wine bottle

1990 Chateau Cantemerle

By Chateau Cantemerle

1990 Chateau Cantemerle from Chateau Cantemerle, Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux

In the pantheon of Bordeaux vintages, the lauded 1990 is often celebrated for its extraordinary constellation of both quality and charm—an alignment that beneficently smiled upon the noble terroirs of Haut-Medoc. The 1990 Chateau Cantemerle from Chateau Cantemerle is no exception, encapsulating the vintage's distinct aura with poise and finesse.

 

Quintessential Qualities: A Vintage Par Excellence

The year was marked by a serendipitous sequence of weather patterns—an uneventful winter followed by a mild spring and an optimally warm summer. Harvest conditions in Haut-Medoc unfurled under a benevolent sun, endowing the grapes with excellent ripeness while preserving vital acidity. This harmonic maturation bestowed upon the 1990 Chateau Cantemerle a tapestry of ripe tannins interspersed with a vibrant freshness—one that welcomes the discerning investor even as it surpasses its third decade.

 

A Tapestry Unveiled: The Tasting Note

The tasting journey unveils with an alluring bouquet, where essences of blackcurrant and subtle truffle hint at this wine’s lineage and maturity. One uncovers in its taste a gracious integration of oak—a testament to deft barrelling—and the patina of time's kiss on fruit elements, now evolved into tertiary flavours of leather and tobacco. Impeccably honest to its appellation, this investment-grade bottling serenades the palate with curated symphonies echoing the gravels and clays from whence it came.

 

The Enduring Elegance: An Investment Worth Savouring

As one reflects on the 1990 Chateau Cantemerle, it is evident that beyond its hedonistic appeal lies an investment proposition anchored in longevity and pedigree. It is for those discerning investors looking to imbibe and possess a slice of Bordeaux's history. Poised immaculately between prime drinking window and collectability, the present-day charm of this consummate Haut-Medoc elixir avows that the allure of the vintage continues to shimmer through time like a garnet jewel—complex, captivating and ceaselessly enchanting.

Current market price

£690.00

12x75cl

Highest score

87

POP score

98.57

Scores and tasting notes

87

This wine has matured nicely and is now fully mature. Dark ruby with some pink at the edge, this elegant textbook Cantemerle has medium body and a very floral, sweet nose of plums, currants, white flowers, cedar, and mineral. Low in acidity, with light and supple tannin, this is a classic lighter weight Bordeaux that is all charm and finesses. Anticipated maturity: Now-2006. Last tasted, 12/01.

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 31 December 2002

Vintage performance