| Region of Production: | Haut-Médoc AOC |
| Winery Location: | Macau |
| Year Established: | 14th century |
| Classification: | fifth growth, Médoc 1855 |
Vineyard Holdings
94 ha
- 60% Cabernet Sauvignon
- 30% Merlot
- 6% Cabernet Franc
- 4% Petit Verdot
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Château Cantemerle
- Les Allées de Cantemerle: Inaugural vintage 1995.
Average Total Production
- 560,000 bottles
Summary
An old estate, Cantemerle claims records of winegrowing dating back to the early 1300s, but by the 19th century the wines of Cantemerle were relatively unknown in Bordeaux – the estate bypassed the Place de Bordeaux completely by selling its entire crop to Dutch merchants. In 1854 owner Caroline de Villeneuve-Durfort, likely spurred by an 1845 lawsuit over the misappropriation of the Cantemerle name and a desire to get the wine classified, bucked tradition and offered her wines to the local négociants instead. Despite a price that merited inclusion, the original 1855 roster did not include Cantemerle and Villeneuve-Durfort petitioned the brokers for a change. She prevailed, and in September 1855 Cantemerle was added to the list – the first of only two changes to the classification since its release.
The Villeneuve-Durfort family sold the property to Théophile-Jean Dubos, whose family continued to manage the estate for nearly a century. In 1980 a French insurance company swooped in and “diversified its holdings” by buying the estate. The SMABTP Group made history and set a trend – it was the first insurance company to acquire a Bordeaux vineyard. The new owners replanted the vineyards in the 1980s and restored Cantemerle’s dwindling acreage under vine to its original size of 90 hectares (now 94).
Style & Vinification Techniques
Cantemerle produces a consistent and classic style of Bordeaux. The assemblage for the grand vin typically mirrors the vineyard mix, and the wine is treated to 12-16 months in 50% new oak. Fining with gelatin occurs prior to bottling, but the wine is not filtered.
Producer Website: Château Cantemerle