank?

Answer: Yes.

Harry C. · Post by **Harry C.** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:31 am

Is it from Pessac/Leognan region?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:33 am

Question #3

Is it from Pessac/Leognan region?

Answer: No.

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:34 am

Did you have this exact wine before?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:36 am

Question #4:

Did you have this exact wine before?

Answer: No.

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:37 am

Is this a growth property?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:40 am

Question #5:

Is this a growth property?

Answer: No.

Ianjaig · Post by **Ianjaig** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 1:54 am

JimHow wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:40 am Question #5:

Is this a growth property?

Answer: No.

Lilian Ladouys?

Harry C. · Post by **Harry C.** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:07 am

Is it a Chateau that has been a favorite in past vintages for you?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:31 am

Question #6: Is it Lilian Ladouys?

Answer: No.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:32 am

Question #7:

Is it a Chateau that has been a favorite in past vintages for you?

Answer: Yes.

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:33 am

Is the estate in question a previous BWE WOTY winner?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:35 am

Question 8:

Is the estate in question a previous BWE WOTY winner?

Answer: Yes

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:37 am

Is it the 2018 Sociando Mallet?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:39 am

Question #9:

Is it the 2018 Sociando Mallet?

Answer: No.

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:41 am

Is it the 2018 Cantemerle?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:46 am

Ha, you are good!
This wine is lovely!
It is nothing like the other 2018s I've had.
And I'm not here to criticize the 2018s.
I just found this Cantemerle light on its feet, smooth, medium bodied, and "only" 13.5% alcohol.
Very lovely and velvety, young but definitively Margaux/Haut Medoc.
Quite an aberration from the big, hot, wild-ride 2018s I've had so far.
Very lovely, one of the better Cantemerles I've enjoyed in recent years. Very understated, smooth....
93 points.

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:48 am

Is there anything better than wine trivia?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:49 am

Ha... well done indeed!
Definitely gonna pick up a few more bottles of this stuff.

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:50 am

JimHow wrote: ↑Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:46 am Ha, you are good!
This wine is lovely!
It is nothing like the other 2018s I've had.
And I'm not here to criticize the 2018s.
I just found this Cantemerle light on its feet, smooth, medium bodied, and "only" 13.5% alcohol.
Very lovely and velvety, young but definitively Margaux/Haut Medoc.
Quite an aberration from the big, hot, wild-ride 2018s I've had so far.
Very lovely, one of the better Cantemerles I've enjoyed in recent years. Very understated, smooth....
93 points.

But you said it’s not a growth property...

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:51 am

Oh shoot did I get that wrong

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:53 am

Chateau Vin has a point!

I know i bought some Cantemerle, but can't remember if it the 2019 or 2020. Seems like i should have bought 2018...

The 2003 Cantemerle i had were quite good too, at only 12.5 % alcohol, in that warm unusual vintage.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:55 am

This wine was incredibly reserved vis a vis the vintage, Nicola, I would never have guessed it to be a 2018.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:01 am

Almost Burgundian.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:04 am

Cantemerle ranks 46th out of 56 wines in my reclassification of the wines of the Medoc, between Malartic Lagraviere and Chasse Spleen. It proudly acquits itself as a solid fifth growth in 2018.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:25 am

I note this wine gets high marks on cellar tracker for its light, medium-bodied, non-alcoholic style. A lot of 93 point scores there. Two enthusiastic thumbs up, a very pleasant surprise! Very different from recent vintages of Canemerle, very different from other 2018s... in a good way.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:15 am

Saratoga has magnums for $80. I may put one in my next order from them.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 7:13 pm

I wonder if somebody can find GBF’s review of the 2018 Cantemerle for me.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:54 pm

In bottle tasting from GBF:

Cantemerle CC - 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. Quite a seductive nose of blackcurrants, exquisite and stylish. For me, it was a bit light on the palate and lacked some more depth and length. 89-90p.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Mar 23, 2022 12:05 am

Thanks for posting, Nicola. Very interesting note from GBF. For me, the lightness on the palate in 2018 was a positive, not a negative. I thought it was lovely, feminine, charming. Nuanced. Much closer to 93 points, or more, than the Burghound-like dungeon of 89-90.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Mar 23, 2022 12:07 am

I would indeed think this would seem light in a wide ranging tasting if 2018s. This is why it is best to actually drink and analyze these wines.

Dandersson · Post by **Dandersson** » Wed Mar 23, 2022 5:52 pm

Jim, do you prefer the 2018 over the 2016 Cantemerle?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Mar 23, 2022 5:55 pm

Yes. It seems like a very different styled Cantemerle.
I like the 2016 as well. 2010 is my favorite Cantemerle ever.
I'm a fan of Cantemerle in general, and I like this toned down version from 2018.
Very different than other 2018s.

Dandersson · Post by **Dandersson** » Wed Mar 23, 2022 6:06 pm

I am a big fan of Cantemerle too, I will have to fit in a 2018 in my reduced buying.